Test Cricket Tours - Australia to England 1930

 

 

Tour of England 1930               Captain: Bill Woodfull

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16th Australian Test tour

 

 

16th official Test-playing tour of England by Australia

 

 

 

 (April - September 1930)

 

 

Unlike 1926, the selectors adopted a youth policy, shelving a number of older players such as bowler Ron Oxenham who, though 38 years of age, was considered a certainty until his place was won by a'Beckett. They also named only fifteen players instead of sixteen to tour.  Jack Ryder, a former captain now aged 40, was denied a place, being outvoted by his two fellow selectors which caused a storm of protest. Ryder never spoke to Dick Jones again.

The Australian Cricket Board of Control imposed several restrictions

Players were banned from writing articles in the press during the 1929-30 season or they would not be selected. Each player had to covenant not to return to England for at least two years after the tour.

The state associations request to have the number of players increased from 15 to 16 was turned down.

An invitation from South Africa's cricket authorities for the 1930 Australian team to play there on the way home was declined.

The 1930 tour opened at Worcester, the first time for this arrangement, but the venue then became the traditional starting point for all cricket tours of England. The first Test was lost but Australia won at Lord’s and drew the next two matches to bring the teams to The Oval level at one-all, so the last Test was played to a finish. Australia's young and relatively inexperienced team won handsomely to regain the Ashes. It was a wet, cold and miserable summer and many of the tourists’ county matches were drawn owing to weather interruptions. There was a tie in the match against Gloucestershire.

On his first tour of Britain Don Bradman, who had broken the world record by scoring 452 not out the previous January, scored nearly 3000 runs in the 1930 season at an average of 98.66. In the Test matches he excelled himself scoring 974 runs, which remains the record individual aggregate for any Test series, made at an average of 139.

 

 

All Australian tours

 

 

 

Previous tour

To England 1926

 

 

Next tour

To England 1934

 

 

 

Next tour of England

1934

 

 

 

Members of the Test tour party  (15)

 

 

Opening batsmen:Bill Woodfull, Bill Ponsford, Archie Jackson. 

Middle-order batsmen:Don Bradman, Stan McCabe, Alan Kippax, Vic Richardson.

Wicket-keeper:Bertie Oldfield, Charlie Walker

Slow bowlers: Clarrie Grimmett, Alec Hurwood, Pat Hornibrook

Fast bowlers: Tim Wall, Ted a’Beckett, Alan Fairfax.

 

 

 

Comments as made in 1931 in Wisden’s Cricketers Almanack

 

E L a'Beckett

Vic

22

RHB        RFM

Neither in batting nor bowling was he quite close enough for big occasions but he fielded uncommonly well

D G Bradman

NSW

21

RHB        (LB)

To an eye almost uncanny in its power to gauge the length of a ball was allied really beautiful foot-work. A glorious driver, he hit the ball very hard, while his placing was almost invariably perfect.

A G Fairfax

NSW

24

RHB         RFM

Usually opened the bowling and looked to be the best bowler. Always wanted careful watching and playing

C V Grimmett

SA

38

LBG

Potent factor in England's overthrow. Established an ascendancy which most English batsmen never really overcame.  his length was flawless; every time he went on he at once brought about a diminution in the rate of run-scoring.

P M Hornibrook

Q

30

SLA

On hard wickets caused England's best batsmen little trouble, but with a pitch to suit at the Oval took full advantage

A Hurwood

Q

28

RM / OB

Should have had more opportunities. Never scored off with freedom, he was rarely kept on for a reasonable spell.

A Jackson

NSW

20

RHB  opener

People did not see the real Jackson. Late in the tour acquired the confidence that made him such a glorious cricketer to watch

A F Kippax

NSW

33

RHB       (LB)

In every sense a great batsman. Could suit his game to needs of the occasion. A beautiful driver, he cut in delightful fashion

S J McCabe

NSW

19

RHB        RM

At his best a magnificient driver. Fine all-round cricketer, made the ball come off pitch at rare pace with just sufficient break

W A S Oldfield

NSW

35

WK

Pronounced falling-off in batting but as wicket-keeper was almost as good as ever - unobtrusive and eminently efficient.

W H Ponsford

Vic

29

RHB  opener

Seldom attractive to watch, there was no question about his skill and how difficult he was to get out

V Y Richardson

SA

35

RHB      vice-captain

Did not quite realize expectations. Impression was given that he had come to this country four years too late.

C W Walker

SA

21

reserve WK

Did not play in any of the Test matches, but his wicket-keeping was only a little less skilful than that of Oldfield.

