FANTASY TEST SERIES : FIRST TEST (BRISBANE)

PREWAR TEST WORLD XI :

1. Jack Hobbs (England) ... 53, 9

2. Herbert Sutcliffe (England) ... 74, 16

3. Don Bradman (Australia --- Captain) ... 0, 22

4. George Headley (West Indies --- Vice-captain) ... 202 not out, 79

5. Wally Hammond (England) ... 67, 44 ... (1/48, 0/1)

6. Leslie Ames (England --- Wicket-keeper) ... 1, 26

7. Jack Gregory (Australia) ... 37, 32 not out ... (0/85, 0/17)

8. Sydney Barnes (England) ... 17, 9 ... (2/131, 3/36)

9. Harold Larwood (England) ... 11, 10 . (0/96, 0/19)

10. Bill O'Reilly (Australia) ... 1, 0 ... (2/109, 0/21)

11. Clarrie Grimmett (Australia) ... 0, 3 ... (2/136, 0/24)

POSTWAR TEST WORLD XI :

1. Virender Sehwag (India) ... 254, 8

2. Sunil Gavaskar (India) ... 27, 36 not out

3. Vivian Richards (West Indies --- Captain) ... 119, 52

4. Sachin Tendulkar (India) ... 54, 16

5. Garry Sobers (West Indies --- Vice-captain) ... 132 not out, 7 not out ... (1/47, 0/14)

6. Adam Gichrist (Australia --- Wicket-keeper) ... 0

7. Wasim Akram (Pakistan) ... 1... (2/81, 2/53)

8. Malcolm Marshall (West Indies) ... 0 ... : (3/72, 4/47)

9. Shane Warne (Australia) ... 7 ... (2/96, 0/43)

10. Muralidaran (Sri Lanka) ... 3 ... (1/92, 1/39)

11. Dennis Lillee (Australia) ... 8 ... (1/75, 2/54)

Day 1 :

Don Bradman and Viv Richards went out to toss at the Gabba for the first Test Match to be played between the Prewar and the Postwar World XI. Bradman won the toss and elected to bat.

The Prewar XI set up a solid foundation to their innings as Hobbs and Sutcliffe scored 113 for the first wicket before Hobbs was out caught at first slip of the bowling of Marshall for 53. In came Bradman to a thunderous roar but he could last only two balls before being bowled out for nought by Marshall in the same over. George Headley steadied the innings for a while cutting Marshall and Lillee fiercely through the cordon of the slips but soon Sutcliffe fell to a Lillee snorter that took the edge of the bat and he was held brilliantly in the second slip by Sobers. Sutcliffe scored 74. The Prewar XI tottered at 156 for 3 when Hammond joined Headley shortly before tea.

Part Scorecard : Prewar XI Ist Innings
Hobbs c Richards b Marshall ... 53
Sutcliffe c Sobers b Lillee ... 74
Bradman b Marshall ... 0
Headley batting ... 15
Hammond batting ... 0
Extras ...14
Total : 156/3

The post-tea session saw scintillating batting from Headley and Hammond as they tore into the attack in their 176 run partnership and left fielders scurrying for cover, cutting, pulling, hooking and driving all over the park till Murali and Warne were brought on to replace from both ends the pacemen. The flurry of strokes continued as Headley notched his century pulling Warne to the ropes but Hammond fell soon after for 67 to a Murali doosra which left the Gloucestershire master stupefied as his off-bail flew to first slip where the master blaster Richards gleefully looked on. Ames followed soon as a Warne spun one round his legs to hit his off-stump and the Prewar XI finished the day at 328/5 with Headley still there at 111 and Jack Gregory yet to open his account.

Part Scorecard : Prewar XI Ist Innings
Hobbs c Richards b Marshall ... 53
Sutcliffe c Sobers b Lillee ... 74
Bradman b Marshall ... 0
Headley batting ... 111
Hammond batting b Murali ... 67
Ames b Warne ... 1
Gregory batting ... 0
Extras ... 22
Total : 328/5
Fall of Wickets : 1/113 (Hobbs), 2/113 (Bradman), 3/146 (Sutcliffe), 4/322 (Hammond), 5/324 (Ames)
Overs : 90
Bowling Analysis :
Marshall 12-1-36-2
Lillee 15-3-49-1
Akram 17-4-51-0
Sobers 10-3-32-0
Warne 17-3-71-1
Murali 19-3-67-2 

Day 2 :

