Aussies win first one-day international beating England by 5 wkts.
By A. C. de Silva
CRICKET: January 5th 1971. It was on this day the first
official one-day cricket International match was played. The match took
place by accident, as an after thought and a substitute.
It was a desperately wet New Year in Melbourne during the 1970-71
series between Australia and England. Ray Illingworth's side, on its way
to regaining the Ashes, was kept in the pavilion for three days.
A decision was taken to abandon the third Test and it was decided an
extra Test be added at the end of the programme.
At the same time to provide the frustrated spectators some
consolation, a momentous and far-reaching proposal to play a
40-overs-a-side (8-balls overs) international on what would have been
the final day of the Test was adopted.
The game was played under which the John Player League was already
operating in England. By coincidence the match took place not only on
the very ground where Test cricket had began 114 years earlier, but also
resulted in an Australian win against England. It attracted 46,000
spectators, almost half the capacity. The receipts produced $ (A)
35,000. Thus began a revolution in International cricket. For two Test
captains - Bill Lawry and Illingworth, this match provided their first
and only one-day International.
Edrich flays
The pitch was miserably slow after the rain. And the Melbourne ground
is a vast one. One with no boundary less than 85 yards. Runs were hard
to come by.
John Edrich's good innings of 82 was the feature of England's
innings.
Edrich's innings was an attacking one which contained a series of
splendid cover drives to reach 71 in two hours. Edrich hit five fours as
England were all out for 190 in the last over.
For the second wicket, Edrich and Keith Fletcher (24) added 66 runs
but England lost the last seven wickets for 66 runs.
On a pitch aiding spin, off-spinner Ashley Mallett and leg-break
bowler Keith stackpole took three wickets each.
There can be no better sight in cricket than to watch Ian Chappell
use his feet to the spinners. Ian batted in a graceful manner, taking 12
off Illingworth and 21 off D'Oliveira as Australia marched towards
glory. Dong Walters (48) played like the Walters of old, hitting six
fours on the front foot. Ian and Walters added 66 for the third wicket
to put their team on the road to victory.
'History made'
Sir Don Bradmen who has present at the presentation ceremony, said
"You have seen history made" obviously referring to the beginning of a
new era in cricket.
On the next day, the London Times carried the match report under the
heading "Fine future for one-day matches between Test teams."
The Man of the match award went to Edrich which was presented by
Charles Elliot, the former English Test umpire who happened to be in
Melbourne at that time. ENGLAND
G. Boycott c Lawry b Thompson 8
J. H. Edrich c Walters b Mallett 82
K. W. R. Fletcher c G. Chappell b Mallett 24
B. L. D’Oliveira run out 17
J. H. Hampshire c McKenzie b Mallett 10
M. C. Cowdrey c Marsh b Stackpole 1
R. Illingworth b Stackpole 1
A. P. E. Knott b McKenzie 24
J. A. Snow b Stackpole 2
K. Shuttleworth c Redpath b McKenzie 7
P. Lever not out 4
EXTRAS (b-1, lb-9) 10
—-
TOTAL: 190
—-
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-21, 2-87, 3-124, 4-144, 5-148, 6-152, 7-156, 8-171, 9-183.
BOWLING: G. McKenzie 7.4-0-22-2, G. Thompson 8-2-22-1, A. Connolly 8-0-62-0,
A. Mallett 8-1-34-3, K. Stackpole 8-0-40-3.
AUSTRALIA
W. M. Lawry c Knott b Illingworth 27
K. R. Stackpole c and b Shuttleworth 13
Ian Chappell st. Knott b Illingworth 60
K. D. Walters c Knott b D’oliveira 41
I. R. Redpath b Illingworth 12
G. S. Chappell not out 22
R. W. Marsh not out 10
EXTRAS (lb-4, w-1, nb-1) 6
—-
TOTAL (for 5 wkts) 191
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-19, 2-51, 3-117, 4-158, 5-165.
BOWLING: J. Snow 8-0-38-0, K. Shuttleworth 7-0-29-1, P. Lever 5.6-0-30-0,
R. Illingworth 8-1-50-3, B. D’oliveira 6-1-38-1. |
