1. First Test – Brisbane
    Preliminaries  Australia - First Innings  England - First Innings  Australia - Second Innings  England - Second Innings  Result 

2. Second Test – Melbourne
    Preliminaries  Australia - First Innings  England - First Innings  Australia - Second Innings  England - Second Innings  Result 

3. Third Test – Sydney
    Preliminaries  England - First Innings  Australia - First Innings  England - Second Innings  Australia - Second Innings  Result 

4. Fourth Test – Adelaide
    Preliminaries  Australia - First Innings  England - First Innings  Australia - Second Innings  England - Second Innings  Result 

5. Fifth Test – Sydney
    Preliminaries  England - First Innings  Australia - First Innings  England - Second Innings  Australia - Second Innings  Result 

6. 1962-63 Test Series Averages

7. References

8. Bibliography

9. Annual reviews

10. Further reading

The 1962–63 Ashes series consisted of five cricket Test matches, each of five days with six hours play each day and eight ball overs, a change as before 1960-61 Australian Test matches had been played over six days. It formed part of the MCC tour of Australia in 1962–63 and the matches outside the Tests were played in the name of the Marylebone Cricket Club. The MCC was determined to "brighten up" cricket, but the series was drawn 1-1 and Australia retained the Ashes. The MCC chose Ted Dexter to captain an England team managed by Bernard Marmaduke Fitzalan-Howard, 16th Duke of Norfolk. The Duke's presence generated considerable press interest, as did the model Mrs Dexter and the Reverend David Sheppard—the future Bishop of Liverpool—who preached in cathedrals across Australia.^[1]

Dexter made 481 runs (48.10), more than any other England captain in Australia before or since, and Ken Barrington 582 runs (72.75), the most by an Englishman in Australia since Wally Hammond’s 905 runs (113.12) in 1928-29. The England bowlers Fred Trueman and Brian Statham were one of the most famous new-ball partnerships in cricket history, and with 216 and 229 wickets respectively were poised to overtake the record of 236 Test wickets set by the assistant-manager Alec Bedser. The Australian captain Richie Benaud was another contender with 219 wickets, but it was Statham who broke the record (only to be overtaken by Trueman in New Zealand) and Benaud had to be content with breaking Ray Lindwall's Australian record of 228 Test wickets.

The Australian team had the great opening partnership Bobby Simpson and Bill Lawry who were supported by Peter Burge, Brian Booth, Neil Harvey, Ken Mackay, Norm O'Neill and Barry Shepherd. The left-handed all-rounder Alan Davidson was the best bowler, taking 24 wickets (20.00) in the series and wrecking England chances with his 5/25 in the Third Test. He was supported by the 21-year-old fast bowler Garth McKenzie, who took 20 wickets (30.95), but no other Australian bowler averaged under 40.

The England team and the British press had been scathing about the quality of Australian umpiring in 1958-59, but 1962-63 was free of rancour, which reflected well on the umpires Colin Egar, Ted Wykes, Bill Smyth, Lou Rowan and Alan Mackley. Johnny Moyes wrote that "The demeanour of the umpires has been splendid. They have been, but not too friendly. When they have had to intervene they have done so firmly but not obtrusively. There have been mistakes, of course - there will always be mistakes - but general the standard of umpiring has been very pleasing."^[2]

First Test – Brisbane

 result = Match Drawn| venue = Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Australia| umpires = C.J. Egar (AUS) & E.F. Wykes (AUS)| motm = | report = [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/25/25841.html scorecard]| rain = |

Preliminaries

Predictions that the batting would prove superior to the bowling and that the first Test might well be left unfinished were certainly justified; and yet there were three times when one side or the other might have gained a winning advantage ... there was some very brilliant batting, some splendid bowling, and much good fielding and throwing. On the other hand there was rather too much indifferent batting, a surfeit of defensive bowling and tactics, and some deplorable fielding in which the simplest of chances were missed.

Johnny Moyes^[3]

Australia had not played a Test series since their tour of England in 1961, 1961-62 being a purely domestic season. Even so, they kept much the same team: Bill Lawry, Bobby Simpson, Norm O'Neill, Neil Harvey (vice-captain), Peter Burge, Brian Booth, Alan Davidson, Ken Mackay, Richie Benaud (captain), Graham McKenzie and Barry Jarman (wicket-keeper). The youthful Graham McKenzie had played in the decisive Second, Third and Fourth Tests in 1961 before being replaced by Ron Gaunt in the Fifth Test, still only 21 the big fast bowler was back in the team for Brisbane. Australia's regular wicket-keeper Wally Grout had had his jaw broken while keeping to Queensland's West Indian fast-bowler Wes Hall in their match against the MCC a week before the Test and was replaced by Barry Jarman of South Australia. The Western Australian captain Barry Shepherd was brought over to replace Booth, but in the end it was decided to use Shepherd as 12th man.

England had Geoff Pullar, David Sheppard, Ted Dexter (captain), Colin Cowdrey (vice-captain), Ken Barrington, Alan Smith (wicket-keeper), Peter Parfitt, Fred Titmus, Barry Knight, Fred Trueman and Brian Statham. Pullar had been brought in as a specialist opener instead of Cowdrey, who had been England's makeshift opener against Pakistan in 1962, but disliked the job and had made three successive ducks in this role so far on the tour. David Allen was dropped to make way for the extra batsman and Ray Illingworth in favour of Fred Titmus, but this was quite normal as these three off-spinners regularly displaced each other depending on current form and favour. Wicket-keeper John Murray was replaced by debutant Alan Smith due to his superior batting on tour, even though he too had been hit on the head by a Wes Hall bouncer the week before. Fast bowlers Len Coldwell and David Larter had been tried out in the Fifth Test against Pakistan at the Oval, but the old firm of Fred Trueman and Brian Statham were back in action, even though Trueman had a broken bone in his back and had been told by an Australian doctor that he would never bowl again.^[4]

Both teams had exceptional long batting line-ups, only Barry Jarman, Garth McKenzie, Fred Trueman and Brian Statham had failed to make a first-class hundred and Trueman and Jarman would make their maiden centuries in 1963-64. This was the sixth time the two teams had played at the Gabba, England winning the two Tests played before to the war by 6 wickets (1932-33) and 322 runs (1936-37), and Australia the four Tests since the war by an innings and 332 runs (1946-47), 70 runs (1950-51), an innings and 154 runs (1954-55) and 8 wickets (1958-59), so it was a ground where a result was expected.^[5][6][7]

Australia - First Innings

When Benaud won the toss on a pitch that looked rather inanimate most of us thought that Australia would probably get about 500 runs against an English attack which for the most part was devoid of fire, venom and guile. Previous matches had shown that the off-spinners might toil and spin but that they could not turn. Knight, always short of a length, should not on a good pitch worry any batsmen of even average class. Statham had seemed rather lethargic: certainly not the Statham of other years ... Thinking over the game later on, one wondered how this bowling on a dead pitch succeeded in dismissing Australia for 404 runs.

