page_title: 1950–51 Ashes series
section_title: England – First Innings
hierarchical_section_title: 1950–51 Ashes series / Third Test – Sydney / England – First Innings
caption_attribution_description: en:Keith Miller
context_page_description: The 1950–51 Ashes series consisted of five cricket Test matches, each of six days with five hours play each day and eight ball overs. It formed part of the MCC tour of Australia in 1950–51 and the matches outside the Tests were played in the name of the Marylebone Cricket Club. The England team under the captaincy of the big-hearted all-rounder Freddie Brown was regarded as the weakest sent to Australia and "without Bedser and Hutton, England would have been little better than a club side". Few gave them a chance of regaining the Ashes and they lost the series 4–1 to Lindsay Hassett's Australian team, which had far greater reserves of talent. In the Fifth and final Test England beat Australia for the first time since 1938 and ended their unbeaten run of 14 Tests against England, 26 Tests against all teams and 96 games in all cricket since the Second World War. After this victory England would defeat Australia in 1953, 1954–55 and 1956.
  It was a great all round team effort from the Australians; the captain Lindsay Hassett made 366 runs, Neil Harvey 362 runs, Keith Miller 350 runs and Jim Burke 125 runs.
context_section_description: Brown dispensed with the experiment of having Hutton bat down the order and the old Roses opening partnership of Len Hutton and Cyril Washbrook went to the crease. Hutton was full of confidence, 19 runs came off the first three overs and Keith Miller asked for a new ball in the fourth. Umpire Elphinstone examined the ball and changed it for a new one, which he ground into the dust to take the shine off. Hutton insisted on a look and bounced on the grass a few times so that it would lose its shape. It made no difference as another 8 runs came of the next two overs and Miller was taken off, only to take a diving catch off Ian Johnson (3/94) to dismiss Washbrook. Miller said this was the finest catch of his career; "He played the perfect cut, but, fielding in the gully, I had anticipated the shot. I ran across before he played it, flung out my hand and held the ball. I was just as astonished as Cyril". Hutton (62) and Simpson (49) took the score to 128/1 when Miller was brought back on to bowl one of his most famous overs. He bowled a "super ball" to dismiss Hutton lbw and bowled Denis Compton for a duck when the ball clipped the edge of the bat and ricocheted into the stumps. Gilbert Parkhouse survived until tea, but Reg Simpson guided another ball from Miller to Sam Loxton at short-fine-leg and England were 137/4. The popular Freddie Brown strode out to the applause of the crowd hoping for some more Melbourne-style big-hitting and they were not disappointed. Hassett took the new ball, but Brown hit Bill Johnston to the fence, lofted Lindwall into the deep and cracked a straight-drive onto Umpire Barlow's foot. He added 50 with Parkhouse (25) before the Welshman pulled Ian Johnson to Arthur Morris at mid-on at 187/5. He was replaced by Trevor Bailey who held up one end while Brown scattered the in-field and clouted the Australian bowling round the ground. When he was finally out the next day, playing over a yorker from Ray Lindwall for 79, he had made his highest Test score, the highest for England so far in the series, and received a royal reception from the crowd. England was now 258/6, their highest innings of a low scoring series, but without their fiery captain they collapsed to 290 all out. Bailey had his thumb broken by a Lindwall bouncer at 263/6 and was taken to St Vincent's Hospital. Godfrey Evans struck 3 fours in his 23 not out, but Alec Bedser was bowled by Lindwall (2/60) and John Warr by Miller (4/37). Bailey returned at 281/8 and tried to bat one-handed before he was caught by Don Tallon of Ian Johnson. Doug Wright joined Evans, but was run out for a duck by his Kent team-mate, tripping over his bat and pulling a muscle as he rushed home and England were all out for 290.
caption: Keith Miller took the best catch of his career to dismiss Washbrook, then removed Hutton, Compton and Simpson for 5 runs.
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