T W Wall

SA

26

RFM

Worked untiringly - no day too long or too hot - but met with no marked success. Much better record had summer been dry

W M Woodfull

Vic

32

RHB opener     captain

Welded the men into a first-rate combination. As difficult to get out as in1926 but even more resolute.

 

 

 

  

State representation

  Sheffield Shield teams

N   New South Wales (6)

Q - Queensland (2)

S - South Australia (4)

V - Victoria (3)

 

 

 

Average age of  team at time of first Test match

(13 June 1930) :

         28 yrs  0 month

 

 

 

 

 

 

Key to type:

RHB Right-handed bat

RM  Right arm medium-paced bowler

RFM  Right-arm fast medium

OB   Off break

WK  Wicket-keeper

 

 

 

 

Test Appearances made before the tour

 

 

Oldfield 20,  Woodfull 10,  Grimmett 9,  Ponsford 9,  Kippax 6,  Richardson 5,  Bradman 4,  a'Beckett 2,  Jackson 2,  Fairfax 1,  Hornibrook 1,  Wall 1,  Hurwood 0,  McCabe 0,  Walker 0.

 

 

 

 

 

Tour Officials

 

The management team of William Kelly, an auctioneer from Melbourne and Chairman of the Victoria Cricket Association, and Tom Howard (from New South Wales) was appointed at a Board meeting on 13 September 1929. 

Bill Jeanes was unsuccessful in his application to be manager. 

On return to Australia the accounts were found to be in poor order.

 

William L Kelly

Tour manager

Tom Howard

Treasurer

Bill Ferguson

Scorer/Baggage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Selectors

 

Dr Charles E Dolling (South Australia), Richard L Jones (NSW), Jack Ryder (Victoria). 

J S Hutcheon was unsuccessful in his wish to be appointed a selector.

 

 

 

 

Selection

 

A five-day Test trial match was held in Sydney in December 1929.

Unavailable:  none.  Arthur Richardson Lancashire ?

Woodfull had to be persuaded to take the tour captaincy. Richardson won the vice-captaincy narrowly on the Board chairman's casting vote.  It was the first time since 1890 that an Australian touring party was chosen without a member of the Gregory family.

Tour Party Announced :  30 January 1930.

Only four players were retained from the 1926 tour party.

Not selected :   Don Blackie (aged 48),  J L Ellis (40),  R K Oxenham (38),  Jack Ryder (40).

 

 

Time between selection and departure from Australia    

   53 days

(30 January - 24 March)

 

 

 

 

Travel

Fremantle    T   Southampton

                 ‘Orford’

 

Paris      t   London

 

 

 

 

The NSW and Queensland players embarked from Sydney and met up with the rest of the team assembled in Port Melbourne on 7 March 1930 and boarded the 'Nairana' for the Tasmania tour. After two matches there, the team crossed back on the Orient liner ‘Orford’ to Melbourne, Adelaide (18 March) and then overlandto Perth by trans-continental express and embarked from Fremantle, again on the 'Orford', on the evening of Monday 24 March. 

Sailing by way of Colombo (2 April), Aden, Port Said and Naples (16 April), the team travelled overland through Italy and France, enjoying visiting Pompeii, Milan, Lucerne and Paris.. Their boat train arrived at Victoria Station, London, on the evening of Wednesday 23 April 1930. The team's headquarters was the Midland Hotel at St Pancras, London. The journey is described in detail in Charles Williams’s “Bradman” page 47-51 (Little Brown, 1996).

 

 

Time spent in England

     161 days

(23 April  - 1 October)

 

 

 

 

On-tour selection panel

 

Bill Woodfull (captain),  Vic Richardson (vice-captain),  Alan Kippax (3rd selector)  -  announced on 30 January.

 

 

 

 

 

Reinforcements

 

None.  In mid-May the tour committee cabled the Australian Board requesting an additional player ("another bowler of the type of Ironmonger or Chilvers" to partner Grimmett) but the Board turned them down. 

Ted a'Beckett went down with jaundice and was out of contention in the run up to the first Test match, and Fairfax had a serious operation in mid-tour.

