Doug Walters:

First to hit a double century and century in same match

By A.C De Silva

FLASHBACK....The game of cricket has produced many champions and from Australia there have been quite a number. The champion of them all has been Sir Don Bradman whose performances have been unparalled without any shadow of doubt.

Then there has been many others who have climbed the ladder of success. Doug Walters of Australia is one of them and he became the first Test batsman to hit a double century and a century in the same match, against the West Indies in front of his Sydney home-town crowd in 1968-69. His 242 and 103 set up an Australian win by 382 runs, enabling the Aussies to clinch the series 3-1.

Walters, just 22 then, was at the peak of his form and more exhilarating batting had rarely been seen at the SCG.

A back injury incurred while falling down some stairs, nearly stopped Doug Walters from playing in this record-breaking Test.

Walters was confined to bed for several days before the beginning, and said he was only 80 per cent bit when Bill Lawry and Keith Stackpole began Australia's first innings of the fifth Test and first final Test against Garry Sobers' touring West Indians.

Tumultuous cheers

An hour and a half later, with Australia 51 for 3. Walters stepped onto the SEG to the tumultuous cheers of his local supporters. After innings of 78, 118, 110 and 50 in his first four innings of the series, Walters was entitled to the accolades.

A brisk strait drive for four then a thunderous cover-drive, both off Lance Gibbs in the first over he faced, signalled his aggressive intensions. The once-feared West Indian speedsters were Hall and Charlie Griffith, paired together for the first time against Australia since the controversial 1965 tour, made little impact as Walters opened out.

Partnered by captain Lawry, Australia reached 71 for 3 at lunch, then 161 for 3 at tea. The 100 partnership came in 140 minutes. Hall and Griffith had been repelled. Gibbs wasn't turning his off-breaks while Sobers way also ineffectual. A missed chance in the slips by Seymour Nurse, when Lawry had made 44, was fatal. The west Indies were faltering and Lawry and Walters were to show no mercy.

Both Australiane reached their hundreds by stumps-Walters 122, and Lawry 117-Australia 268 for 3 wickets. Walters had been dropped by wicket-keeper Hendricks off Hall at 75.

The stand was worth 217, and the pair added a further 105 runs in two hours to lunch on the second day. They were finally separated at 387 when Lawry (151) played over a griffith inswinger and was bowled. Walters and Lawry had added 335 runs for the fourth-wicket-a record against the West Indies and second best fourth-wicket partnership in all Tests for Australia, (Bill Ponsbord and Don Bradman scored 388 runs for the fourth wicket against England at Leeds in 1934).

Walters first double 'ton'

Walters reached his first double century in Test cricket with three consecutive twos. The once-dashing teenager was batting with more sophistication, but still possessed the exciting array of strokes which made him such a crowd pleaser.

After a magnificent cover-drive off Gibbs to the boundary, his 24th of the innings, Walters was bowled trying to cut against the spin. His 242 had taken eight hours and had rescued Australia.

Walters left the ground to vociferous cheering of thousands of Sydney's Saturday crowd.

Aussies 340 run lead

Australia made 619 and established a 340-run lead on the first innings after the West Indies were bowled out for 279.

At one stage the Windies were 100 for no wicket with Joey Carew and Roy Fredericks in command before Carew was caught by wicketkeeper Brian Taber while attempting to hook Eric Freeman.

Although the wicket was completely dead, a string of uncalculated shots by the West Indies caused their downfall.

Lawry, making certain of victory by batting again, failed after his first innings century. Australia 40 for 3, were only 380 ahead!

Walters, and this time, Ian Redpath, paired to rescue the innings. They opened out after a slow mid-afternoon session, both scoring freely with a full array of shots. Walters reached his second century of the match in the last over of the day with an on-drive for one off Gibbs.

Redpath maiden Test Century

Redpath reached his maiden Test century the following morning, and Lawry finally declared at 394 for 8, leaving the West Indians a cool 735 runs to win in a day and a half!

Walters was mobbed by spectators for the second time in the match, on reaching his 'ton'.

His century took his aggregate in just four Tests to 699, average 116.5 figures Bradman would have been proud to be associated with.

The match was never in doubt, especially after the first three West Indies wickets fell for 30 runs. Centuries to Sobers and Nurse helped the West Indies to a reasonable score, but they still lost by 382 runs. Mckenzie took 6 wickets in the match and Gleeson 5.

Other batsmen follow example set

Walters' two years in National Service hadn't diminished his talents. He was on the first steps of a magnificent career, especially Australia.

His feat of scoring two centuries in the match has been equalled three times immediately afterwards by Sunil Gavaskar (124 and 220) against the West Indies in 1970-71, West Indian Lawrence Rowe (214 and 100 not out) in his first Test against New Zealand in 1971-72, and Australian Greg Chappell (247 not out and 133) against Zealand in 1973-74.