DATE : 9/12/1960 to 14/12/1960
VENUE : Brisbane Cricket Ground
MATCH : 1st Test, West Indies Vs Australia
“It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get up.”
– Vince Lombardi, legendary NFL Coach
The Line Ups
Australia : CC McDonald, RB Simpson, RN Harvey, NC O’Neill, LE Favell, KD Mackay, AK Davidson, R Benaud, ATW Grout, I Meckiff, LF Kline
West Indies : CC Hunte, CW Smith, RB Kanhai, GS Sobers, FMM Worrell, JS Solomon, PD Lashley, FCM Alexander, S Ramadhin, WW Hall, AL Valentine.
The first ever tied test in 498 test matches saw Lombardi’s quote being lived out. In a see-saw battle of epic proportions , the just result was one where neither had to go home a loser. Fittingly, that is what transpired.
When the West Indies set foot in Australia in the December of 1960, they were expected to be nothing more than a minor distraction for what was supposed to be a walk in the park for the Aussies. After all , a team with the classy Norm O Neill, Bob Simpson, probably the most inform all rounder in the world at that moment Alan Davidson, and the rock solid Ken ‘Slasher’ Mackay couldn’t lose. Could it?
Act 1 – Scene One:
The West Indians take strike. Alan Davidson opened the sluice gates by prising out Conrad Hunte, CW Smith and the legendary Rohan Kanhai. About 7 and a half hours later, the West Indians were finally back in the hut after scoring at more than a run a ball! Who did they have to thank? A 23 year old who came to the crease armed with a wide grin and the world’s highest test score. Sir Gary Sobers chose this arena to torment the Aussies in an absolute master-class. 132 runs flowed from his blade with no less than 21 boundaries. Sir Frank Worrell, Joe Solomon (He hasn’t yet played his biggest part in this drama yet) and Gerry Alexander provided ample support with useful 60s .
Act 1 – Scene Two:
The Aussies played as only they can, with gay abandon and a contemptuous disregard for the West Indian gale force. Norm O Neill smacked a power packed 181 before he was last out going for a big hit. The Spin twins Ramadhin and Valentine were sent packing to all corners of the ground as Bob Simpson with 92 and Colin McDonald (57) joined in the run glut. If a five wicket haul wasn’t enough already Alan Davidson caressed a 44 before big Wes Hall got his number.
At the end of the act, Australia had mustered 505 in 577 minutes. Not bad, eh?
Act 2 – Scene One:
The West Indian Second Innings progressed in a Staccato fashion. Runs came in fits and starts as no real partnership could be built. Rohan Kanhai (54) and Sir Frank Worrell (65) were the only ones to cross 50 and Alan Davidson scythed through the top order once again. Joe Solomon made 47, but wait! His biggest scene in the drama is yet to come!
Davidson ended up with 6 for 87 to end the West Indian second Innings abruptly at 284 and giving the Aussies more than a fighting chance to go one up. No wonder former greats call him the ‘original Wasim Akram’. With a debonair personality, left arm medium fast and left hand bat profile, and the arrogance and charm that only gifted southpaws can carry off, the comparisons are inevitable.
Act 2 – Scene One: – The Final Cut
With 232 to chase, the Aussies got off to a disastrous start as one batsman after another fell to the fiery Hall. At 5 for 57, Alan Davidson walked in, probably wondering where the rest of the cast went. With the dour Ken Mackay, 35 important runs were added, giving the Aussie supporters the first hints of survival . Richie Benaud walked in at 92 for 6, facing up to Wes Hall who made bowling throat balls look as easy as stealing candy from a kid. However the jaw jutting Benaud gritted it out with Davidson and made an invaluable half century. Davidson after an enthralling 80 fell, run out to an amazing throw from Joe Solomon, whose part in the game was still not yet finished.
The last over started with Wally Grout, the keeper and Benaud at the crease. Six runs were needed, and this was the era of eight ball overs. The weight of Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Leeward Islands, Windward Islands et al were on Wes Hall’s shoulders. The first ball struck Grout on his leg, but before Grout could even wince in pain, Benaud was at the other end. 5 off 7 needed, Hall charged in from the boundary again. This time Benaud edged an ambitious pull and Keeper Gerry Alexander (Interestingly, the last White Captain of West Indies) eagerly gobbled the nick. Ian Meckiff blocked the third ball and ran a bye off the fourth. It was run a ball now with Grout on Strike. As Hall dug it in short yet again, Grout sliced a hook towards square leg as four players gathered around the ball. Rohan Kanhai who was in a comfortable position to complete the catch, dutifully stepped aside to let the rampaging Hall grab the catch off his own bowling. However Hall overran the ball and it was 3 off 3. Meckiff hooked the next ball and ran a couple before Grout was run out to a sizzling throw from Conrad Hunte, who apart from being a top class opening bat was also a minister and a match referee, but is still remembered for this one throw.
Before Hall bowled his seventh delivery, legend has it that Frank Worrell took Hall aside and said “If you bowl a no ball , don’t come back to Barbados if u fear for your life”. (We at cricketfundas.com believe in giving u interesting cricket titbits or ‘fundas’!)
On Hall’s Seventh delivery (bowled from a foot behind the line!), Lindsay Kline squirted the delivery to square leg where Joe Solomon made his final bow in this intense drama with a pin point throw side on to the stumps to catch Meckiff napping. The ground was stunned into silence as the West Indians exulted thinking they had won the game.
Little did they reckon that the match ended in a pulsating tie, the first of only two such instances. And regarded as the greatest ever test match by some. If a cricket match could be a metaphor for a drama, this was it. The highs, the lows, it had it all.
Curtain Closes. Scene now shifts to the second test at Melbourne. Unfortunately none of the other tests could match this in terms of the sheer adrenaline rush. Its been 44 years hence and the debate still rages on if any other test ever did.