An Australian Test cricketer. Taught at school by the ex Australian Test captain, Bill Woodfull, he had the best of starts to life, but like many Victorian boys he could easily have devoted himself to Australian Rules football.
Instead his wartime experience in England opened up the possibility to become a great Test cricket player, and that is what he became. He played in the Victory Tests that followed WWII, made his Test debut in 1946, and for the next 10 years he lit up the cricket world with his all round skills.
In 55 Tests he averaged 37 with the bat and a highest score of 147; with the ball he took 170 wickets at an average of 23 and best performance of 7/60.
His free and exuberant style which made him such a great sportsperson also led to frequent clashes with authority, both in sport and in his service with the Australian Air Force during WWII, but he always seemed to have the charm or the luck to get out of each scrape. When asked what the pressure was like in playing Test cricket he replied: "Pressure is a Messerschmitt up your backside, playing cricket is not."
Instead his wartime experience in England opened up the possibility to become a great Test cricket player, and that is what he became. He played in the Victory Tests that followed WWII, made his Test debut in 1946, and for the next 10 years he lit up the cricket world with his all round skills.
In 55 Tests he averaged 37 with the bat and a highest score of 147; with the ball he took 170 wickets at an average of 23 and best performance of 7/60.
His free and exuberant style which made him such a great sportsperson also led to frequent clashes with authority, both in sport and in his service with the Australian Air Force during WWII, but he always seemed to have the charm or the luck to get out of each scrape. When asked what the pressure was like in playing Test cricket he replied: "Pressure is a Messerschmitt up your backside, playing cricket is not."
An Australian Test cricketer. Taught at school by the ex Australian Test captain, Bill Woodfull, he had the best of starts to life, but like many Victorian boys he could easily have devoted himself to Australian Rules football.
Instead his wartime experience in England opened up the possibility to become a great Test cricket player, and that is what he became. He played in the Victory Tests that followed WWII, made his Test debut in 1946, and for the next 10 years he lit up the cricket world with his all round skills.
In 55 Tests he averaged 37 with the bat and a highest score of 147; with the ball he took 170 wickets at an average of 23 and best performance of 7/60.
His free and exuberant style which made him such a great sportsperson also led to frequent clashes with authority, both in sport and in his service with the Australian Air Force during WWII, but he always seemed to have the charm or the luck to get out of each scrape. When asked what the pressure was like in playing Test cricket he replied: "Pressure is a Messerschmitt up your backside, playing cricket is not."
Instead his wartime experience in England opened up the possibility to become a great Test cricket player, and that is what he became. He played in the Victory Tests that followed WWII, made his Test debut in 1946, and for the next 10 years he lit up the cricket world with his all round skills.
In 55 Tests he averaged 37 with the bat and a highest score of 147; with the ball he took 170 wickets at an average of 23 and best performance of 7/60.
His free and exuberant style which made him such a great sportsperson also led to frequent clashes with authority, both in sport and in his service with the Australian Air Force during WWII, but he always seemed to have the charm or the luck to get out of each scrape. When asked what the pressure was like in playing Test cricket he replied: "Pressure is a Messerschmitt up your backside, playing cricket is not."
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