History of Cricket

(F'in'ell) Its Fred Titmus, Middlesex offspinner the surprise find of the tour

Left hander Peter Parfitt powered on from debut century in the winter by scoring 3 more in the summer, all 4 against Pakistan

Indian captain Nari Contractor was lucky to survive a horrific injury after misjudging a short ball bowled by Charlie Griffiths

John Reid promised this was the Best Kiwi side ever.

England began a 3 Test series against Pakistan, then Played a 5 test series against India before ending the Pakistan series. England's new captain Ted Dexter, pictured , led the side with panache.

Selected with little fanfare Bill Lawry, pictured, made an immediate impact opening the batting for Australia, Alan Davidson was immense and Ted Dexter let fly

For the first time in the history of cricket a test match was tied not drawn.   Gerry Gomez and Frank Worrell during the ticker tape parade in Melbourne   Australian star of the series Alan Davidson recently passed away and I would like to dedicate this episode to his memory

India and Pakistan like war but without casualties. On pitches designed for stalemate one bowler, Ramkant Desai, stood up tall, despite his small stature.

Two South African players walk out to bat in the first women's Test match in South Africa against England. Australia begin the post Betty Wilson era in New Zealand

After the Sharpeville Massacre South African cricket tours were viewed in a very different light. Neil Adcock was determined to make his second visit to England a success. 

West Indies and England were incomplete sides at the turn of the decade as each sought the right ingredients to become successful. Ken Barrington of Surrey was one promising newcomer in England's side

Godfrey Evans made my team of the 1950's, who are your chosen XI?

*Try this one again - the first time the audio file did not get loaded correctly* Jaisimha created a unique record by batting on every day of a 5 day test match, he was not out overnight in the first innings on days 1 and 2, came in as nightwatchman on day 3, batted all day and was out for 74 on the final day during the drawn 5th test.

Saeed Ahmed is one of the stars of Pakistans batting history but doesn't get the credit he deserves due to his relative lack of success in England   I had a heavy cold this week, hopefully that does not spoil your enjoyment of this episode.

Had England solved their opening crisis? Geoff Pullar of Lancashire becomes an Old Trafford legend

Ted Dexter recently passed away, he is remembered, said Mike Atherton, as much for the way he played the game as for the number of runs scored. A late addition to the 1958-59 Ashes team, the hectic travel and lack of match practice was unfair to a young player. When he arrived in New Zealand he showed his true talent, scored a maiden test century and took wickets too.

Collie Smith the diminutive Jamaican all-rounder described by Gary Sobers as the best all rounder in the team who completed their winter tour of 1958-59 in Pakistan.

Victoria's Colin McDonald gave Australia a stable platform opening the batting for nearly a decade and leading the averages in 1958-59, but it was controversial bowling became the biggest talking point.

Roy Gilchrist was a West Indian fast bowler he was also part of a generation of rebellious young men growing up in the 50s who kicked against society and didn't know when to stop

England's bowling attack had made it the number 1 side, Tony Lock had a wet summer to help his finger spin, now New Zealand had brought over some inexperienced batsmen, what could go wrong?

2 Record breaking innings - Gary Sobers announced himself on the world stage by scoring the highest test score, 365 not out while Hanif Mohammed's 337 is the longest ever test innings

Faith Thomas was determined to do things, the fact that she was a woman, raised in a childrens home and discriminated against because of her race would not stand in her way, she became a nurse, a civil rights campaigner and the first indigenous Australian to represent her country in international sport.

Its not easy being proclaimed as the next Don Bradman, Ian Craig was hailed as such when he became Australia's youngest baggy green cap, aged 17, he was then made its youngest ever Captain aged 22 in 1957, illness would lead to an equally early retirement. =He may not have been Bradman mk2 but he did have a big influence on Australia's 1957-58 team and on the Man of the Series, future captain Richie Benaud. 

Colin Cowdrey was a throwback to the languid style of the old Amateur days, he epitomised poise and balance said Wally Hammond and when things got rough, he was as hard nosed as a professional.

Hugh Tayfield was South Africa's greatest spin bowler, rather than prodigious spin he frustrated batsmen with his accurate pitch and tantalising flight; we also have treason and beer...

Richie Benaud had established himself in the Australian team without making match winning contributions, his series winning bowling performances against India hinted at greater things to come.

Jim Laker took 63 Australian wickets in 1956 and 2 ten wicket hauls, his 19 for 90 was the product of a unique combination of bowling skill, mental dominance and cheating

That moment when New Zealand won their first test match after 26 years and 45 attempts.  