 

 

 

 

 

Fixtures/Results

 

Launceston

Tasmania

Won 10 w

Hobart

Tasmania

Drawn

Perth

Western Australia

Won inns 25 r

†  Colombo

Ceylon (1-day)

Drawn (rain)

 

 

 

Worcester

Worcestershire

Won inns 165 r

Leicester

Leicestershire

Drawn

Leyton

Essex

Won 207 r

Sheffield

Yorkshire

Drawn

Liverpool

Lancashire

Drawn

Lord's

M C C

Drawn

Chesterfield

Derbyshire

Won 10 w

Kennington Oval

Surrey

Drawn

Oxford

Oxford University

Won inns 158 r

Southampton

Hampshire

Won inns 8 r

Lord's

Middlesex

Won 5 w

Cambridge

Cambridge University

Won inns 134 r

TRENT BRIDGE

ENGLAND  First Test

LOST 93 r

Kennington Oval

Surrey

Drawn

Old Trafford

Lancashire

Drawn

LORD'S

ENGLAND  Second Test

WON 7 w

Bradford

Yorkshire

Won 10 w

Trent Bridge

Nottinghamshire

Drawn

HEADINGLEY

ENGLAND  Third Test

DRAWN

Edinburgh

Scotland

Drawn

† Glasgow

A Scottish XI

Drawn

† Sunderland

Durham

Abandoned

OLD TRAFFORD

ENGLAND  Fourth Test

DRAWN

Taunton

Somerset

Won inns 158 r

Swansea

Glamorgan

Drawn

Edgbaston

Warwickshire

Drawn

Northampton

Northamptonshire

Drawn

KENNINGTON OVAL

ENGLAND  Fifth Test

WON inns 39 r

Bristol

Gloucestershire

Tied

Canterbury

Kent

Drawn

Hove

Sussex

Drawn

Folkestone

England XI

Drawn

† Lord's

Club Cricket Conference

Won inns 41 r

Scarborough

H D G Leveson-Gower's XI

Drawn

 

 

 

 

 

† not first-class

 

 

 

 

Time spent in England before First Test: 

  51 days

(23 April - 13 June)

 

 

 

Test appearances on tour

 

5 -   Bradman,  Grimmett,  Hornibrook,  Kippax,  McCabe,  Oldfield,  Wall,  Woodfull.

4 -   Fairfax,  Ponsford,  Richardson.

3 - 

2 -   Jackson.

1 -   a'Beckett.

0 -   Hurwood,  Walker.

 

 

 

 

 

Highlights

 

•    Don Bradman scored 974 runs in the Test series. His scores were 8, 131, 254, 1, 334, 14, 232.

•    In the 3rd Test match at Headingley Bradman scored 309 runs in one day. His 334 beat the previous Test record score of 287.

•    Bradman scored 2960 runs on the tour at an average of 98.86

•    Woodfull's 155 at Lord's was the first century by an Australian captain in England since 1896.

•    Clarrie Grimmett took 144 wickets on the tour and four times in the Tests had five wickets in an innings.

 

 

 

 

 

Tour Summary

 

 

 P

 W

 D

T

L

Aban

Test Matches

  5

  2

  2

0

1

-

Other first-class matches

29

11

17

1

0

-

Minor matches

  3

  1

  2

0

0

-

All Matches

37

14

21

1

1

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

Return to Australia

Southampton  T   Melbourne

                   ‘Oronsay’

 

The Australian Board refused Vic Richardson permission to stay in England at the end of the tour for business.

Bradman, Fairfax, Hornibrook, Ponsford, Wall and Walker left Southampton on the 'Oronsay' on 27 September and sailed via Toulon and Naples. The managers and the remainder of the team left London’s Victoria Station on the boat train on 1 October to join the ship home at Naples.

The ‘Oronsay’ berthed in Fremantle on 28 October;  Adelaide 2 November;  and Melbourne the next day. At each port huge crowds cheered the team and clamoured for a sight of Bradman.

Don Bradman was permitted to leave the tour party at Fremantle and go by train to Adelaide, then to be flown to Sydney. However, the Board fined him £50 for publishing newspaper articles in England without permission.

 

 

 

Time away from Australia

  218 days  

(24 March to 28 October)

 

 

 

 

Finances

 

The players' tour fee was £600 with £150 of it subject to a good behaviour report; plus £50 for equipment and 30 s per week for incidental expenses. Manager W H Kelly was paid £650 and treasurer T H Howard £600.

 

 

 

 

 

Written accounts of the tour

 

“The Tests of 1930”   (1930)  by Percy Fender  [Faber & Faber]

"The Fight for The Ashes"   (1930) by Pelham Warner  [G Harrap]

“With the 1930 Australians”  (1930) by Geoffrey Tebbutt  [Hodder & Stoughton]

"Bradman's First Tour"  (1981)  newspaper cuttings   [Rigby, Adelaide]

"Bradman and the Summer that Changed Cricket"   (2009)  by Christopher Hilton  [J R Books]

 

 

 

 

 

Postscript