George Headley went about his rampaging work of the pace trio of Lillee, Marshall and Wasim Akram till he reached 150 with a late cut of a slower delivery from Akram while Gregory also cut loose, being especially severe on Lillee. Sobers was brought in to bowl by skipper Viv Richards and promptly broke the developing partnership with a googly that broke through the gates of the Australian all-rounder. Gregory was out for 37. The tail then opened up after Warne removed Sydney Barnes with a flipper that was edged to the keeper and mopping up operations were completed fast between Akram and Marshall. Headley reached his double century with a leg glance of Marshall and remained undefeated till the end as he sent the fast bowlers to all parts of the park for an hour of uninhibited exhilarating batsmanship of vintage class to enthral the audience that numbered over 38,000. The Prewar XI finally wound up for 494 with Headley unbeaten on 202, a double hundred that will remain etched in the memory of all those who were privileged to witness the Brown Bradman this day. Alone he held the innings together and built up this impressive first innings total for his team. With 48 overs remaining for the day the Postwar XI openers, Sehwag and Gavaskar, took stance at the wicket just under an hour after lunch.

Full Scorecard : Prewar XI Ist Innings
Hobbs c Richards b Marshall ... 53
Sutcliffe c Sobers b Lillee ... 74
Bradman b Marshall ... 0
Headley not out ... 202
Hammond b Murali ... 67
Ames b Warne ... 1
Gregory b Sobers ... 37
Barnes c Gilchrist b Warne ... 17
Larwood c Gilchrist b Marshall ... 11
O'Reilly lbw b Akram ... 1
Grimmettt lbw b Akram ... 0
Extras ... 31 (bye 19, leg bye 4, no ball 8)
Total : 494
Fall of Wickets : 1/113 (Hobbs), 2/113 (Bradman), 3/146 (Sutcliffe), 4/322 (Hammond), 5/324 (Ames), 6/414 (Gregory), 7/461 (Barnes), 8/491 (Larwood), 9/494 (O'Reilly), 10/494 (Grimmett)
Overs : 129.4
Bowling Analysis :
Marshall 18-1-72-3
Lillee 22-3-75-1
Akram 23.4-4-81-2
Sobers 14-3-47-1
Warne 24-3-96-2
Murali 28-3-92-1

Sehwag took the Postwar XI to a flying start as he pounded the bowling of Gregory and Larwood like perhaps they have never even experienced at the hands of the Don and he lit up the Brisbane crowd assembled to such scintillating stroke-play that the Don was nonplussed as to the means he could adopt to contain him. Gavaskar kept him quiet company as his wont as the score sailed past the century mark before Gavaskar was trapped leg before by a Barnes inswinger. The Little Master had made 27 out of an opening partnership of 124 with Sehwag on 91 playing imperiously and reaching his century with a six off Grimmett. The mercurial Indian took only 81 balls to complete his hundred. Vivian Richards, his skipper, joined him and the two carted the bowling of O'Reilly and Grimmett to all parts of the park with such power that the spectators were on their seats' edge through this period of vintage batsmanship. At stumps on Day 2 Richards was on 56 and Sehwag on 147 as the Postwar XI piled up a rapid 241 for the loss of the lone wicket of Gavaskar.

Part Scorecard : Postwar XI Ist Innings
Sehwag batting ... 147
Gavaskar lbw b Barnes ... 27
Viv Richards batting ... 56
Extras : 11
Total : 241/1
Fall of Wickets : 1/124 (Gavaskar)
Overs : 48

Day 3 :

Sehwag dashed his way to a dazzling double century as he demolished the Prewar attack of Larwood, Gregory and Barnes, being particularly severe on Larwood as if by way of divine retribution for the injuries he had inflicted on batsmen during the infamous Bodyline Series of 1932-33 in Australia when he had incapacitated Bradman largely from making huge scores. Now it was the Nottingham fast bowler's turn to absorb the punishment as Sehwag raced to his double hundred with fierce cuts, drives, pulls and hooks till he was sent to the pavilion by a misadventure of his when he tried to lift one of Hammond over long on but the ball going against the breeze did not go the distance and fell neatly into the hands of a waiting Grimmett. The opener had scored 254 by then, reminiscent of the epic knock of Sobers at Melbourne in 1971. Only Sehwag took much less time, his innings spanning 238 deliveries. All along Viv Richards had played second fiddle as their partnership of 284 was broken when Richards had himself scored a century but he fell soon after, holing out to deep square leg when he miscued a top spinner from Grimmett. With Richards dismissed for a personal 119, the duo of Tendulkar and Sobers started delighting the crowd with some vintage batting the like of which old-timers recall they had seen in Ranji and Trumper. The score stood at 3/406 when Sobers took his guard. It was half an hour after lunch.

Tendulkar took time to settle down and so did Sobers but an hour before tea both opened up. Sobers lofted Grimmett for two successive sixes and Tendulkar followed suit with three successive boundaries of O'Reilly. Even the second new ball was of no avail as it merely accelerated the scoring rate. Barnes and Hammond were not spared either as Tendulkar pulled off an array of breathtaking shots that left the Brisbane crowd gasping. Finally, though it was Barnes who had the diminutive Indian caught by the keeper for 54 and Sobers was joined by Adam Gilchrist. But Gilchrist did not last long as O'Reilly had the better of him and he was sent for a duck to the dismay of the Brisbane crowd. Wasim Akram followed soon, caught and bowled by Grimmett and Marshall was run out in a dramatic turn of events that sent the Postwar XI from an earlier 3/535 to a sudden 7/551. Sobers and Warne sedately batted on for a while before Warne fell to O'Reilly for 7, caught at first slip by Hammond. Sobers, then on 79, farmed the strike to reach his century just before close of play and at stumps the score read 8/612 with Sobers unbeaten on 103 and Murali on 2.

Part Scorecard : Postwar XI Ist Innings
Sehwag c Grimmett b Hammond ... 254
Gavaskar lbw b Barnes ... 27
Viv Richards c Headley b Grimmett ... 119
Tendulkar c Ames b Barnes ... 54
Sobers batting ... 103
Gilchrist c Ames b O'Reilly ... 0
Akram c and b Grimmett ... 1
Marshall run out ... 0
Warne c Hammond b O'Reilly ... 7
Muralidaran batting ... 2
Extras : 45
Total : 612/8
Fall of Wickets : 1/124 (Gavaskar), 2/406 (Sehwag), 3/432 (V. Richards), 4/ 560 (Tendulkar), 5/564 (Gilchrist), 6/569 (Akram), 7/571 (Marshall), 8/591 (Warne)
Overs : 138
Bowling Analysis :
Larwood 19-0-96-0
Gregory 17-2-85-0
Barnes 31-6-119-2
O'Reilly 29-7-109-2
Grimmett 32-9-110-2
Hammond 10-3-48-1

Day 4 :

Sobers cut loose on the fourth morning adding another 29 runs to his overnight tally in the first hour's play before the Postwar XI innings wound up for 650 for a lead of 156. Sobers remained unbeaten on 132 as Sydney Barnes and Clarrie Grimmett took a wicket apiece to mop up operations.

Full Scorecard : Postwar XI Ist Innings
Sehwag c Grimmett b Hammond ... 254
Gavaskar lbw b Barnes ... 27
Viv Richards c Headley b Grimmett ... 119
Tendulkar c Ames b Barnes ... 54
Sobers not out ... 132
Gilchrist c Ames b O'Reilly ... 0
Akram c and b Grimmett ... 1
Marshall run out ... 0
Warne c Hammond b O'Reilly ... 7
Muralidaran c Bradman b Barnes ... 3
Lillee lbw b Grimmett ... 8
Extras : 45
Total : 650
Fall of Wickets : 1/124 (Gavaskar), 2/406 (Sehwag), 3/432 (V. Richards), 4/ 560 (Tendulkar), 5/564 (Gilchrist), 6/569 (Akram), 7/571 (Marshall), 8/591 (Warne), 9/626 (Muralidaran), 10/650 (Lillee)
Overs : 150.3

Bowling Analysis :
Larwood 19-0-96-0
Gregory 17-2-85-0
Barnes 37-6-131-2
O'Reilly 29-7-109-2
Grimmett 38.3-9-136-2
Hammond 10-3-48-1

The Prewar XI began their second innings an hour an hour after start of play on the fourth day but they were soon in trouble as both the openers Hobbs and Sutcliffe were sent back to the pavilion by Wasim Akram cheaply to have the Prewar XI reeling at 2/32 when Bradman was joined by Headley. A partnership soon blossomed but the Don fell to a Marshall in-dipper this time for 22 and the Prewar XI stood precarious at 3/77 when Hammond came to the crease. Headley and Hammond carried the innings along after lunch with Headley more circumspect this time and Hammond strangely unsure of his off-stump as Lillee and Marshall tested him for an hour but could not dislodge him. After tea the deficit of 156 was wiped off by the duo but Hammond fell immediately after for 44 off the bowling of Murali, caught at deep mid-off as his lofted shot sailed high into the hands of Tendulkar. At stumps Headley was still battling on with Ames and the total stood at 4/207 with Headley on 76 and Ames on 15. The Prewar XI stood 51 runs ahead and the whole of the fifth day to bat out to save the Test match.

