worcestershire ccc will host the 37th australian cricket team to appear at New Road when the full touring side are in action from august 7-9 – in between the first and second ashes tests
these previous fixtures include men’s, women’s, and age group xis since1902.
featured below is part two of a three-part article highlighting the scores and brief details from those previous australian visits to the county’s headquarters.
this article highlights the period 1948 to 1989 and more details can be found in ‘pears 150’ by andrew thomas which can be purchased from the supporters’ association shop on matchdays, priced £28.
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after world war two, don bradman was persuaded to return once more, aged 40, to captain the squad which became known as the invincibles.
on 28,29,30 april 1948, australians 462-8 dec, worcestershire ccc (wccc) 233 & 212, the home side lost by an innings and 17 runs. don bradman scored 107 in 140 minutes despite a rib injury. the new road record crowd of 14,000 on day 1, and 32,500 over the three days, paid record receipts of £3,374 (£1,256 went to the aussies tour fund).
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30 june – 3 july 1951, the first women’s test match played at new road, resulted in another victory for australia. the australian women 129 & 160-8, england women 158 & 120, australia won by 2 wickets.
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29,30 april 1 may 1953, in coronation year, there were bitter north-west winds throughout a high-scoring draw. lindsay hassett’s australians 542-7 dec, wccc 333-7 dec. aussie star, keith miller scored 220 not out in 375 minutes, g hole 112, r archer 108. don kenyon’s 122 was the first century by a worcestershire player against a major touring team.
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2,3,4 may 1956, ian johnson’s australians 438, wccc 90 & 231-9 dec, match drawn. richie benaud scored 160, and worcestershire opener, peter richardson hit 130 not out. jack flavell kept out the last three balls for a tense draw.
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29 april, 1,2 may 1961, richie benaud’s australians 177 & 141, wccc 155 & 56-4, match drawn. this was the worcestershire debut of tom graveney, and the start of a gruelling season by ron headley,22, who had 69 first class innings.
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29,30 april, 1 may 1964, bob simpson’s australians 251 & 196-4 dec, wccc 228 & 157-3, match drawn. more than 8,000 attended day one and saw the debut of basil d’oliveira for worcestershire. len coldwell took 7-53 in worcestershire’s centenary year and first county championship winning season.
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8,9,10 may 1968, neither bill lawry’s australians or worcestershire took the field as the match was abandoned without a ball being bowled after heavy rain. seventeen of wccc’s 28 championship matches were affected by rain.
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29,30 april, 1 may 1972, after heavy rain on day one, ian chappell’s australians 68-2 dec, & 133-4, wccc 98-2 dec, & 99. worcestershire lost by six wickets. aussie swing bowler, bob massie took 6-31. (he took 16 wickets for 137 in the lord’s test).
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28,29,30 may 1977, in the fifth match of the season, greg chappell’s australians 358 & 210-7 dec, wccc 243 & 169-4, match drawn. greg chappell scored an excellent 100 then retired hurt. norman gifford took seven wickets.
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14 august 1980, greg chappell’s australia 176-4 (49 overs), drew with young england 17-1 (8 overs), captained by vic marks, in a game abandoned after very heavy rain. the aussies were in england for the (rain affected) centenary test at lord’s.
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25,26,27 july 1981, kim hughes’s australians 293 & 241-3, wccc 189 & 344-8 dec. worcestershire lost by seven wickets. phil neale scored 145 not out, and allan border hit 115 and 70 not out.
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11,12,13 may 1985, allan border’s australians 364-5 dec, wccc 303-6 dec & 93-4, match drawn, after rain on day 3. phil neale scored 108 and allan border 135.
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1,2,3 august 1987, australian women 293, england women 134 & 138, australia won by an innings and 21 runs.
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13,14 may 1989, defending county champions worcestershire, captained by ian botham (phil neale had glandular fever), beat allan border’s australians for the first time. australians 103 & 203, wccc 146 & 163-7, won by three wickets. phil newport took 11 for 127.