Johnny Moyes^[8]

The bowling began poorly, but after 20 minutes Fred Trueman (3/76) got the hang of the pitch and made the ball swing away from Bill Lawry, finding a thin edge to Alan Smith for his first catch in Test cricket. Norm O'Neill was a notoriously poor starter and would have rin himself out if Ted Dexter had gathered the ball cleanly. As it was he edged Trueman to David Sheppard at second clip, who missed the catch and Peter Parfitt dropped the rebound for what would have been superlative diving catch had his held on. After cutting the ball for a scorching boundaries, edging another pass fine-leg and glancing another O'Neill was out to a Trueman bouncer which lifted sharply and was caught by Brian Statham at short square-leg for 19. Bobby Simpson made 50, but mis-hooked a rank long hop from Dexter (1/46) into the hands of Trueman at mid-on and Australia went into lunch on 97/3. Back on the field Trueman started bowling short on the leg-stump, dubbed "bodyline" by some journalists, and Peter Burge popped a ball to Dexter at short-leg to give the Yorkshireman his third wicket despite his bad back. Australia were now surprisingly 101/4, but Brian Booth (112) rebuilt the innings, adding 39 with Neil Harvey (39), 54 with Alan Davidson (23) and 103 the ever solid Ken Mackay. A rather lifeless Statham (1/75) bowled Harvey with a good ball, but it was the support bowlers Barry Knight, Fred Titmus and Ken Barrington who suffered in the afternoon as the fast bowlers were given a rest. Smith missed a stumping when Booth was 21 and tried to drive Titmus and also hit the spinner to the boundary over the head of a fielder. Davidson heaved Titmus to the fence, but tried the same to Barrington's leg-spin and was caught by Trueman, who had now taken three wickets and held two catches out of six dismissals. The game struggled in the final session, with Dexter setting defensive fields to Titmus and Knight and Mackay hogging the strike without making runs and too slow to take quick singles which would have upset the field-placings. Booth reached his "wristily stylish"^[9] maiden Test century in 173 minutes and with 14 fours, an aristocratic innings by the man who had nearly been left carrying the drinks. He was caught by Dexter off Titmus (1/91) at 20 minutes to six trying to push the score in the face of all opposition. His departure at 296/7 brought in captain Richie Benaud, who must have wondered if his team would make 300 earlier in the day, but saw Australia to 321/7 by stumps, with Mackay reaching 51 not out. Trueman was fit to bowl in the morning, but Benaud hooked him for four and with Mackay took 11 runs off an over by Statham. When five overs had gone for 34 runs so Titmus and Knight were brought back on to defensive fields. Benaud made 51 runs before he edged the ball to Smith off Knight at 388/8. Knight (3/65) made two dives across the wicket to take return catches off Mackay, which he dropped and McKenzie, which he held on to. Jarman was caught off the Essex all-rounder by Barrington to wrap up the Australian innings for 404 in time for an early lunch, with Mackay left high and dry on 86 not out. It was his own fault as the dour Queenslander had occupied his home ground for a tedious 247 minutes, had refused singles and had allowed Dexter to contain him. Mackay never made a Test century and this was the closest he got to one against England.^[6][10][11]

England - First Innings

England at this time were said to have a 'Benaud complex', and he certainly bowled his wrist-spin beautifully and with more success than subsequently. But Australia were likewise near to getting a 'Dexter complex'.

E.W. Swanton^[6]

England's innings was more solid than Australia's - the first seven batsmen made 21 and three passed 50 - but fell 15 runs short in the first innings. Geoff Pullar (33) and David Sheppard (31) struggled along with Sheppard edging a ball to the ground near Alan Davidson and Pullar caught by Richie Benaud only for Barry Jarman to signal that it wasn't a chance. Benaud had both men floundering at times, but they stuck to their work until Benaud caught Pullar off his own bowling on 62/1 and had Sheppard taken round the corner by Garth McKenzie for 65/2. This brought Ted Dexter and Colin Cowdrey the crease to see out the session. After tea Dexter sent the ball crashing to the boundary ten times as he and his vice-captain added 80 runs in 76 minutes. Cowdrey (21) was willing to watch until he hooked Bobby Simpson straight into the hands of Bill Lawry and at ten to six Dexter's confidence - and the lengthening shadows - got the better of him and he drove over a ball from Benaud and was bowled for 70. Alan Smith joined Ken Barrington as a nightwatchman and they saw the day end on 169/4. Barrington thrashed six boundaries off Benaud and Simpson (1/52) in his first 25 runs the next day, adding 51 with Smith (21), who was caught behind when Garth McKenzie was brought into the attack and made several balls left awkwardly off the pitch. Barrington now reverted to his typical, grinding self, taking 210 minutes over his last 40 runs with Peter Parfitt feeling his way to 80 off 244 minutes. Finally the Surrey batsman lost his concentration and skied Benaud to Peter Burge at mid-off for 78 and was replaced by the equally pedestrian Fred Titmus, who prodded his way to 21 in 104 minutes. The end came suddenly, Titmus and Parfitt were caught off Benaud (6/115), McKenzie (3/78) had Barry Knight out for a duck and Fred Trueman for 19 after he hit a six and 2 fours adding 27 runs in 20 minutes for the last wicket with Brian Statham as 361/6 became 362/9 and 389 all out.^[12]

Australia - Second Innings

The pitch itself had become slower and slower. Some observers said that it was useless to bowlers and batsmen alike. That wasn't true, because some of the batsmen showed beyond all doubt that anyone who could really hit the ball could play it away with ease, power, and safety as it rose slowly from the turf.

Johnny Moyes^[13]

England - Second Innings

Geoff Pullar and David Sheppard made a solid start and, at lunch, they were both still there with 86 on the board. We had a discussion and thought we still stood an outside chance of a surprise win. By tea, we had changed our minds because the score had only crept to only 185 and we could hardly expect to make 196 in two hours, even with Ted Dexter still in and looking for runs. At the close Barry Knight and I were still there with 100 needed. Benaud had made it practically impossible for us to win, or for them.

Fred Titmus^[15]

Result

The opening Test at Brisbane has a history of having important psychological effects on the teams. The four England teams before ours had all lost there. Even Len Hutton's eventually victorious side went down there by an innings. We drew the match and I believe this was the turning point of our tour. Nobody expected us to come out of it with our pride intact.

Fred Titmus^[7]

The game was a draw, the first time that the First Test of an Ashes series had been drawn in Australia since 1881-82. The general opinion was that Benaud should have declared earlier and that had it been any other team he would have done so. In previous Ashes series Down Under the 30 hours play had been over six days, which with a rest day meant a seven-day-old pitch by the end, which usually produced a result. Still Australia (having won the toss) had the better of the draw and had played the more positive cricket. In the England team only Fred Trueman with the ball and Ted Dexter with the bat had shown any aggression.^[6][15][17]

Second Test – Melbourne

 date = 29 December 1962-3 January 1963| team1 = {{cr|AUS}}| team2 = {{cr|England}}|

 score-team1-inns1 = 316| runs-team1-inns1 = W.M. Lawry 52| wickets-team1-inns1 = Titmus, F.J. 4/43 
 Trueman, F.S. 3/83|

 score-team2-inns1 = 331| runs-team2-inns1 = M.C. Cowdrey (vc) 113 
 E.R. Dexter (c) 93| wickets-team2-inns1 = A.K. Davidson 6/75|

 score-team1-inns2 = 248| runs-team1-inns2 = B.C. Booth 103 
 W.M. Lawry 57| wickets-team1-inns2 = Trueman, F.S. 5/62|

 score-team2-inns2 = 237/3| runs-team2-inns2 = Rev. D.S. Sheppard 113 
 M.C. Cowdrey (vc) 58* 
 E.R. Dexter (c) 52| wickets-team2-inns2 = G.D. McKenzie 1/58|

 result = {{cr|England}} win by 7 wickets| venue = Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Australia| umpires = C.J. Egar (AUS) & W.J. Smyth (AUS)| motm = | report = [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/25/25909.html scorecard]| rain = |

Preliminaries

The New Year Test at Melbourne is the one that sticks most clearly in my mind, naturally enough since there is nothing to compare with the spectacle of Melbourne when the big crowds come ... There was some fine bowling by Trueman, used in short spurts in the heat, a lovely run out by Harvey in the covers that cut short an auspicious innings by Graveney, some inexpressibly dull batting from Bill Lawry, and a hundred by Brian Booth, that model of a man and of a batsman who tends to be under-rated and forgotten because both he and his cricket were so blamelessly self-effacing. Tall, upright, correct in method, ever-patient, he repeated the hundred he had got at Brisbane, and so gave England a target to go for while all around him were failing. And who could forget the chequered fortunes of Sheppard?

