Australian cricket team in England in 1961
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The 1961 Australian cricket tour of England began with a three day match versus Worcestershire CCC at the County Ground, New Road, Worcester on Sat 29 April, play continuing on Mon 1 May and Tues 2 May. This match was rain-affected and ended in a draw. The tour ended at Trinity College Park, Dublin on 19 September when the Australians completed a 282 run victory in a two day match versus Ireland.
The Australian tour party consisted of these players: R Benaud (captain), R N Harvey (vice-captain), A T W Grout (wicket-keeper), B N Jarman (wicket-keeper), W M Lawry, N C O'Neill, P J P Burge, C C McDonald, B C Booth, R B Simpson, K D Mackay, A K Davidson, F M Misson, G D McKenzie, R A Gaunt, I W Quick, L F Kline.
[edit] Series overview
The main business of the tour was a five-Test series versus England. The matches were played at Edgbaston, Lord's, Headingley, Old Trafford and The Oval. Australia won the series 2 - 1 to retain The Ashes. The results were:
- 1st Test (Birmingham) — drawn - [1]
- 2nd Test (Lord's) — Australia won by 5 wickets - [2]
- 3rd Test (Leeds) — England won by 8 wickets - [3]
- 4th Test (Manchester) — Australia won by 54 runs - [4]
- 5th Test (The Oval) — drawn - [5]
Five years after their disastrous showing against Jim Laker, the Australians returned to the top of the international tree by retaining the Ashes in England only months after their exciting victory over the West Indies in the memorable Tied test series of 1960-1961 played "Down Under".
The 1961 series was a personal triumph for skipper Richie Benaud, whose match-winning bowling and astute leadership in the fourth Test at Old Trafford proved to be the decisive factor in the series. With the series square, England needed 256 to win and were expected to get them, but Benaud, by bowling his leg breaks round the wicket into some rough created by footmarks, took 6-70 to secure an Australian victory by 54 runs. The key moment came when he bowled the England captain Peter May behind his legs for a duck. The bemused May had to be told by Aussie keeper Wally Grout that he had been bowled.
Australia won the series by drawing the final Test at The Oval and it confirmed a supremacy over England that would endure throughout the decade.
England in 1961 was heavily reliant on the fast bowling of Fred Trueman, then at his peak. It was his brilliant performance at Headingley, where he took 11 wickets in the match, that earned England its only win in the series.
Peter May had missed the start of the series and he relinquished the captaincy at the end of the summer, telling the selectors he did not wish to be considered for any more overseas tours. At the age of 32, he hoped to continue playing for Surrey but, as it turned out, he was lost to the game. He was one of the last amateur cricketers and he decided to make his living in the City of London.
