Controversies in 1953

3 incidents documented

Coronation Ashes — England Regain the Urn at The Oval, 1953

England vs Australia

1953-08-19

On 19 August 1953, England regained the Ashes for the first time since the 1932-33 Bodyline series by beating Australia by 8 wickets at The Oval. The Coronation summer of Queen Elizabeth II ended with Denis Compton sweeping Arthur Morris to the boundary at 5.53pm and Brian Johnston shouting 'It's the Ashes!' on BBC radio. The match closed twenty years of Australian dominance and crowned Len Hutton's first full year as captain.

#england#australia#ashes

⭐Mild

Bailey and Watson's Rearguard — Lord's 1953 Saved

England vs Australia

1953-06-30

Chasing 343 in the fourth innings at Lord's against Australia, England were 12 for 3 overnight on the fifth day. Trevor Bailey (71 in 257 minutes) and Willie Watson (109 in 346 minutes) batted nearly five and a half hours together to save the match. The stand of 163 on the final day kept the series level and laid the platform for England's eventual Ashes win at The Oval.

#england#australia#ashes

⭐Mild

Bert Sutcliffe's 80 Not Out — Bandaged at Ellis Park After Tangiwai, 1953

South Africa vs New Zealand

1953-12-26

On Boxing Day 1953 at Ellis Park, Bert Sutcliffe — knocked unconscious before lunch by a Neil Adcock bouncer — returned to the crease with his head wrapped in bandages and made 80 not out. As the ninth wicket fell, fast bowler Bob Blair, who had earlier learned that his fiancée had died in the Tangiwai rail disaster on Christmas Eve, walked out of the tunnel to a stunned silence and added 33 in 10 minutes. New Zealand reached 187. The story remains the most emotional in their cricket history.

#new-zealand#south-africa#bert-sutcliffe