This week sees the 80th anniversary of cricket’s most bitter and acrimonious Test series, the infamous Bodyline
series of 1932/33.
Australia had won the 1930 Ashes series in England, with Don Bradman building up his Test average to well over
100. Bradman was part of an imposing batting line-up that was widely predicted to dominate.
England needed a plan to stem the flow of runs, and captain Douglas Jardine had a masterstroke. Leg theory
bowling had existed before, without any great success. But Jardine brought in a pace bowling attack featuring
Harold Larwood and Bill Voce, getting them to bowl fast bouncers while the field stood in a semi-circle on the leg
side.
The main target was Don Bradman, but the Bodyline tactic was used against the other Australian batsmen as well.
Bradman didn’t play in the first Test in Sydney, but Bodyline was bowled. In that Test, Stan McCabe hit out for an
imposing innings of 187. But the other batsmen were unable to conjure up enough runs to be competitive.
Had Bradman played in that first Test, and had Bradman and McCabe built an impressive partnership, Bodyline
may have been abandoned as a failure.
Instead, with England building a huge first innings and then Australia being dismissed cheaply by the Bodyline
bowling attack, England won the first Test by 10 wickets.
The MCG was the venue for the second Test, and Jardine had a triumph in Australia’s first innings when Bradman
was dismissed for a duck. But Bradman fought back to score a century in the second innings, as Australia fought
back to win the Test and level the series.
It was in the third Test in Adelaide where emotions spilled over. A short ball from Harold Larwood struck Australian
captain Bill Woodfull under his heart. At the time, the Bodyline field wasn’t being used; but while Woodfull was
recovering from the blow, Jardine moved the field into the Bodyline position.
After Woodfull was dismissed, his body bruised and battered, England manager Pelham Warner visited the
Australian dressing room. Woodfull sent him away, saying “There are two teams out there. Only one is playing
cricket.”
The next day, a bumper by Harold Larwood hit Bert Oldfield’s skull; and all hell broke loose. The Australian Board
of Control for Cricket sent a telegram to the MCC, stating that in their opinion, Bodyline was unsportsmanlike and
likely to upset the friendly relations between Australia and England.
The MCC retaliated, deploring the Australians’ cable and threatening to cancel the tour unless the Australians
retracted the word “unsportsmanlike”. The Australians backed down.
series of 1932/33.
Australia had won the 1930 Ashes series in England, with Don Bradman building up his Test average to well over
100. Bradman was part of an imposing batting line-up that was widely predicted to dominate.
England needed a plan to stem the flow of runs, and captain Douglas Jardine had a masterstroke. Leg theory
bowling had existed before, without any great success. But Jardine brought in a pace bowling attack featuring
Harold Larwood and Bill Voce, getting them to bowl fast bouncers while the field stood in a semi-circle on the leg
side.
The main target was Don Bradman, but the Bodyline tactic was used against the other Australian batsmen as well.
Bradman didn’t play in the first Test in Sydney, but Bodyline was bowled. In that Test, Stan McCabe hit out for an
imposing innings of 187. But the other batsmen were unable to conjure up enough runs to be competitive.
Had Bradman played in that first Test, and had Bradman and McCabe built an impressive partnership, Bodyline
may have been abandoned as a failure.
Instead, with England building a huge first innings and then Australia being dismissed cheaply by the Bodyline
bowling attack, England won the first Test by 10 wickets.
The MCG was the venue for the second Test, and Jardine had a triumph in Australia’s first innings when Bradman
was dismissed for a duck. But Bradman fought back to score a century in the second innings, as Australia fought
back to win the Test and level the series.
It was in the third Test in Adelaide where emotions spilled over. A short ball from Harold Larwood struck Australian
captain Bill Woodfull under his heart. At the time, the Bodyline field wasn’t being used; but while Woodfull was
recovering from the blow, Jardine moved the field into the Bodyline position.
After Woodfull was dismissed, his body bruised and battered, England manager Pelham Warner visited the
Australian dressing room. Woodfull sent him away, saying “There are two teams out there. Only one is playing
cricket.”
The next day, a bumper by Harold Larwood hit Bert Oldfield’s skull; and all hell broke loose. The Australian Board
of Control for Cricket sent a telegram to the MCC, stating that in their opinion, Bodyline was unsportsmanlike and
likely to upset the friendly relations between Australia and England.
The MCC retaliated, deploring the Australians’ cable and threatening to cancel the tour unless the Australians
retracted the word “unsportsmanlike”. The Australians backed down.
| THE 80th ANNIVERSARY OF CRICKET'S BODYLINE SERIES |
This article was originally published on The Roar.