E.W. Swanton^[18]

Australia kept an unchanged XI for the Second Test, but England made two changes; Peter Parfitt was replaced by the veteran Tom Graveney who had made 122 not out against South Australia and Barry Knight by Len Coldwell who had taken 6/49 in the MCC's 5-wicket win over Victoria. Parfitt had been in poor form all tour except for the slow 80 he made in the First Test, though being used as a makeshift opener had not helped. Graveney was an old hand who had toured in 1954-55 and 1958-59, while Coldwell was proving to be a better bowler than Knight, whose only advantage was that he was an all-rounder, but in a team that still had eight recognised batsman this was not too much of a loss. Alan Smith was still preferred as wicket-keeper to John Murray, though not so much as to be "the mystery of the tour"^[19] as though Murray was the better keeper the difference in ability was minor. Brian Statham (231), Richie Benaud (226) and Fred Trueman (219) were all approaching Alec Bedser's record of 236 Test wickets. Bedser was in Australia as England's assistant-manager, as were the only other bowlers to have taken 200 Test wickets; Clarrie Grimmett (216), whose Test record had been overtaken by Bedser in 1953, and Ray Lindwall (228), who held the Australian record. Richie Benaud won the toss again and had no hesitation in batting first.^[18][20]

Australia - First Innings

I should be inclined to give first place among bowlers on both sides to Trueman. This gallant soul broke through in both innings. Whenever he came into the attack the winds of aggression were blowing at gale force, and he took his wickets by frontal assault in which he attacked the batsmen and defeated them by speed and bowling skill.

Johnny Moyes^[21]

England - First Innings

At around one o'clock one morning I returned to the Windsor Hotel in Melbourne to the staggering sight of Ken Barrington sitting alone in the lounge drinking whisky. The Test match was critically poised and Barrington, invariably an early-to-bed man in a crisis, was a portrait of gloom. He was batting first thing in the morning and couldn't sleep. He returned to bed, tossed and turned for another hour until, in desperation, he committed the capital offence of telephoning the manager's room. The Duke, a chronic insomaniac had a supply of sleeping pills so powerful that the average recipient would remain oblivious to nuclear attack. In the name of England, Barrington was determined to get his hands on them. "Damn you, Barrington" roared the Duke, "I had only just got to sleep myself." Then, relenting, he said "All right, come and get them". In the same moment that Barrington's hand replaced the receiver his head hit the pillow and he fell into exhausted unconsciousness. The Duke waited and waited. He was still awake when dawn exploded into dazzling sunshine and it was time to get up.

Ian Wooldridge^[24]

Australia - Second Innings

The irrepressible Trueman made one skid a little to Simpson, and his appeal for l.b.w. echoed round the ground. The umpire was not of the bowler's opinion. Back went Trueman, and his next ball, a lovely yorker, knocked the middle stump out of the ground. This is always a magnificent sight to the onlooker. The batsman does not see it and he naturally feels less elation.

Johnny Moyes^[26]

The pitch looked good - apart from the odd ball it played well throughout the match - and Australia had the simple task of batting England out of the match, then getting them out on a wearing wicket. Bill Lawry and Bobby Simpson hit 30 runs in 34 minutes when the top of the innings crashed. Simpson had his middle stump removed by a Fred Trueman yorker and on the next ball Norm O'Neill was snatched in the slips by Colin Cowdrey after the ball had gone past him. This was not a novel experience, four years before he had been caught by the same fielder, in the same position, off the same bowler, on the same ground for the same first ball duck. Neil Harvey came in for the hat-trick and drove the ball for two, but went for a fourth run and had his wicket thrown down by Geoff Pullar, Peter Burge was bowled by Brian Statham (2/52) and Australia were 69/4 - only 54 runs ahead. Lawry was dropped off a difficult one handed chance to David Sheppard before stumps and Australia came in with 105/4. Lawry (57) and Brian Booth (103) stayed into lunch the next day, the angular Victorian left-hander dominating the strike and made no effort to make runs before his was torpedoed by round-arm Ted Dexter shooter with the last ball of the morning, having made 16 runs in the last two hours. Booth struggled towards his century as Fred Titmus bowled with a leg-side field to cut off his strokes and the off-spinner had Alan Davidson caught by the keeper Alan Smith before Trueman returned with a new-ball spell either side of tea. He removed Richie Benaud, Ken Mackay and Garth McKenzie for 6 runs in 15 balls in what David Sheppard called "the finest sustained and accurate fast bowling I have ever seen".^[27] Barry Jarman hung around for Booth to both reach his century and to be caught by Trueman off Statham. Australia were all out for 248, leaving England to make 234 to win in just over a day.^[28][29]

England - Second Innings

Experienced players like Tom Graveney and Brian Statham sat at the radio with me, eager to know what was happening but far too involved in it to be able to bear seeing each ball being bowled. This does not happen very often in my experience, but in this particular Test, the game swung so constantly from one side's favour to the other's that for those of us who were a living part of it, but not actually on the field at the time, the only way to not become over excited was not to look!

Fred Titmus^[30]

Result

The presence in the pulpit of David Sheppard, the centurion of Melbourne, has filled the Anglican cathedral of every state capital from Perth to Brisbane.

E.W. Swanton^[1]

England won the match by 7 wickets to take a 1-0 lead in Australia for the first time since 1936-37. David Sheppard received great praise for his century, Fred Trueman less so for his 8 wickets, much to his disappointment. Trueman now had 227 Test wickets to equal Richie Benaud behind Brian Statham with 234, only two short of Alec Bedser's Test record of 236.^[32]

Third Test – Sydney

 date = 11th-15 January 1963 | team1 = {{cr|ENG}}| team2 = {{cr|Australia}}|

 score-team1-inns1 = 279| runs-team1-inns1 = M.C. Cowdrey (vc) 85 
 Pullar, G. 53| wickets-team1-inns1 = R.B. Simpson 5/57 
 A.K. Davidson 4/54|

 score-team2-inns1 = 319| runs-team2-inns1 = R.B. Simpson 91 
 B.K. Shepherd 71 
 R.N. Harvey (vc) 64| wickets-team2-inns1 = Titmus, F.J. 7/79|

 score-team1-inns2 = 104| runs-team1-inns2 = Parfitt, P.H. 28| wickets-team1-inns2 = A.K. Davidson 5/25 
 G.D. McKenzie 3/26|

 score-team2-inns2 = 67/2| runs-team2-inns2 = R.B. Simpson 34*| wickets-team2-inns2 = Trueman, F.S. 2/20|

 result = {{cr|Australia}} win by 8 wickets| venue = Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney, Australia| umpires = L.P Rowan (AUS) & W.J. Smyth (AUS)| motm = | report = [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/25/25930.html scorecard]| rain = |

Preliminaries

"It's horses for courses, skipper." I told him. "It's madness to go with three pace bowlers on that pitch. One of us has to be dropped if we are to stand a chance of winning. I'm loyal to my country, drop me if you like, you can always put yourself on as a third seamer if need be." Ted discussed the matter with the other selectors and the decision was to ignore my advice, and play Len, Brian and myself. It was a farce. The pitch didn't have a blade of grass on it and I was reduced to bowling off-cutters, but I couldn't pitch them slow enough to have much effect.

