Lives in Cricket No 30 - MJK Smith

99 room in the country.’ In Australia, by contrast, Diana did not choose to trail from hotel to hotel with the team, mainly staying with friends, among whom Mike remembers Ian Craig and his wife Ros being especially kind, while television kept Diana up to date with progress in the Tests. One down, the Australians were expected to make changes, and one was greeted with relief by England – the news that opening bowler Graham McKenzie had been dropped in favour of Peter Allan. Allan had played at Brisbane without causing problems, but when he declared himself unfit, a reprieved McKenzie was recalled with something to prove. He soon had his chance. After Mike had won the toss, Barber, the hero of Sydney, was bowled by the third ball he faced. ‘I set us off on the wrong foot,’ he says with the air of one entering the confessional. Once fallible Australian catching now touched brilliance, as Ian Chappell marked his inclusion in the side by diving to cut short a free-scoring cameo by Boycott. When Edrich was also out, England were 33 for three. If there was a way back it was soon in peril after a mix-up between Barrington and Cowdrey. Barrington soldiered on to 60, Mike came fresh from a century in a minor match and 96 as an opener against Tasmania, but he batted almost two hours for 29, Parks made 49 and Titmus 33; but a total of 241, with five for 48 for a rejuvenated McKenzie, ensured an uphill battle on a surface that favoured the batsmen. The returning Simpson and Lawry then added 244, Simpson going on to 225 and Australia taking a lead of 275. There was a century from Barrington, but England failed by nine runs to make Australia bat again, the match ending on the fourth evening. Mike scored five when only a Herculean performance could have changed the course of events. As holders of the Ashes, Australia now held the stronger cards for the final Test at Melbourne. Despite defeat in the Test, Mike carries happy memories of his time in Adelaide for it was there that he was entertained at the Ashes frustration Cartoonist John Jones’ take on Mike’s domestic style in Australia.