New Zealand had some top class players like Bert Sutcliffe, but the first Kiwi to score a hundred in India was another left hander, John Guy (pictured) Listen to him and other legends of New Zealand Cricket on Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/nz-cricket-museum

Khan Mohammad recognised that a bowler needed to develop different skills for each playing surface, matting, lush green turf and dry dust bowls. It was a far cry from the lush green fields of New Zealand.

South Africa won two tests in a series in England for the first time, part of the reason was the all round talent and limitless energy of Trevor Goddard who opened the batting and the bowling on his test debut.

If you got a job and then found out the reason you were chosen was your sex, age, skin colour or social background and not your qualifications for the role, how would it make you feel?   Denis Atkinson was determined to prove he deserved to play in this West Indies team not because he was white but because he was a good cricketer.

Brian Statham, pictured, and Frank Tyson bring England's A game to a poorly prepared New Zealand, its not going to end well. 

Molly Hide, England's captain and her best player leads her side for the last time as New Zealand arrive for their first overseas tour.

The BCCI award for the best Indian International cricketer of the year is named after Polly Umrigar, primarily a batsman he could also turn his arm over for a bit of off spin.

Frank Tyson, fast bowler, some say he was the fastest bowler of all time. When it goes wrong it can go horribly wrong, but when the ball is on target its murder.

Fazal Mahmood fights back, the first in an illustrious line of fast bowlers from Pakistan, and the first to win Wisden Cricketer of the year, his father advised him to walk 5 miles and run 5 miles everyday to build up his stamina. (We also recommend that he stops smoking.)

Some saw the MCC tour of 1953-54 to the West Indies as a test of White Imperialist versus colonial majority rule, tempers flared, standing above all of that was Clyde Walcott and he also stood above all the other batsmen in this series.

Tragedy at Tangiwai provided the backdrop for acts of great courage in the second test at Christmas in Johannesburg 1953, Bob Blair and Bert Sutcliffe, pictured, take a world record 25 runs off one 8 ball over bowled by South African off spinner Hugh Tayfield.

Trevor Bailey by turns useful, tidy, pugnacious and bloody minded. This was a year English cricket fans had waited for

Its a low key end to an exciting winter, when South Africa conclude their antipodean adventure by visiting New Zealand; meanwhile the most famous New Zealander of all time climbs THAT mountain.   I am using a non-cricket image this week because its such an iconic image and something beautiful to carry around in your pocket.

Its India's first trip to the Caribbean to play the West Indies, for Subhash Gupte it was love at first sight. We also find out why Clyde Walcott was upset by his Uncle Harold.

Jack Cheetham's South Africa sprung not one but two of the biggest shocks in Test cricket history; they used sports science, hard work and fielding drill to drag themselves into a contest everyone said was unwinnable

Abdul Kardar had once played cricket for India, now he was Captain of Pakistan, tall, elegant, tough. Pakistan play their first test match. As a new international cricket side playing their first test matches away from home could they measure up to an experienced Indian side? It was cricket but it was so much more than just a game.

Fiery Fred Trueman, pictured, made an instant impact on his test debut against India aged only 21; in other news the MCC broke with tradition to choose a professional England Captain for the first time in their history.    

After the pressure cooker of an Australian tour New Zealand was a welcome haven for crickets, Sammy Guillen liked it so much he stayed. We dedicate this podcast to victims, survivors and relatives of scientists, servicemen and civilians, victims of the nuclear ambitions and power politic of Britain and other powers during the cold war, and in sincere hope that these weapons are part of history not part of the future.

John Trim pictured played in the 4th Test at Melbourne he took 5 for 34 in the first innings, but was also run out twice for 0 , an unusual pair. It was the second time West Indies visited Australia.   Apologies to any Jamaican's in the audience for my quote of Alf Valentine, it wasn't going to work in my East Yorkshire tones :-).  

India won their first Test victory, at Home in Chepauk Madras, this was after 24 attempts and 20 years of trying; it seems they have gotten the hang of it now.   Kent right arm seamer Fred Ridgeway took the opportunity to win an England cap away, many of the famous names had stayed at home, touring India was a no joke, baking hot sun, slow pitches and long train journeys.

England and Australia enjoyed a truly competitive series, full of excellent fielding, sharp captaincy, glorious batting and hostile bowling and filled with a host of star players including England's left arm pace bowlewr, Mary Duggan, she is still the highest wicket taker in all of Womens test cricket

Reg Simpson, pictured, one of a growing number of English batsmen making their way into the national side and up to test level in the summer of 1951, Willie Watson, Peter May and Tom Graveney also debut.

Roy Tattersall provided some late tour cheer for Freddie Brown's MCC tourists   Want more like this? Support me by buying the Ashes 1948 the invincibles on Patreaon or Podbean.com