(Photo: Getty Images)
By Peter Hayter
In the 100 Test matches since the first was played there 137 summers ago, the Oval has been the backdrop for images that never fade and memories that never die. But of all of those moments which have made this ground the
k pumping heart of England’s cricket history, from the very first Ashes Test to be played on these shores in September 1880, when WG Grace made 152 on debut alongside his brothers EM and GF, and Lord Harris’ side won by five wickets, only one can truly lay claim to the title of the ball of the Oval’s century.
And as we celebrate that milestone and look forward to the next hundred, I make no apologies for retelling one of the best-loved stories in the book, with the help of the legendary John Arlott, the man whose radio commentary of the event, on August 14 1948, is just as fresh and timeless as it was then.
In the commemorative scorecard, still on display in the Surrey Museum, the relevant entry reads simply: D.G. Bradman b Hollies 0.
Has so momentous a sporting occasion ever have been done so little justice in print? The agonisingly narrow and, in the instant it happened, utterly shocking “failure” of the best batsman who ever lived to finish his Test career with an average of 100, reduced to just 18 characters.
Yet, nearly 69 years on from the day of the most famous duck in cricket history, the story behind the scoreline remains as poignant as ever.
Bradman’s 1948 Australians earned the title of The Invincibles, not merely because they went through the entire summer unbeaten, eventually winning the Test series 4-0.
Being the first Australian team to tour here since the end of the Second World War, this group of sporting gods came from a faraway planet to bring glamour, colour and something called fun to a people struggling with their reality of grey, desperate, ration-book rebuilding of shattered lives and property.
To those starved not only of sport but of hope, men like the impossibly handsome Keith Miller, Ray Lindwall, Arthur Morris, Lindsay Hassett and the young Neil Harvey may as well have arrived from Hollywood.
Wherever they went they played to packed houses.
Their exploits and their friendly collisions with this nation’s heroes like Len Hutton, Bill Edrich, Denis Compton, England skipper Norman Yardley and Godfrey Evans some of whom they fought alongside in the war, the stuff of dreams for a population who until recently had been rather more pre-occupied with mere survival.
On and off the field, truth be told, they all had their time of their lives.
And there, at the centre of it, was the sobering influence of the Don, who began his farewell tour with a speech to the Cricket Writers’ Club, broadcast live by the BBC, in which he underlined the point.
k “I want to take this opportunity of sending from Australia a message to the people who are listening tonight of goodwill and encouragement from our land,” he said, “and in particular a message to the children of this country because we know that they are having a very tough time. We can assure them that Australia is behind them in spirit and that she will continue to do all she possibly can to make their lot a little easier in the future…”
But while this was seen as a goodwill mission, he did also add: “We will do everything we can to beat you…”.
He and they we’re true to all those this words and by the time Australia arrived in South London for the fifth and final Test of the summer – and of Bradman’s brilliant career – the Aussie captain had already ensured the Ashes would stay in their hands, scoring an unbeaten 173 to finish off an amazing last day chase of 404 to win the fourth Test at Headingley.
It was the 29th Test century of his career, taking him to a total of 6,996 runs in 69 completed innings.
And it meant that, after having bowled out England for 52 on a rain-affected first day pitch at the Oval, when he arrived at the crease with his side already 65 ahead and unlikely to bat a secondtime, Bradman needed just four runs from the final innings of his extraordinary career to end it with a batting average in three figures.
Standing in his way was the none-too-threatening sight of the cheerful Warwickshire leg-spinner, Eric Hollies.
For an eyewitness account of what happened, come in please John Arlott, commentating on BBC radio with his colleague, the equally revered Rex Alston, from a verbatim transcript of the original live broadcast.
Alston (cut-glass): “And here’s the applause for Bradman as he comes in. Well, it’s a wonderful reception, the whole crowd is standing, and the England team are joining in and… led by Yardley… three cheers for the Don as he gets to the wicket….
“And now the crowd settle down again. Forty minutes left for play and Bradman is now taking guard, Hollies is going to bowl at him and John Arlott shall describe the first ball.”
Arlott (Hampshire burr): “Well I don’t think I’m as deadly as you are, Rex. I don’t expect to get a wicket, but it’s rather good to be here when Don Bradman comes in to bat in his last Test.
“And now here’s Hollies to bowl to him from the Vauxhall End. He bowls… and Bradman goes back across his wicket and pushes the ball gently in the direction of the Houses of Parliament, which are out beyond mid-off.
“It doesn’t go that far, it merely goes to (Allan) Watkins at silly mid-off, no run, still 117-1 – two slips, a silly mid-off and a forward short leg close to him as Hollies pitches the ball up slowly and …. he’s bowled…Bradman bowled Hollies nought…. bowled Hollies nought..
“And what do you say under these circumstances?
“How …. I wonder if you see the ball very clearly in your last Test in England, on a ground where you’ve played some of the biggest cricket of your life and where the opposing side has just stood around you and given you three cheers, and the crowd has clapped you all the way to the wicket. I wonder if you really see the ball at all. Anyway, Bradman went forward, it was Hollies’ googly, it clean bowled him, groping right down the pitch and he was just beaten all the way… and Australia at 117-2.”
The Aussies duly went on to complete their victory by seven wickets, Bradman finishing with a Test batting average of 99.94.
Not bad.
But, for Hollies, a popular figure forever known as the smiling spoilsport and player to have a stand named after him at his home ground of Edgbaston, goes the unique distinction of sending down the ball of the Oval’s century.
*Extracts in italic taken from The Ashes – Highlights Since 1948 – by Peter Baxter, with the BBC Test Match Special team (BBC Books).