Fred Trueman^[34]

Regardless of the advice of his bowlers Ted Dexter preferred to continue with the successful bowling attack from Melbourne, and may have been swayed by the Australians who dropped Peter Burge and Ken Mackay in favour of debutants Barry Shepherd and Colin Guest. Mackay was a loyal - if dour - servant of Australia and a great man in a crisis, but public opinion was vocal against his stonewalling and he and Burge were unfairly blamed for the defeat at Melbourne. The inclusion of the energetic captain of Western Australia pleased the England team, who had tried to play him into the Tests, but kept getting him out. Colin Guest was a fast-medium bowler who was brought in to support Alan Davidson and Garth McKenzie instead of Mackay. That Richie Benaud was content with three pace bowlers and the leg-spin of himself and Bobby Simpson on his home ground signalled that the wicket was not as flat as Trueman thought. Dexter was never a man to favour spinners and was disinclined to include the out-of-form David Allen or Ray Illingworth in the team. John Murray's neatness behind the stumps was finally recognised and he replaced the much criticised Alan Smith as wicket-keeper. Peter Parfitt was back in the England team as Tom Graveney had picked up a viral infection.^{[34][35][36][37]}

England - First Innings

Alan Davidson led their attack in this and other Tests. He had a beautiful action, run-up and delivery and, besides being pretty fast, he made the ball swing into the batsmen very late. Often, our batsmen had to make a hurried stroke against him because they thought it would not swing. Then when they got used to the fact that it did, he would send one down that didn't! But we found that the great thing about Alan was to keep him from getting a wicket in his first four or five overs. If this happened, he was inclined to lose enthusiasm and with it went his fire. Unfortunately for us, this seldom happened.

Fred Titmus^[38]

England batted after Ted Dexter won the toss and he soon came in as David Sheppard edged the ball off Alan Davidson into the hands of Garth McKenzie. He played a subdued innings against Davidson's swing and McKenzie's lift and added 61 in 79 minutes with Geoff Pullar before he was out cutting Richie Benaud to Bill Lawry at short-leg for 32. He was replaced by the in-form Colin Cowdrey who added another 67 with Pullar who constantly looked like getting out, without doing so. He batted over half the day for 53 when he hooked Simpson to Benaud, who took a nice low catch. Ken Barrington and Cowdrey were the most difficult batsmen to dismiss, though Davidson though Dexter was the most difficult to bowl to, and looked set to stay as they took England past 200/3. It was here that the English batting imploded, Cowdrey was caught at the wicket off Simpson for 85, and the part-time spinner had Peter Parfitt was caught by Lawry sitting in his hip-pocket for 0. Benaud now took the overdue new ball and Davidson (4/54) whipped in a couple of in-swingers to trap first Barrington (35) and then John Murray (0) lbw and England were 221/7. The "Fighting Freds" Titmus (32) and Trueman (32) saw out the day with a stand of 35, despite Titmus being dropped by Barry Jarman and by Brian Booth in the deep, which they took to 52 the next morning when Simpson got Trueman and Brian Statham with successive balls, but missed his hat-trick and Titmus saw his stumps sent cartwheeling by Davidson to end the innings on 279. Simpson's 5/57 remained his career best Test bowling and Benaud's 1/60 took him to 228 wickets to match Ray Lindwall's Australian record. Another record was the gate, which on the first day produced £12,534 and 5 shillings. The attendance of 54,476 was a new record for a Friday and second only to the Saturday of the Second Test in 1928-29 when over 58,000 people saw called some bloke called Don Bradman serving drinks as 12th man. Bradman was now one of the selectors, as was the Australian captain Jack Ryder.^[36][39]

Australia - First Innings

Whereas the English faster bowlers could bang nothing out of the pitch Titmus held the attack together in an admirably-sustained spell from the Randwick end, floating the ball away with the help of a long-leg wind and turning it at times almost sharply. Looking back I'll make bold and say that if Allen had had the chance of bowling with Titmus in partnership the result could very well have gone the other way.

E.W. Swanton^[40]

Australia's first wicket cost England dearly. After 32 dull minutes Bill Lawry edged a chance off Len Coldwell (1/41) which John Murray took just off the grass in a dive that tore his shoulder ligaments. Lawry was out for 8, but Murray had to be taken off the field for medical treatment and Peter Parfitt took over behind the stumps (both he and Tom Graveney, who he replaced, were reserve wicket-keepers for their county). He did a reasonable job, but took no catches and few Test teams expect to do well in these circumstances. Norm O'Neill had failed in the number three spot so Neil Harvey came in and was missed in the slips by Cowdrey on 2 and lofted a gentle catch off Fred Trueman to David Sheppard at extra-cover on 37. Sheppard "saw it all the way into my hands - and out of them. If ever I have wanted that secret trap-door and underground route to the pavilion it was then", Brian Statham shouted "Bad luck", Trueman's comments are unprintable, but are usually translated as "Pretend it's Sunday Reverend, and keep your hands together",^[41] Harvey hit 64 runs out of 160 in 170 minutes with only two boundaries in what Johnny Moyes thought was the worse innings of his career. He was the first victim of the Cockney off-spinner Fred Titmus (7/79) who in eight overs dismissed Harvey, Bobby Simpson, Norm O'Neill and Brian Booth for 5 runs as Australia slumped from 174/1 to 212/5 by the end of the day. "Most males in the Australian population knew how to hit Titmus out of the attack but the selectors kept filling the Australian XI with the minority who did not",^[9] his flighty off-spin down the leg-side shackling the batsmen. Harvey was bowled, Simpson was caught off a cut by Ken Barrington for his third Test 90 (and the sixteenth first-class 90 of the season), O'Neill was bowled when he started a drive and changed his mind and Booth prodded one to Trueman at short leg. Barry Jarman came in as a nightwatchman, but was run out for a duck first thing in the morning, overbalancing after pushing the ball to David Sheppard at forward short-leg, who threw down the stumps. Titmus continued his good work, Alan Davidson (15) was caught at short-leg hitting across the line, Richie Benaud (15) was caught and bowled and Garth McKenzie (4) was quickly lbw. Only Barry Shepherd (71 not out) hit out at the bowlers, with 8 fours and a towering six off Titmus, the last scoring stroke of the innings. Brian Statham (1/67) bowled Colin Guest in his only Test innings after a last-wicket stand of 39 and Australia were out for 319, a lead of 40 far behind what was expected or wanted. The wisdom in the press box thought Australia needed to be 150 runs ahead seeing as they would bat last.^[36][42][43]

England - Second Innings

However, it was a superb spell by Alan Davidson with the new ball in England's second innings that turned a hitherto evenly-poised game towards Australia. 'Davo', with his late swing and cut, was a superb bowler at his best, and this was about it ... Soon after lunch on the fourth day it was over, and England had gone - oh, so mildly.

E.W. Swanton^[40]

Australia - Second Innings

Those who saw it will never forget the sight of thousands of small boys invading the ground when yet another two runs were needed. One youngster managed to get away with a stump, but when he realized the position he restored it, while Simpson waved frantically at the pavilion to have another produced.

Johnny Moyes^[45]

There was a 25 minutes delay due to bad light and Fred Trueman (2/20) showed some late fire with the wickets of Bill Lawry and Neil Harvey, but Ted Dexter brought himself on and conceded 27 runs off 26 balls so that the teams would not have to return the next day to finish the game. The last few overs were played in the rain and it rained for most of the fifth day, so England might have drawn the match with a little application. As it was Australia made 67/2 to win by 8 wickets. Bobby Simpson made 34 not out to add to his 91 and 5/57 in the first innings.^[46]

Result

There was not one innings that will be remembered in years to come; not even one that left behind pleasant memories after the day was over. This Test will be remembered - if, indeed, it is recalled at all in after years - because the fortunes changed so rapidly and because of the deed of individuals, chiefly the bowlers. Some, but only a few, came out with their reputations enhanced.

Johnny Moyes^[47]

Australia won by 8 wickets to even the series 1-1. In the end it was the fast bowlers Davidson and McKenzie who wrecked England's chances, but Dexter's decision to take only one specialist spinner would be long remembered as costing England the Ashes. Fred Titmus (7/79) became the seventh England bowler to take seven wickets in a Test innings in Australia after Tom Richardson (8/94), George Lohmann (8/35 and 8/58), Wilfred Rhodes (7/56 and 8/68), Doug Wright (7/105), Frank Tyson (7/27) and Brian Statham (7/57). A total of 166,626 people came to watch the match, including 20,781 on the last day for a total gate of £39,924 17 shillings.^[48]

Fourth Test – Adelaide

 date = 25th-30 January 1963| team1 = {{cr|Australia}}| team2 = {{cr|England}}|

 score-team1-inns1 = 393| runs-team1-inns1 = R.N. Harvey (vc) 154 
 N.C.L. O'Neill 100| wickets-team1-inns1 = Statham, J.B. 3/66 
 E.R. Dexter (c) 3/94|

 score-team2-inns1 = 331| runs-team2-inns1 = Barrington, K.F. 63 
 E.R. Dexter (c) 61 
 Titmus, F.J. 59*| wickets-team2-inns1 = G.D. McKenzie 5/89 
 K.D. Mackay 3/80 
 A.T.W. Grout (wk) 3 Ct and 1 Stumped|

 score-team1-inns2 = 293| runs-team1-inns2 = B.C. Booth 77 
 R.B. Simpson 71| wickets-team1-inns2 = Trueman, F.S. 4/60 
 E.R. Dexter (c) 3/65 
 Statham, J.B. 3/71 
 A.C. Smith (wk) 3 Ct|

 score-team2-inns2 = 223/4| runs-team2-inns2 = Barrington, K.F. 132*| wickets-team2-inns2 = K.D. Mackay 1/13|

 result = Match Drawn| venue = Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, Australia| umpires = C.J. Egar (AUS) & A.E. Mackley (AUS)| motm = | report = [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/25/25943.html scorecard]| rain = |

Preliminaries

Australia had the ill-luck early in the England first innings to lose Davidson with a thigh strain. Thereafter Benaud seemed, not unnaturally, more interested in saving the game than winning it. England were the thrusters, and if their catching had not continued to let them down Australia might have been out early on the last day, so giving Dexter and company a fair chance of victory against an attack reduced to McKenzie, Mackay and three leg-spinners.

E.W. Swanton^[49]

The Adelaide Oval is traditionally a dull, lifeless wicket with bounce so low that even the fastest bowlers rarely rise it above stump height and batsmen found it difficult to get the ball away. On this occasion frequent light rain helped freshen it up slightly for the pacemen and it resolutely refused to turn. England dropped their injured wicket-keeper John Murray and Alan Smith returned to the team. Tom Graveney was well again and replaced the out of form Peter Parfitt and the off-spinner Ray Illingworth was brought in for the fast-medium bowler Len Coldwell. Once again Fred Trueman advised the opposite, he thought an extra seamer would be better at Adelaide, but was ignored; in any case the spinners struggled on a pitch that refused to turn. Typically the selectors chose the out of form Illingworth over David Allen because of his superior batting. Barry Jarman was also dropped as Australia's first choice keeper Wally Grout was fit to play against after breaking his jaw in November and the paceman Colin Guest was dropped in favour of Ken Mackay in what would be his final Test. Richie Benaud now had 228 Test wickets, Fred Trueman 229 and Brian Statham 235, just one behind Alec Bedser's Test record of 236. Richie Benaud won the toss for the third time and chose to bat.^[4][50][51]

Australia - First Innings

It was Neil's last season and it was a shame that his amazing career should end in an uncharacteristic outburst of bad temper against Ted Dexter. I never did get to the bottom of the row but perhaps it was just because he and Ted were total opposites as people. All I know is that his press comments on Ted lost him a lot of friends. These attacks upset the MCC players more than anything else that happened on that tour, and for Neil to retire from the game on this sour note was disappointing for those who had played with an against him, and for the public who had enjoyed his performances. For all this, you couldn't help admiring some of Neil's knocks, including his sixth Test century against England. He was nearly always exciting to watch because he was the sort of batsman who was supremely capable of winning or saving a match. He was also good to bowl to because he gave you a chance; he played shots and he took risks. And his fielding was quite brilliant; in this series, it was easily the best on either side. He stopped some wonderful shots in the covers and took some terrific catches. It was just sad to see such a talented man consumed by such bitterness.

Fred Titmus^[52]

England - First Innings

... in came Freddie Trueman who appeared determined to knock the cover off the ball. He blasted some very quick runs, which included two straight sixes off the mortified Richie Benaud. Freddie can always be counted on to surprise you. After the towering first six, he appealed against the light! Even for fiery Freddie, that was cheek of the highest order. Richie and I both burst out laughing and, needless to say the appeal was not upheld. Test cricket can have its lighter moments. Freddie's response was to crash another giant six about 20 yards deeper, but unfortunately, he tried to do it again and was caught by Benaud off Mackay at extra cover.