Part Scorecard : Prewar XI 2nd Innnings
Hobbs b Akram ...9
Sutcliffe lbw b Akram ... 16
Bradman c Gavaskar b Marshall ... 22
Headley batting ... 76
Hammond c Tendulkar b Murali ... 44
Ames batting ... 15
Extras : 25
Total : 207/4
Fall of Wickets : 1/ 26 (Hobbs), 2/32 (Sutcliffe), 3/77 (Bradman), 4/165 (Hammond)
Overs : 75
Bowling Analysis :
Marshall 13-4-29-1
Lillee 12-3-32-0
Akram 17-4-41-2
Sobers 4-3-14-0
Warne 11-3-33-0
Murali 18-7-33-1

Day 5 :

This morning proceedings began dramatically as both the not out batsmen overnight were dismissed within the first half hour by Lillee who placed the Postwar XI within striking distance of a victory. Headley fell to a late out-swinger from the Aussie speedster as Gilchrist lapped up the snick. Then Ames was done in by a lethal bouncer which he hooked straight to deep square leg into safe pair of hands of Akram. Some resistance was then put up by Gregory and the tail but the innings folded up by lunchtime for 279, leaving the Postwar XI a target of 124 to win.

Full Scorecard : Prewar XI 2nd Innnings
Hobbs b Akram ...9
Sutcliffe lbw b Akram ... 16
Bradman c Gavaskar b Marshall ... 22
Headley c Gilchrist b Lillee ... 79
Hammond c Tendulkar b Murali ... 44
Ames c Akram b Lillee ... 26
Gregory not out ... 32
Barnes c Sehwag b Marshall ... 9
Larwood b Marshall ... 10
O'Reilly b Marshall ... 0
Grimmett run out ... 3
Extras : 29
Total : 279
Fall of Wickets : 1/ 26 (Hobbs), 2/32 (Sutcliffe), 3/77 (Bradman), 4/165 (Hammond), 5/215 (Headley), 6/237 (Ames), 7/257 (Barnes), 8/274 (Larwood), 9/274 (O'Reilly), 10/279 (Grimmett)
Overs : 104.2
Bowling Analysis :
Marshall 20-4-47-4
Lillee 19-3-54-2
Akram 25-4-53-2
Sobers 4-3-14-0
Warne 15.2-3-43-0
Murali 21-7-39-1

Gavaskar and Sehwag began the second innings for the Postwar XI and Sehwag went about in his belligerent manner smashing two boundaries in the first over of Larwood but Barnes who was given to open the new ball this time removed him in his very first over with a sharp off-cutter that clean bowled the swashbuckling Indian. Viv Richards and Gavaskar steadied the course and patiently built up the innings before Richards was caught off the bowling of Barnes at long on when he tried an overambitious lofted shot. Richards was out for 52. Gavaskar played the sheet-anchor's role and with Tendulkar carried the score past the hundred mark when Tendulkar fell again to the dangerous Englishman Barnes for 16. The score stood at 104/3 when Sobers joined Gavaskar and the pair knocked off the remaining runs to score an emphatic victory by 7 wickets. Gavaskar remained unbeaten on 36.

Full Scorecard : Postwar XI Ist Innings
Sehwag b Barnes ... 8
Gavaskar not out ... 36
Viv Richards c Sutcliffe b Barnes ... 52
Tendulkar lbw b Barnes ... 16
Sobers not out ... 7
Extras : 9
Total : 126/3
Fall of Wickets : 1/9 (Sehwag), 2/81 (Richards), 3/104 (Tendulkar)
Overs : 47.1
Bowling Analysis :
Larwood 6-3-19-0
Barnes 16-6-36-3
Gregory 5-2-17-0
O'Reilly 9-6-21-0
Grimmett 11-8-24-0
Hammond 0.1-0-1-0

Umpires : Dicky Bird and David Constant
Result : Postwar XI won by 7 wickets
MOM: Virender Sehwag (India)

Written by Sugata Bose