Australia is in problem towards England — no longer an ominous foreboding of what might happen in the Ashes series next year; however, what has passed off on the whole day of the computer “Test of the Century.” With the incomparable Don Bradman out for best 22 at tea, Australia had been buckling at five-195 underneath the green English spin assault. Hedley Verity led the assault with his well-flighted, left-hand spinners and took three-31 on a hard and fast wicket. The “giants” of the beyond have come briefly alive on this “Test,” performed on National Cash Register computers in London and Sydney. The groups had been picked by G.O. “Gubby” Allen and Sir Donald Bradman from the finest Test players between the two international locations over the last 50 years.
NCR has made the unique analysis of every run scored, and ball bowled in each Test between England and Australia in the United Kingdom in 1921. All this information was fed into computers, which converted the statistics to probability tables regarding personal performances.
The toss became the ultimate night over a radio-phone link-up between Peter May, England’s captain, and Sir Donald, Australia’s captain. Sir Donald, who became in Adelaide, gained the toss with a “tails” name and determined to bat on a wicket pre-determined as being correct for three days and then take a spin on the final days. Arthur Morris, who listened in from Sydney at the captains’ communication, opened the Australian innings with Bill Ponsford, a champion of the 1930s. The rapid bowlers could not destroy their partnership, but in his 2nd over, off-spinner Jim Laker pushed a quicker ball through to Morris, and he became trapped in the front for 39. Ponsford and Bradman carried Australia to lunch (1-116), but Bradman went quickly afterward while he went forward to a faster ball from Verity and was caught using the bowler.
With “The Don” out, Ponsford shouldered the responsibility of the batting and changed into the simplest Australian to look comfy towards the English spin. The groups, in the batting order, are:
AUSTRALIA
A. Morris, W. Ponsford, D. Bradman (c), C. Macartney, N. Harvey, R. Simpson, K. Miller, R. Benaud (VC), R. Lindwall, D. Tallon, W. O’Reilly. 12th guy: A. Davidson. ENGLAND J. Hobbs, L. Hutton, W. Hammond, D. Compton, M. Leyland, P. May (c), G. Evans, H. Larwood, M. Tate, J. Laker, H. Verity. 12th man: F. Trueman. Australia recovered to publish a reachable 321 in the first innings, with England scoring 266 in reply. Bradman fared much better in the 2nd dig, making a double century in Australia’s 437. England’s target of 493 turned into too exquisite, and they succumbed approximately 40 minutes before tea for 327, with Benaud and Miller maintaining the rate.
Writing for the Herald, Bill O’Reilly claimed one wicket in England’s 2d innings and said he was “happy this bizarre Test is over and that Australia received it so handily.” However, he did warn readers to “take heed of this mechanical accountancy and its inroads into the hallowed area of sporting endeavor.”