Middlesex Ashes Captains - Gubby Allen Part Two of Two

Part Two of Seaxe Man's two-part essay on Gubby Allen.  This part covers the 1936/37 test series.  After this, Seaxe Man will be rolling the clock forward to the Mike Brearley era, which is living memory for many more of us.  But for now it is great to read about this historic pre-war series.  As ever, many thanks to Seaxe Man.

1st Test Australia v England 1936/37 played at Woolloongabba, Brisbane, on 4,5,7,8,9, December 1936.

Toss won by England. Result England won by 322 runs.

Scores: England 358 and 256. Australia 234 and 58.

Salient points:

This was Bradman’s first match as captain. Leyland scored a century for England. (126). The last to be scored at the Gabba by an England player until 1974/75.

Australia were dismissed on a rain- affected pitch in their second innings, for their lowest total at home at that time. This was still the case in the mid eighties.

Crucially for England. Bradman was dismissed for 38 and 0 in this match.

Allen scored 35 and 68 batting at 9. He also had match figures of 8 for 107. This included The Don, caught at the wicket for 0 in their second innings.

Voce took 10 wickets in the match. 10 for 57.

Ironically, Robins batting at 8, mirrored Bradman’s scores of 38 and 0.

2nd Test played at the SCG on 18, 19, 21 and 22 of December. 1936.

Not exactly back to back Tests. But only a 9 day interlude since the Gabba Test.

England again won the toss. Result: England won by an innings and 22 runs. An overwhelming victory.

Scores England 426. Australia: 80 and 324.

Allen was joined in this match by both Robins and Sims.

Salient points

Wally Hammond scored over half of England’s total with 231no. This was his third double century against Australia.

A thunderstorm on the third morning transformed the pitch.

Bradman was dismissed for a first ball duck, his second duck in successive innings. The second of three wickets in four balls in Voce’s opening spell.

Allen batting at 6, scored 9. He took 4 for 80 in the match. Sims and Robins did not bat, and managed only 1 wicket between them on a pacy track.

Although Bradman made 82 second time around. The damage had been done.

3rd Test played at the MCG on 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 January 1937.

Toss Australia. Result Australia won by 365 runs.

Scores: 200 for 9 declared and 564. England 76 for 9 declared and 323.

Salient points

For the first time in Test cricket, both sides declared its first innings closed.

Bradman countered a ‘gluepot pitch by opening with his tailenders and went to the wicket the following day at 2.50pm when Australia were 97 for 5.

That move panned out rather well, as the 6th wicket stand added 346.  Jack Fingleton 136, Don Bradman 270.

Clearly, the defining moment of the match.

The target of 689 runs to win, proved to be a great number of runs too far.

Leyland made 111no, Hammond 51, Robins 61 being the main contributors in England’s second innings.

In the first innings, top score was 32 by Hammond. Sims made 3, Robins 0 and Allen 0 no. In the second, Sims made a duck and Allen 11.

On the bowling front, Allen had match figures of 3 for 119, Robins 2 for 77 and Jim Sims 2 for 144..

The attendance of 350,534 was a record until 1981/82.

4th Test  played at the Adelaide Oval 29, 30 January and 1,2,3,4 February 1937.

Toss: Australia. Result: Australia won by 148 runs.

Scores: Australia 288 and 433. England 330 and 243.

Salient points.

For the third time against England, Bradman scored a double-century in two successive Test matches; it was his 17th Test hundred, beating the record set by Sutcliffe, which was equalled in this rubber by Hammond.

In Australia’s second innings total of 433, Bradman’ s 212 represented  nearly half of their total.  His knock being the defining factor in England’s 148 run defeat.

The next highest score by an Australian batter, being Stan McCabe’s 55.

For England in their first innings of 330, a lead of 42 runs: C J Barnett made 129. And wicketkeeper Ames made 52.

Sims was dropped for this match. Allen made 11 and 9. Robins 10 and 4.

On the bowling front. Allen had match figures of 2 for 121. Robins 2 for 64.

Best England figures were recorded by Hammond with 7 for 87.

With the score at 2-2 England headed for Melbourne in a re-enactment of Stoddart’s tour  42 years previously.

However on this occasion, there was not to be the same happy outcome. That man Bradman again, with assistance from McCabe, Badcock and Gregory did for England once again.

5th Test played at the MCG on 26, 27 February and 1,2,3 March 1937.

Toss: Australia. Result: Australia won by an innings and 200 runs.

Scores: Australia 604. England 239 and 165.

Salient points.

This was the first time any country had won a Test rubber after losing the first two matches.

The five matches attracted 943,513 spectators- the biggest attendance for any  Test rubber.

Bradman’s hundred was his 12th against England, equalling the series record of Jack Hobbs.

The ‘Don’s’ aggregate of 810, average 90, is the highest by a captain in a Test rubber.

He was well assisted in this match with centuries by McCabe (112),  Badcock (118) and Gregory with 80.

For England: Joe Hardstaff. Jr top scored in the first innings with 83. In the second, Hammond made 56.

Allen made 0 and 7. Robins was left out. On the bowling front, Allen was wicketless with 0 for 99.

All the 5 matches were won by the team winning the toss. However, Bradman’s form in the last three matches was the difference, as he gradually wore England down.

PS: In the 1894/95 series further investigation shows that Stoddart only won the toss once. Test match 4..

In the 1903/04 series Warner won the toss in Tests 2 and 4.