The Cricketer Magazine – June 2018

forehead after being hit above the eye by a Lindwall
bouncer; an injury to Sid Barnes, who was struck in
the ribs while at short leg and had to be helped off by
four policemen; and a barrage of bouncers bowled
successively by Bill Edrich at his fellow wartime fl ying
ace Miller, and in turn by Miller at Edrich, until Bradman
intervened. The fourth day having been washed out,
Yardley declared the England second innings at 174 for
3, setting the Australians a victory target of 317 in 345
minutes’ play. Rain ensured a draw.
Two-nil up with two to play, the Ashes were safely with
Australia. Hutton duly returned for the fourth Test, played
in baking heat and watched by 158,000 paying customers
(still a record for any cricket match on English soil), at his
native Headingley. He rehabilitated himself with scores
of 81 and 57. There were fi rst-innings centuries for Cyril
Washbrook and Edrich, and for 19-year-old Neil Harvey –
today the last surviving member of the Invincibles.
The end result was that Yardley declared the England
second innings at 365 for 8 on the fi nal morning, leaving
345 minutes and 404 runs as an Australian target: “a
colossal task,” Bradman was forced to admit “on the
last day of a Test”. He went in at 1pm, at 57 for 1. He
signalled his intentions by driving his fi rst ball for four.
The batsmen rode their luck, the chances went down, and
even Laker managed to bowl 32 overs on a turning pitch
without taking a wicket. Bradman scored an unbeaten
173, Morris 182, and they won by seven wickets with 15
minutes left.
The final Test at The Oval was both climactic and
anticlimactic, with Bradman’s last representative

innings in Australian colours touching both extremes.

England batted fi rst and on a rain-affected pitch made a

sorry 52. Bradman came in at 117 for 1, shortly before six

on the fi rst evening. Needing only four to retire with an

average of 100, he was famously bowled for a second-ball

duck by an Eric Hollies googly. Godfrey Evans insisted

that the popular legend that “Don’s eyes were filled

with tears” when he came to the wicket was “complete

cobblers – the man never choked up in his life”. Bradman

himself paused to remark only “fancy that”. It did not

stop Australia winning by an innings and 149 runs.

Who was the greatest?

Australia played a total of 31 fi rst-class

fi xtures (including fi ve Tests) plus three

other games, two of the non-fi rst-class

matches being played in Scotland. How does

this compare to football’s two ‘invincible’

sides? Preston North End’s team of 1888/89,

managed by William Sudell, went undefeated

in 27 league and cup matches, while Arsene

Wenger’s Arsenal team of the 2003/04

season were undefeated in the league

only (38 games).

Johnny Goodall

of Preston North

End, and Arsène

Wenger of Arsenal

CAPS OFF

Bradman soaks

the acclaim shortly

before his dismissal

Christopher

Sandford’s book

Zeebrugge 1918:

The Greatest

Raid of All is

available now

More on The Invincibles in From the Archive, p106

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