Why did emotions run so high?
In a large part, because the Bodyline tactics, although legal, were against the spirit of fair play. It was a tactic
that placed the batsman in physical danger. There were no helmets like in modern cricket. The batsman was
focussing their energy on avoiding being hurt rather than in playing the ball or protecting their wicket.
But there were also social implications.
Australia at the time was in the grip of the Great Depression. Unemployment and starvation were rife. The
success of the Australian cricket team was the only positive in the lives of so many. And even this was being
taken away from them.
The wealthy English, who owned government bonds, were blamed for worsening the depression as
government money had to be paid to repay debt. Just a few months before the series, NSW Premier Jack
Lang had attempted to default on payments to the English bondholders in order to free up funds for
employment generation schemes. The King’s representative dismissed the democratically elected Lang.
And the feeling was that, in Bodyline, Australia was being dudded by the wealthy English again.
Tests in Australia were timeless in those days, so playing for a draw wasn’t an option for the depleted
Australians. Although the Test went for six days, the English prevailed. England won in six days again in the
fourth Test in Brisbane.
Would England have won without Bodyline? Not wanting to test that theory, they persisted with the
Bodyline tactics in the fifth Test, even though the series was already won.
Had the series been played in modern times, we’d have had a way to find out whether England would have
been competitive without using Bodyline. If Bodyline had been played now, there’d have been a one-day
series.
With anything wide of leg stump being called a wide, with Larwood and Voce restricted to ten overs apiece,
with bouncers restricted to one per over and limits of how many can be inside or outside the circle; Bodyline
isn’t a tactic that could have worked in one-day cricket.
Had Australia won the hypothetical one-day series, it would have proved that England couldn’t have won
without Bodyline.
Once the lawmakers at the MCC saw Bodyline for themselves, the laws of cricket were amended to prevent
the leg-side field.
Douglas Jardine never captained England in an Ashes series again.
Harold Larwood moved to Australia after World War II and lived happily down under. Time healed those
wounds.
And Don Bradman’s average for the series was reduced to 57, impressive by normal standards but well short
of his final average of 99.94.
As a tactic, Bodyline was effective. It won England the average and suppressed Bradman. But the cost, in
terms of injuries and the souring of relations, was a high price to pay.
Eighty years later, the 1932/33 series is still remembered infamously.
In a large part, because the Bodyline tactics, although legal, were against the spirit of fair play. It was a tactic
that placed the batsman in physical danger. There were no helmets like in modern cricket. The batsman was
focussing their energy on avoiding being hurt rather than in playing the ball or protecting their wicket.
But there were also social implications.
Australia at the time was in the grip of the Great Depression. Unemployment and starvation were rife. The
success of the Australian cricket team was the only positive in the lives of so many. And even this was being
taken away from them.
The wealthy English, who owned government bonds, were blamed for worsening the depression as
government money had to be paid to repay debt. Just a few months before the series, NSW Premier Jack
Lang had attempted to default on payments to the English bondholders in order to free up funds for
employment generation schemes. The King’s representative dismissed the democratically elected Lang.
And the feeling was that, in Bodyline, Australia was being dudded by the wealthy English again.
Tests in Australia were timeless in those days, so playing for a draw wasn’t an option for the depleted
Australians. Although the Test went for six days, the English prevailed. England won in six days again in the
fourth Test in Brisbane.
Would England have won without Bodyline? Not wanting to test that theory, they persisted with the
Bodyline tactics in the fifth Test, even though the series was already won.
Had the series been played in modern times, we’d have had a way to find out whether England would have
been competitive without using Bodyline. If Bodyline had been played now, there’d have been a one-day
series.
With anything wide of leg stump being called a wide, with Larwood and Voce restricted to ten overs apiece,
with bouncers restricted to one per over and limits of how many can be inside or outside the circle; Bodyline
isn’t a tactic that could have worked in one-day cricket.
Had Australia won the hypothetical one-day series, it would have proved that England couldn’t have won
without Bodyline.
Once the lawmakers at the MCC saw Bodyline for themselves, the laws of cricket were amended to prevent
the leg-side field.
Douglas Jardine never captained England in an Ashes series again.
Harold Larwood moved to Australia after World War II and lived happily down under. Time healed those
wounds.
And Don Bradman’s average for the series was reduced to 57, impressive by normal standards but well short
of his final average of 99.94.
As a tactic, Bodyline was effective. It won England the average and suppressed Bradman. But the cost, in
terms of injuries and the souring of relations, was a high price to pay.
Eighty years later, the 1932/33 series is still remembered infamously.
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |