Lives in Cricket No 30 - MJK Smith

97 Ashes frustration to a draw. Three days later the teams were at Sydney for the match expected to be the most likely to separate two sides whose greater strength lay in their batting. Much was expected to hinge on winning the toss and Mike recalls an unusual delay before it took place: ‘The Australians were still debating the make-up of their side. I was standing in their dressing-room waiting for Brian Booth to be available with his team sheet to go out and toss.’ Having called correctly, Mike asked for a further seven minutes of the heavy roller, to which the batting side was entitled under the Laws at that time. He remembers Sir Donald Bradman, as chairman of selectors, protesting that this would delay the start of the match, but Mike replied that it was his right to have the pitch rolled. Sir Donald then approached tour manager Billy Griffith as Secretary of MCC, custodians of the Laws, who confirmed Mike’s rights. Once the heavy roller had been parked, spectators were treated to one of the finest aggressive innings in Ashes history as Barber weighed into the attack. With Boycott he added 234 – only Hobbs and Rhodes had enjoyed a more prolific opening stand against Australia – and when he was out at 303, he had batted less than five hours for 185. For Australia, Neil Hawke struck back with the second new ball, Barrington, Cowdrey and Mike making only seven runs between them. Edrich survived overnight to reach a laboured hundred next day, but it needed an undefeated 50 from Allen to take England to 488. The pace bowlers, Brown and Jones, then found more help in the pitch than had been expected as Australia ended on 113 for four. England’s grip on the match thereafter never loosened, Brown at one point taking three wickets in an over to end with five for 63. Following on 267 behind, Australia closed on 88 for three. Next day Mike applied pressure from the start. Allen remembers he had hoped for time to settle down. ‘I don’t want you getting hit there,’ he said, as Mike insisted in taking up a very close position in the leg An innings win in Sydney. Radio photograph of Jeff Jones, Mike and David Brown making the most of England’s success in the dressing-room in January 1966.