Fred Titmus^[55]

England came in to bat in the afternoon and Geoff Pullar didn't play his bat to a Garth McKenzie in-swinger and was clean-bowled for 7. Ken Barrington came in instead of Ted Dexter, who was resting after bowling 23 overs in the Australian innings. Barrington lacked his usual assurance and mishit Alan Davidson three times to the boundary on successive balls before hitting him again with the fourth ball, after which Davidson retired with a torn thigh muscle. David Sheppard (30) was stumped by Wally Grout trying to drive Richie Benaud (1/82), giving the captain his 229th Test wicket to pass Ray Lindwall and become Australia's greatest Test wicket-taker. England reached tea with 87/2, but Barrington (63) was bowled by the first ball from Bobby Simpson (1/40) and McKenzie (5/89) removed Colin Cowdrey caught behind (though he thought that it had hit the grass) and Tom Graveney to Brian Booth at leg-slip. Dexter was now left with Fred Titmus at 165/5, but the England captain fought back by driving Simpson to the fence, lifting him for six twice in an over and reaching his 50 off McKenzie in the last over of the day. There was rain on the rest day and the morning of Australia Day, which earned the South Australian Cricket Association £3,000 in insurance and helped bind the wicket, enabling the fast bowlers to lift the ball, but preventing the pitch from breaking up or taking spin. Play began at 1:45 pm with Titmus unsuccessfully appealing against the light and glancing the ball past the seagulls and bird-fancier Bill Lawry at the cathedral end. They played on in a light drizzle and Titmus hit Benaud and Mackay for fours, but when Dexter tried the same against McKenzie he was caught by leaping wicket-keeper off a rising ball. The wet outfield made the ball damp and heavy, and thus useless to spinners, so McKenzie bowled unchanged from the river end except for one over before taking the new ball. With Davidson still absent Ken Mackay took over from the other end. Ray Illingworth gave Grout his fourth dismissal of the innings, and his third catch off McKenzie and Alan Smith skied Mackay to Lawry to reduce England to 275/8. Fred Trueman joined Fred Titmus and "The Fighting Freds" thumped 52 runs in 37 minutes. Trueman hit Mackay for four, heaved his first ball from Benaud into the stands and appealed for light. When this was turned down he hit Benaud to the leg boundary for four and over long-on for another six, followed by a four off Mackay before the ball flew off the shoulder of his bat to Benaud at mid-on to be out for 38, one short of his highest Test score. Titmus made his first Test 50, but was given the light and the last 45 minutes were lost, three hours in the day. Mackay (3/80) bowled Brian Statham in the second over of the fourth day to have England out for 331, 62 runs behind Australia. Titmus was left on 59 not out to give him an average of 200.00 at the Adelaide Oval.^{[51][54][56][57]}

Australia - Second Innings

Our plan this morning was for O'Neill and I to go for runs, and had we been successful I would have closed. But O'Neill got out. After that I toyed with the idea of closing and giving England five minutes batting before lunch, but decided against it. If we had had Davidson to bowl today it would have made a big difference to the whole outlook.

Richie Benaud^[58]

The out of form Bill Lawry hung on grimly for an hour for 16 runs before he was caught in the slips by Tom Graveney off Fred Trueman, who took advantage of the freshened pitch and hit Bobby Simpson with a nasty rising ball. Neil Harvey cut Brian Statham for four and was caught by Ken Barrington in the gully when he tried it off the next ball. This left Australia 42/2 at lunch, but Simpson and Brian Booth added 86 runs in the afternoon session and opened up after tea. Booth hit Fred Titmus for six and overtook Simpson despite his 75-minute start. Their stand was ended in an eventful over from Ted Dexter (3/65); a diving Barrington missed Booth on the first ball, and the batsmen ran a single; Simpson was caught behind on the second ball, having made 71 in 237 minutes, Norm O'Neill took a single off the third ball and Booth hit a boundary off the fifth ball only to be taken by wicket-keeper Alan Smith for 77 with the last ball of the over. Dexter struck again before stumps, Barry Shepherd spooning a catch to Titmus at wide mid-off and Trueman had Ken Mackay caught at slip by Graveney in his last over with the old ball. O'Neill and Richie Benaud saw out the new ball and Australia finished the day at 225/6, a lead of 287 runs. Trueman and Statham fired down the new ball in the morning, but Titmus dropped Benaud on the first ball of the day. O'Neill was out to Trueman, caught by Cowdrey at slip, and Garth McKenzie became Smith's fifth catch of the match, taken off Statham. Alan Davidson came in for 14 balls before he was bowled by Statham (3/71) and Benaud and Wally Grout added 35 for the last wicket before the captain was caught for 48 by Barrington off Trueman (4/60). Benaud had refused to declare before lunch and make a game of it, but with the Ashes at stake and Davidson unable to bowl he dared not take the risk. As it was Australia made 293, setting England 356 to win in just over four hours.^[51][54][59]

England - Second Innings

A freak catch by wicketkeeper Grout dismissed Sheppard. McKenzie had bowled the opening over from the river end; then Sheppard played forward to Mackay's first ball and edged it to second slip. There Benaud went into contortions; he knocked the ball forward, knocked it a second time as Simpson, from first slip, poised to spring at it. Simpson then plunged to the ground, out of the way, he thought. Grout sprawled over Simpson and clutched the ball as it fell. A circus performance!

Tom Goodman^[60]

Result

But the last day was to prove curiously frustrating for a crowd of 22,000. There were some compensating thrills: two remarkable catches; a memorable fielding display by O'Neill; the cheap dismissal of Dexter; a highly competent century by that batting tradesman, Ken Barrington, who reached three figures with a hit for six ...

Tom Goodman^[60]

The Adelaide Oval had produced another draw to leave the series tied on 1-1, but the three hours lost on Australia Day would have probably have given England enough time to make the extra 133 runs required for victory, but it would have been an historic victory if they had. Ted Dexter said afterwards "Australia never had a hope of bowling us out - not on this pitch and with their attack so depleted".^[62] This took some of the heat off Richie Benaud whose reputation for "go-ahead", entertaining cricket had taken a severe blow by his refusal to declare on the last morning. The truth was that the Australian bowling attack depended heavily on the injury-prone Alan Davidson and Benaud with the young McKenzie and two batting all rounders in support. Without any turn in the pitch to help Benaud or Simpson Australia were in great trouble. With the retirement of their two premier bowlers Garth McKenzie would have to carry the Australian bowling through the 1960s.^[49][54][63]

Fifth Test – Sydney

 date = 15th-20 February 1963| team1 = {{cr|England}}| team2 = {{cr|Australia}}|

 score-team1-inns1 = 321| runs-team1-inns1 = Barrington, K.F. 101| wickets-team1-inns1 = A.K. Davidson 4/43 
 R.N. Harvey (vc) 4 Ct|

 score-team2-inns1 = 349| runs-team2-inns1 = P.J.P. Burge 103 
 N.C.L. O'Neill 73 
 R. Benaud (c) 57| wickets-team2-inns1 = Titmus, F.J. 5/103 
 Graveney, T.W. 3 Ct|

 score-team1-inns2 = 268/8 (dec)| runs-team1-inns2 = Barrington, K.F. 94 
 Rev. D.S. Sheppard 68 
 M.C. Cowdrey (vc) 53| wickets-team1-inns2 = R. Benaud (c) 3/71 
 A.K. Davidson 3/80|

 score-team2-inns2 = 152/4| runs-team2-inns2 = P.J.P. Burge 52*| wickets-team2-inns2 = Allen, D.A. 3/26|

 result = Match drawn| venue = Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney, Australia| umpires = C.J. Egar (AUS) and L.P Rowan (AUS)| motm = | report = [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/25/25957.html scorecard]| rain = |

Preliminaries

This deadly dull and absolutely frustrating match left keen cricket followers soured and depressed. A thoroughly bad match unworthy of the occasion, for was it not in effect a "final" to decide the destination of the Ashes? ... This Test was a setback to cricket in Australia. Its lack of sparkle and of the element of combat caused a general revulsion of feeling among cricket followers throughout the country, who were influenced to forget what good points the season had brought forth.

