Australian cricket team in India in 1959–60

Australian cricket team in India in 1959-60
Date 12 December 1959 - 28 January 1960
Location India
Result Australia won the 5-Test series 2-1-2
Teams
 India  Australia
Captains
Gulabrai Ramchand Richie Benaud
Most runs
Nari Contractor (438)
Pankaj Roy (263)
Ramnath Kenny (229)
Norm O'Neill (376)
Neil Harvey (356)
Les Favell (229)
Most wickets
Jasu Patel (19)
Bapu Nadkarni (10)
Ramakant Desai (9)
Richie Benaud (29)
Alan Davidson (29)
Ian Meckiff (12)

The Australian national cricket team toured India in the winter of 1959-60. The two teams played five Tests, with Australia winning two, India winning one, and two others being drawn. The Australians also played several matches against domestic Indian squads.

At the time of its arrival in India, the Australian cricket team was acclaimed as the strongest side in the world, having won 11 of its last 16 Tests and lost none. In the years just prior, they had not only defeated India, but also South Africa, England, and Pakistan as well. The confident Aussies, led by captain Richie Benaud, featured such names as Neil Harvey, Norm O'Neill, Ray Lindwall, and Ian Meckiff among others. Meanwhile, India had dropped 11 of its last 13 Tests, including humbling defeats at the hands of Australia, the West Indies, and England, and had not won a single one. The Indians seemed to be struggling with every aspect of the game – batting, bowling, and fielding – not to mention leadership and the maintenance of a "fighting spirit." Hence, this series between Benaud's Australians and Gulabrai Ramchand's Indian team had a true David vs. Goliath nature to it.[1]

Contents

Touring party

[2]

Test matches

1st Test

12 December - 16 December
scorecard
India 
135 (59.4 overs)
v  Australia
468 (143.0 overs)
 Australia won by an innings and 127 runs
Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi, India
Umpires: Santosh Ganguli and Mohammad Yunus
Nari Contractor 41
Richie Benaud 3-0 (3.4 overs)
Neil Harvey 114
Polly Umrigar 4-49 (15.3 overs)
206 (111.0 overs)
Pankaj Roy 99
Richie Benaud 5-76 (46 overs)

2nd Test

19 December - 24 December
scorecard
India 
152 (70.1 overs)
v  Australia
219 (77.5 overs)
 India won by 119 runs
Modi Stadium, Kanpur, India
Umpires: Santosh Ganguli and Bapu Joshi
Bapu Nadkarni 25
Alan Davidson 5-31 (20.1 overs)
Colin McDonald 53
Jasu Patel 9-69 (35.5 overs)
291 (144.3 overs) 105 (57.4 overs)
Nari Contractor 74
Alan Davidson 7-93 (57.3 overs)
Colin McDonald 34
Jasu Patel 5-55 (25.4 overs)

The second Test at Kanpur was notable for being India's first-ever Test victory over the Australians, and also the first match to be played on a turf wicket. Indian off-spinner Jasu Patel distinguished himself, taking 14 wickets in the match (nine wickets in the first innings and five in the second). He would go on to take 19 wickets in the series.[3]

3rd Test

1 January - 6 January
scorecard
India 
289 (142.5 overs)
v  Australia
387/8 dec. (140.0 overs)
Match drawn
Brabourne Stadium, Bombay, India
Umpires: Habib Choudhury and Noshirvan Nagarwala
Nari Contractor 108
Alan Davidson 4-62 (34.5 overs)
Norm O'Neill 163
Bapu Nadkarni 6-105 (51.0 overs)
226/5 dec. (101.0 overs) 34/1 (8.0 overs)
Abbas Ali Baig 58
Ian Meckiff 3-67 (28.0 overs)
Wally Grout 22
Pankaj Roy 1-6 (2.0 overs)

4th Test

13 January - 17 January
scorecard
Australia 
342 (153.0 overs)
v  India
149 (77.1 overs)
 Australia won by an innings and 55 runs
Nehru Stadium, Madras, India
Umpires: Narayan Sane and Mysore Vijayasarathi
Les Favell 101
Ramakant Desai 4-93 (41.0 overs)
Budhi Kunderan 71
Richie Benaud 5-43 (32.1 overs)
138 (105.0 overs)
Nari Contractor 41
Richie Benaud 3-43 (35.0 overs)

5th Test

23 January - 28 January
scorecard
India 
194 (89.3 overs)
v  Australia
331 (111.1 overs)
Match drawn
Eden Gardens, Calcutta, India
Umpires: Santosh Ganguli and Narayan Sane
C. D. Gopinath 39
Alan Davidson 3-37 (16.0 overs)
Norm O'Neill 113
Ramakant Desai 4-111 (36.0 overs)
339 (146.2 overs) 121/2 (52.0 overs)
M. L. Jaisimha 74
Richie Benaud 4-103 (48.0 overs)
Les Favell 62
Nari Contractor 1-9 (5.0 overs)

Tour matches

Indian Board President's XI v Australians

27 December - 29 December
scorecard
Indian Board President's XI
293 (90.2 overs)
v  Australia
554/6 dec. (134.0 overs)
Match drawn
Commerce College Ground, Ahmedabad, India
Umpires: Habib Choudhury and Badami Satyaji Rao
Man Sood 73
Lindsay Kline 4-72 (27.0 overs)
Norm O'Neill 284
William Ghosh 3-195 (40.0 overs)
143/5 (36.0 overs)
Manohar Hardikar 59
Richie Benaud 2-13 (8.0 overs)

References

  1. ^ Ramchand, Pertab (2001-02-18). "When Jasu Patel wrought the miracle at Kanpur". Cricinfo. http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/99381.html. Retrieved 2009-07-15. 
  2. ^ "Australia in Pakistan and India, 1959-60". Cricinfo. http://www.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/152732.html. Retrieved 2009-07-15. 
  3. ^ Mohapatra, Bikash (2008-04-10). "Green Park gave India its first win over Australia". Rediff. http://ia.rediff.com/cricket/2008/apr/10biks.htm. Retrieved 2009-07-15.