Australian cricket team in England in 1956

The Australian cricket team toured England in the 1956 season to play a five-match Test series against England for The Ashes.

England won the series 2-1 with 2 matches drawn and therefore retained The Ashes.

The series is most notable for off-spinner Jim Laker's 46 wickets (a record for a 5-Test series) at an average of 9.60 [ [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Events/ENG/Australia_in_British_Isles_1956/t_England_Bowling.html|Test Bowling Figures for England, 1956 Ashes] ] , including all ten wickets in the second innings of the fourth Test at Old Trafford, the first time this had been achieved in Test cricket. In that Test, known as Laker's Match, Laker took 19 wickets for 90 runs, still the best match bowling analysis achieved in both Test and all first-class cricket.

Test series summary

First Test: Trent Bridge

Test match
date = 7–12 June 1956
team1 = cr|England
team2 = cr|Australia

score-team1-inns1 = 217/8 (dec) (103.4 overs)
runs-team1-inns1 = PE Richardson 81
PBH May 73
wickets-team1-inns1 = KR Miller 4/69

score-team2-inns1 = 148 (83.1 overs)
runs-team2-inns1 = RN Harvey 64
wickets-team2-inns1 = JC Laker 4/58

score-team1-inns2 = 188/3 (dec) (61 overs)
runs-team1-inns2 = MC Cowdrey 81
PE Richardson 73
wickets-team1-inns2 = KR Miller 2/58

score-team2-inns2 = 120/3 (86 overs)
runs-team2-inns2 = JW Burke 58
wickets-team2-inns2 = JC Laker 2/29

result = Match drawn
venue = Trent Bridge
umpires = TS Bartley (ENG) and JS Buller (ENG)
motm =
report = [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/22/22018.html scorecard]
rain =

econd Test: Lord's

Test match
date = 21–26 June 1956
team1 = cr|Australia
team2 = cr|England

score-team1-inns1 = 285 (146.1 overs)
runs-team1-inns1 = CC McDonald 78
JW Burke 65
wickets-team1-inns1 = JC Laker 3/47

score-team2-inns1 = 171 (82 overs)
runs-team2-inns1 = PBH May 63
wickets-team2-inns1 = KR Miller 5/72

score-team1-inns2 = 257 (92.5 overs)
runs-team1-inns2 = R Benaud 97
wickets-team1-inns2 = FS Trueman 5/90

score-team2-inns2 = 186 (99.2 overs)
runs-team2-inns2 = PBH May 53
wickets-team2-inns2 = KR Miller 5/80
RG Archer 4/71

result = cr|Australia won by 185 runs
venue = Lord's Cricket Ground
umpires = DE Davies (ENG) and FS Lee (ENG)
motm =
report = [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/22/22055.html scorecard]
rain =

Third Test: Headingley

Test match
date = 12–17 July 1956
team1 = cr|England
team2 = cr|Australia

score-team1-inns1 = 325 (167.4 overs)
runs-team1-inns1 = PBH May 101
C Washbrook 98
wickets-team1-inns1 = RR Lindwall 3/67
RG Archer 3/68
R Benaud 3/89

score-team2-inns1 = 143 (71.1 overs)
runs-team2-inns1 = JW Burke 41
KR Miller 41
wickets-team2-inns1 = Jim Laker 5/58
GAR Lock 4/41

score-team1-inns2 =
runs-team1-inns2 =
wickets-team1-inns2 =

score-team2-inns2 = 140 (follow-on) (99.3 overs)
runs-team2-inns2 = RN Harvey 69
wickets-team2-inns2 = JC Laker 6/55
GAR Lock 3/40

result = cr|England won by an innings and 42 runs
venue = Headingley
umpires = JS Buller (ENG) and DE Davies (ENG)
motm =
report = [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/22/22108.html scorecard]
rain =

Fourth Test: Old Trafford

Test match
date = 26–31 July 1956
team1 = cr|England
team2 = cr|Australia

score-team1-inns1 = 459 (158.3 overs)
runs-team1-inns1 = DS Sheppard 113
PE Richardson 104
MC Cowdrey 80
wickets-team1-inns1 = IW Johnson 4/151

score-team2-inns1 = 84 (40.4 overs)
runs-team2-inns1 = CC McDonald 32
wickets-team2-inns1 = JC Laker 9/37

score-team1-inns2 =
runs-team1-inns2 =
wickets-team1-inns2 =

score-team2-inns2 = 205 (follow-on) (150.2 overs)
runs-team2-inns2 = CC McDonald 89
wickets-team2-inns2 = JC Laker 10/53

result = cr|England won by an innings and 170 runs
venue = Old Trafford
umpires = DE Davies (ENG) and FS Lee (ENG)
motm =
report = [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/22/22143.html scorecard]
rain =

Fifth Test: The Oval

Test match
date = 23–28 August 1956
team1 = cr|England
team2 = cr|Australia

score-team1-inns1 = 247 (109.2 overs)
runs-team1-inns1 = DCS Compton 94
PBH May 83
wickets-team1-inns1 = RG Archer 5/53
KR Miller 4/91

score-team2-inns1 = 202 (92 overs)
runs-team2-inns1 = KR Miller 61
wickets-team2-inns1 = JC Laker 4/80

score-team1-inns2 = 182/3 (dec) (61 overs)
runs-team1-inns2 = DS Sheppard 62
wickets-team1-inns2 = RR Lindwall 1/29

score-team2-inns2 = 27/5 (38.1 overs)
runs-team2-inns2 = IWG Johnson 10
wickets-team2-inns2 = JC Laker 3/8

result = Match drawn
venue = The Oval
umpires = TJ Bartley (ENG) and DE Davies (ENG)
motm =
report = [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/22/22213.html scorecard]
rain =

External sources

[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/Tours_1956.html CricketArchive – tour summaries]

Annual reviews

* Playfair Cricket Annual 1957
* Wisden Cricketers Almanack 1957

References

Further reading

* Bill Frindall, "The Wisden Book of Test Cricket 1877-1978", Wisden, 1979
* Chris Harte, "A History of Australian Cricket", Andre Deutsch, 1993
* Ray Robinson, "On Top Down Under", Cassell, 1975