Tom Goodman^[64]

For the first time since 1936-37 the Ashes were in dispute in the final Test of a series in Australia. Unfortunately the Fifth Test was to be played on the lifeless wicket at Sydney, though critics later pointed out that Norm O'Neill was able to play strokes, and that Neil Harvey, Ted Dexter and even Ken Barrington were able to play strokes on similarly lifeless wickets before in the series. Mindful of the Third Test three spinners were selected for the England team for the first time in an Ashes Test; Fred Titmus, Ray Illingworth and David Allen, along with Ken Barrington as a part-time leg-spinner. However, the opener Geoff Pullar was dropped due to an injured knee and Illingworth was brought in as a batsman more than a spinner and he bowled only 15 overs in the match and opened the second innings. Allen was distrusted by Dexter for all that he had been was England's first choice spinner and would take himself to the top of the England bowling averages as a result of this final Test. In any case it appeared that Dexter intended to catch Australia on a spinning wicket, especially if he batted first and caught them on the last day. Richie Benaud was the New South Wales captain and knew the Sydney Cricket Ground better than anyone, but his bowling options were limited. Alan Davidson had recovered from his thigh strain and Garth McKenzie was showing great promise, but the medium-fast seam bowler Neil Hawke was brought in to give them support and rest Davidson. Ken Mackay was dropped in his favour, which weakened the Australian batting, but they still had nine first-class centurions. This left Benaud as Australia's sole specialist spinner, with help from Bobby Simpson and perhaps Norm O'Neill. Peter Burge had made 163, 34 not out, 33 and 54 not out for South Australia in the Sheffield Shield and was brought back into the team at the expense of Barry Shepherd. Dexter won the toss for the second time at Sydney, which hadn't helped him in the Third Test, and decided to bat.^[65][66][67]

England - First Innings

By taking nine and a half hours to make their 321 on winning the toss England could point to the difficulty of forcing the ball away from so turgid a pitch and so dusty an in-field and finally across a slow, lush, green carpet. Naturally suspicious of player's alibis, I was very much on their side this time - up to a point.

E.W. Swanton^[68]

With Geoff Pullar unable to play Colin Cowdrey opened for England again, a role he did not relish and after making two runs he was out, mis-hitting a ball from Alan Davidson to Neil Harvey at backward short-leg, who darted forward to take it at grass height. David Sheppard became Neil Hawke's first Test wicket, catching a full blooded cover drive off his own bowling. This made England 39/2 after 108 minutes and with Ken Barrington entrenched at one end the crowd were looked to Ted Dexter to produce some excitement. The wicket was dead and the sky was clear, so there was no chance of the ball swinging and the famous Sydney Hill was becoming restless, Barrington raising his cap when he was jeered and a slow hand clap started around the ground as Dexter played himself in. This was briefly curtailed when Barrington glanced a full toss from Garth McKenzie for four and Dexter hit three fours off Bobby Simpson. Norm O'Neill caught Barrington on the pads and appealed, but no else joined in and the Englishman stayed put. Australia were running through 14-15 overs an hour, the fastest so far in the series, but with such defensive play the effort was wasted. Dexter was out after lunch edging O'Neill (1/38) to Simpson at first slip for 47 and Tom Graveney almost went the same way to Benaud. At 5:15 pm the batsmen appealed for light, but were turned down and five minutes later he glanced McKenzie (1/57) off his legs, but "Harvey, anticipating, shot out his left hand; he somersaulted and momentarily stood on his head, then he rolled over and sat up, still clutching the ball."^[69] Barrington usually woke up when his century was in sight, and a sweep of Simpson was dropped by Brian Booth, but a drive found its way to the boundary and a single brought up his hundred and a surprisingly generous round of applause from the stadium. He drove Benaud straight to Harvey in the covers, who bruised a finger taking his third catch, out for 101 after 320 minutes. Ray Illingworth and Fred Titmus lasted until stumps, with England 195/5 after a full day's play. The second day continued in the same dull way, or perhaps worse as only three boundaries were hit between the two sides. Illingworth (27) and Titmus (34) produced, long, slow innings occasionally interrupted by drizzle before they were both caught by Wally Grout, one off Davidson and the other off Hawke (2/57). Even Fred Trueman played a subdued innings before he was caught by Harvey off Benaud for 30. Alan Smith was bowled by Simpson (1/51) and David Allen and Brian Statham finally livened things up with a last wicket stand of 28 in 35 minutes until Benaud caught Allen off Davidson (3/43). England's 321 had taken them nine and a half hours, an innings more akin to saving a lost cause than trying to win a match.^[54][66][70]

Australia - First Innings

The crowd of just on 30,000 was often tense during the fourth-wicket stand; Titmus and Allen, pegging away, demanded concentration. But O’Neill was determined not to be enchained.

Tom Goodman^[71]

Australia had less need than England to increase the scoring rate as a draw would save the Ashes, but the burden of batting last meant that they should overhaul England's total by 50 runs because of the danger of being spun out on the last day. Bill Lawry and Bobby Simpson looked keen enough with 28 runs in the first half hour even though Fred Trueman hit Simpson on the shoulder with a beamer. He had Lawry caught behind for 12 and welcomed Brian Booth with a bouncer and a yorker that nearly bowled him, followed by a lbw appeal from Brian Statham. After this it was the turn of the spinners Fred Titmus and David Allen who bowled 90 over between them in the innings at a rate of 16-17 an hour and with great accuracy. Titmus bowled Booth in his second over, appealed for leg before wicket against Norm O'Neill before he had scored and had Simpson caught by Trueman at leg-slip to give him 2/10 off 8 overs and to leave Australia 71/3. Neil Harvey had been lowered down the order because of his bruise finger and Peter Burge came out for a few minutes before play ended at 5:38 pm. In the Sunday press conference Ted Dexter thought that England would have a good chance of winning and that three days would be enough to force a win, a minority view. On the Monday morning O'Neill was full of confidence after his century at Adelaide and refused to be tied town, or to submit to the flat wicket. He struck 6 fours in the morning session, and Burge 3, compared to the miserly 3 boundaries made on Saturday. He cause was helped by England's shoddy fielding, wicket-keeper Alan Smith failed to stump O'Neill off Allen on 70 and dropped Burge off Statham on 63. O'Neill went after lunch, driving Allen into the outstretched hand of Tom Graveney at short mid-on for 73, having added 109 with Burge. This brought Neil Harvey to the crease in his farewell Test on his home ground to great applause and welcomed by the England team, as was Alan Davidson. Rain now interfered with play and there were two 20–25 minutes breaks, which upset his concentration, even so he added 51 with Burge before being caught by the substitute fielder Peter Parfitt off Statham (1/76) for 22, Colin Cowdrey being off the field with an eye infection and Trueman was off with a strained thigh. Dexter (1/24) tried to bowl around the wicket to Davidson, who had tried to have the sightscreen moved over, only to find that it could not go that far to the left, so Dexter went back to bowling over the wicket, but the palaver had unsettled the batsman and he holed out to Allen. Richie Benaud hit a Dexter bouncer to the boundary and dominated the strike for the last two overs to make 13 not out, leaving Burge on 98 and Australia 285/5, still 36 runs behind. Burge took four overs to reach his hundred the next morning, in slower time than Barrington, and was lbw trying to sweep Titmus for 103. Garth McKenzie was caught and bowled by Titmus, but Neil Hawke hung on for an hour adding 44 with Benaud (57) before they were both caught by Graveney to give Titmus 5/103 off 47.2 overs and Allen 2/87 off 43 overs. The Australians were not riled so much by the crowd as the English batsmen had been, partly as O'Neill and Benaud had been making strokes, but also by the interest in seeing whether they could lead in the first innings. This they did, a total of 349 giving a slim lead of 28 runs.^[66][72]

