MCC tour of Australia in 1954–55

Lord Cobham gave a speech in which he reminded the team that it was more important to not disgrace the face of English cricket even at the cost of series, though several young players had other ideas about this.

Frank Tyson saw "a spare, stooped old man, dressed immaculately in a pin-stripe suit" telling the young Colin Cowdrey, "when you reach Australia, just remember one thing - hate the bastards!".

He spoke with such vehemence that Tyson asked George Duckworth who the old gent was, "That was Douglas Jardine", the reason behind Lord Cobham's speech on good sportsmanship.

Soon after the voyage began Vic Wilson, Colin Cowdrey, Peter Loader, Jim McConnon, Keith Andrew and Frank Tyson were warned by Len Hutton that they were secondary players who were expected to play little part in the Test matches.

Len Hutton won the toss and put Western Australia in with immediate results on a fast, rain-freshed pitch as both openers went for ducks and Ken Meuleman retiring hurt after being hit on the head by Brian Statham (6/23).

Only the opener Jack Rutherford (39) scored more than 9 and Brian Statham topped the bowling figures with 3/21, Tyson (2/14), Bailey (2/16) and Wardle (2/11) all took cheap wickets, but Godfrey Evans had the most dismissals with 4 catches and a stumping.

[7] South Australia were a tougher proposition and Len Hutton, back as captain, decided to bat first on a pitch that looked full of runs (but wasn't).

South Australia overtook this the next day regardless of 5/62 from Frank Tyson as Les Favell increased his hopes of Test selection with 84, adding 119 for the first wicket with David Harris (48).

New South Wales were led by the flamboyant Keith Miller who won the toss and put the visitors in to bat, much to Len Hutton's annoyance as he wanted to do the same.

Young Billy Watson, playing in his second First Class match raced to 155 and with the help of his captain's 86 took New South Wales past the MCC score three wickets down.

Mick Harvey made 49 and thrashed a ball into Jim McConnon's groin, a painful injury that put the unlucky spinner out of contention for weeks.

Peter May made 69 and Vic Wilson 61, but the last five wickets fell for 26 runs., from 291/5 to 317 all out, with the retired Queensland leg spinner Donald Watt taking 5/56 with help from fellow leggie Kenneth Jenkins (4/44).

Opener Wilfred Brown top scored with 22 in the Country innings as they collapsed to 95 off 42.1 eight-ball overs with Peter Loader (3/22), Johnny Wardle (2/22), Bob Appleyard (2/18) and Tom Graveney (2/8) sharing the wickets.

Hutton put them straight back in again and this time they did better, Brown making 78 and adding 108 for the second wicket with Renald Sippel (45), but Appleyard (7/51) spun his way through the rest of the batting order with some help from Graveney (2/49).

[12] The cricket loving Prime Minister of Australia Robert Menzies invited the MCC to a reception on the evening before the match and the ex-Australian captain Lindsay Hassett recited a ditty about facing "Typhoon" Tyson.

Veteran batsman Sam Loxton hit 47 and Keith Miller 38 as Bill Edrich's fast bowling cost him 40 runs off 5 overs, though he did take 2 wickets.

[17] It would have been 8/68, but Johnny Wardle dropped John Chambers (42) because he was singing a Bing Crosby song and Sam Loxton feathered a thin edge to Godfrey Evans, but was given not out.

[18] See Main Article - 1954-55 Ashes series The MCC played the Northern Districts of New South Wales in a three-day match which did not count as First Class even though the team was as strong as some state sides.

The MCC batted to 438, their highest score of the tour so far with Jim McConnon, having recovered from his injury, making 43 as an opener, Denis Compton 60, Peter May a majestic 157 and wicket-keeper Godfrey Evans 69. batting again the home team did better with 246 with seven batsmen getting to double figures, but the medium paced off-spin of Bob Appleyard (5/59) took their toll with the in-swingers and leg-cutters of Alec Bedser (3/49) helping out.

See Main Article - 1954-55 Ashes series Some of the oldest grade clubs in Australia are in Tasmania, but it was a weak state side that did not fully complete in the Sheffield Shield for another twenty years.

The unlucky Jim McConnon broke his little finger when fielding a powerful Harvey on-drive, as it would take until the end of the tour to mend he was sent home when they reached the mainland.

The MCC had an hour and forty minutes to make 164 for victory so Hutton sent Keith Andrew to open, but he was soon out and Reg Simpson (37 not out) and Vic Wilson (33 not out) together at the end on 99/2.

There was a small collapse from 243/2 to 281/6, but Vic Wilson (cricketer) (62 not out) and Johnny Wardle entertained with 111 for the sixth wicket and Hutton declared at 427/7 on the second morning, Noel Diprose the best of the bowlers with 4/107.

Hutton, 310 runs ahead elected to bat again, perhaps to entertain the Saturday crowd the next day and sent in nightwatchmen Frank Tyson to open with Reg Simpson.

Mike Hyland (49) and added 60 with John Maddox (62 not out), who made his highest First Class score, but was left standing as the rest fell away and Tasmania were out for 200 for a 243 run win.

All the middle order made runs; Reg Simpson 68, Peter May 62, Tom Graveney 44 and Denis Compton 53, though Trevor Bailey was caught leg before by G. Gross (3/31) for a duck.

South Australia began their second innings 266 runs behind and collapsed again, only Ridings (40 not out) giving any resistance to Peter Loader (4/32) and Alec Bedser (3/20), the two bowlers fighting for a Test place.

The New South Wales captain Keith Miller won the toss and the Sheffield Shield champions elected to bat, but collapsed spectacularly to 3/3 as Alec Bedser (5/57) returned to form, removing both openers for ducks and having Richie Benaud caught by Johnny Wardle for one.

The 20 old Peter Philpott (46) and 21-year-old "Sam" Booth (74 not out) rescued the innings with a stand of 83, but Bedser returned to dismiss Philpot and Alan Davidson, Graveney's third catch.

They did not immediately improve their situation in the morning as Alan Davidson (4/25) dismissed nightwatchman Peter Loader for a duck after he had been hit hard on the thigh by Miller, Reg Simpson for 6 and Colin Cowdrey for 12, and the MCC were 35/5.