A revolution and Australia win by five wickets

by A. C. de Silva

CRICKET: January 5th 1971 - it was on this day the first official one-day cricket international match was played.

Ian Chappell - a fine knock of 60 runs in total of 191 for 5 wickets.	Doug Walters - 41 inclusive of six fours. With Ian Chappell put on 66 runs for third wicket put team on road to victory.
J.H. Edrich - made top score of 82 in England’s total of 190. He had five fours and his knock was the feature of the England innings.	Ashley Mallett - took 3 for 44 in England’s total of 190 with off-spinners.
Alan Knott - the wicket-keeper had three good dismissals behind the wickets.	Keith Stackpole - took 3 for 40 with his leg-breaks.

The match took place by accident, as an after thought and a substitute.

It was a very wet New Year in the Australian city of 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-ball 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 at that time.

By coincidence the match took place not only on the very ground where Test cricket had begun 107 years earlier, but also resulted in an Australian win against England.

It attracted 46,000 spectators, almost half the capacity. The receipts produced Australian Dollars 35,000. Thus began a revolution in international cricket. For two Test captains: Bill Lawry and Illingworth, this match proved 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 with no boundary less than 85 yards.

Tuns were hard to come by. John Edrich’s good innings of 82 was the feature of England’s innings, Edrich hit a series of splendid cover drives to reach 71 in two hours. Edrich hit five fours as England was 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 putch aiding spin off-spinner Ashley Mallet 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 Ray Illinworth and 21 off D’Oliveira as Australia marched towards glory.

Doug 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.

Sir Don Bradman who was present at the prestation ceremony, made a mouth watering speed. He 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 team.”

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 Lawru b Thomson		  		 8
J.H. Edrich c Walters b Mallett		 		82
K.W.R. Fletcher c G.S. Chappell b Mallett		24
B.L. D’Oliveira run out					17
J.H. Hamshire c McKenzie b Mallett		 	10
M.C. Cowdrey c Marsh b Stakpole				 1
R. Illingworth b Stackpole		  		 1
A.P.E. Knoyy b Mckenzie		 			24
J.A. Snow b Stachpole		  		  	 2
K. Shuttleworth c Redpath b McKenzie			 7
P. Lever not out					 4
EXTRAS (b1,1b 9)					10
TOTAL 						       190

WICKETS FELL AT: 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, 
	 Allan Thomson 8-2-22-1, 
	 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
I.M. 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 						 10
EXTRAS (1b 4, w1, nb1)					  6
TOTAL (for five wkts)					191

WICKETS FELL AT: 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.