England - Second Innings

Barrington had just missed his second century of the match, and in that he was unlucky, but his innings had been marred because on this last day he had added only 37 runs in 107 minutes. He had batted in all for 263 minutes, and his 94 runs included only two fours; but Benaud’s defensive field-placing had contributed to that…Trueman clouted McKenzie’s first two deliveries high to the fence, missed the third ball and was well caught by Harvey, at mid-off, off the fourth. With the last ball of the last over before lunch, and inevitably his last ball in Test cricket…

Tom Goodman^[73]

England began their second innings after an early lunch taken on the fourth day, David Sheppard and Ray Illingworth making 40, the highest English first-wicket stand since the first Test. Alan Davidson bowled unchanged for two hours, bowling medium-paced cutters off a long run up to waste time. Garth McKenzie bowled one over and Neil Hawke two before they were replaced by Richie Benaud, bowling into a cold breeze which saw most of the crowd depart. Sheppard was dropped by a sleepy McKenzie at fine short-leg, where the excellent Norm O'Neill had just been taken off with another throat infection. Benaud (3/71) took the first three wickets. Illingworth (18) driving the ball to Hawke in the covers, Sheppard (68), lifting the ball to Neil Harvey for his fifth catch of the game and Ted Dexter (6) who was stumped trying to hit his opposite number over the fence. Ken Barrington had played a watchful innings from the other end, adding 97 with Sheppard, and Colin Cowdrey ended the day at 165/3 after four hours, a lead of 137 over Australia with one day's play left. Quick runs were vital for setting up a victory – Dexter had vowed to declare at lunch come what may – and Cowdrey brought up his 50 with two boundaries and a three, but edged the new ball off Davidson to Benaud at second slip after making 53 in a stand of 94. Barrington touched a rising ball from McKenzie to Wally Grout for a 94 that contained only two fours. It was his fourth consecutive Test 50 and he would make 126 and 76 in New Zealand to equal the record of Patsy Hendren made in 1928-29 and Ted Dexter at the beginning of the series. Davidson (3/80) picked up Tom Graveney and Alan Smith and McKenzie (2/39) dismissed Fred Trueman when he hit two fours and gave Harvey his sixth catch of the game with his last ball in Test cricket. Lunch was taken and Dexter declared, England had collapsed from 239/3 to 268/8 and this gave his bowlers four hours to take 10 wickets for 240 runs.^[54][66][74]

Australia - Second Innings

The crowd booed, barracked and slow-clapped but the Australians refused to try for a result. It was disappointing but, somehow, inevitable. Winning or losing the Ashes was even then such a huge event that no captain wanted to take unnecessary risks.

Fred Titmus^[55]

Result

If there had been no Ashes and £1,000 a man for winning today's game, I daresay there would have been a result. the fact that these matches are played in a series is a damper. The fact that the Ashes must be fought for is a further damper. I believe that if a series is drawn, then the Ashes should at least go into pawn so that no one holds them.

Ted Dexter^[55]

I am extremely disappointed with the overall picture of Test play, which was not the kind of cricket I want to watch. People who pay to see a Test are entitled to see a real match, not a tactical tie-up. I think it is a fair result that neither England or Australia won the series. I can't get out of my head why Test matches are so different from State matches, where I think England played pretty well. It is all so different from what we visualised. After all this talk of brighter cricket I think we should get back to playing cricket. Perhaps a little more action and less talk.

the Duke of Norfolk^[77]

The Fifth Test was drawn and Australia retained the Ashes by sharing the series 1-1. Both captained were criticised by the press and public for such a dismal ending to the series and the reputations of Richie Benaud and Ted Dexter as attacking captains were badly tarnished. Brian Statham ended the series with a record 242 Test wickets, with Alec Bedser, Fred Trueman and Richie Benaud tied on 236. Statham did not tour New Zealand, but Trueman did and he overtook his new ball partner to become the first man to take 250 Test wickets. Ted Dexter made 481 runs (48.10), the most by an England captain in Australia, beating Archie MacLaren's 412 runs (45.77) made in 1901-02, a total that has yet to be exceeded. Ken Barrington made 582 runs (72.75), the most by an Englishman in Australia since Wally Hammond’s 905 runs (113.12) in 1928-29.^[78]

1962-63 Test Series Averages

[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/AUS/Marylebone_Cricket_Club_in_Australia_and_New_Zealand_1962-63/Team_Averages.html source] This was the last tour to use the old divisions of amateurs and professionals in English cricket so the convention remained of gentleman amateurs having their initials in front of their surname and professional players with their initials after their name, if used at all.^[79][80] The Australians all remained amateurs until the Packer Revolution, even though they played like professionals.

References

Bibliography

• Cris Freddi, The Guinness Book of Cricket Blunders, Guinness Publishing, 1996
• A.G. Moyes and Tom Goodman, With the M.C.C. in Australia 1962-63, A Critical Story of the Tour, The Sportsmans Book Club, 1965
• E.W. Swanton, Swanton in Australia, with MCC 1946-1975, Fontana, 1977
• Fred Titmus with Stafford Hildred, My Life in Cricket, John Blake Publishing Ltd, 2005
• Fred Trueman, As It Was, The Memoirs of Fred Trueman, Pan Books, 2004

Annual reviews

• Playfair Cricket Annual 1953
• Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 1964

Further reading

• Peter Arnold, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of World Cricket, W.H. Smith, 1986
• John Arlott, John Arlott's 100 Greatest Batsman, Macdonald Queen Anne Press, 1986
• Trevor Bailey, Richie Benaud, Colin Cowdrey and Jim Laker The Lord's Taverners Fifty Greatest, Heinemann-Quixote, 1983
• Richie Benaud, A tale of two Tests: With some thoughts on captaincy, Hodder & Stoughton, 1962
• Ashley Brown, The Pictorial History of Cricket, Bison Books, 1988
• Mark Browning, Richie Benaud: Cricketer, Captain, Guru, Kangaroo Press, 1996
• John Campbell Clark, Challenge renewed. The M.C.C. tour of Australia, 1962-3,
• Ted Dexter (Ed), Rothmans Book of Test Matches: England v. Australia, 1946-1963, Arthur Barker, 1964
• Ted Dexter, Ted Dexter Declares - An Autobiography, Stanley Paul, 1966
• Bill Frindall, The Wisden Book of Test Cricket 1877-1978, Wisden, 1979
• David Frith, Pageant of Cricket, The MacMillian Company of Australia, 1987
• David Frith, England Versus Australia: An Illustrated History of Every Test Match Since 1877, Viking, 2007
• Tom Graveney with Norman Giller, The Ten Greatest Test Teams, Sidgewick & Jackson, 1988
• Chris Harte, A History of Australian Cricket, André Deutsch, 1993
• Ray Robinson, On Top Down Under, Cassell, 1975
• E.W. Swanton (ed), The Barclays World of Cricket, Collins, 1986
• E.M. Wellings, Dexter v Benaud (MCC tour, Australia 1962-63), Bailey Brothers & Swinfen, 1963

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