[Essex versus Australians]

Cricket match between Essex County Cricket Club and the touring Australian team.

An edited film of Essex C.C.C. versus the touring Australian team in 1948. Cricketers are shown warming up in the ground with knots of spectators watching. Distinguished visitors at the pavilion and then the umpires walk out followed by the fielding side and the Australian opening batsmen, Brown and Barnes. There are shots of play, including the bowlers in slow motion. The fall of the Australians’ first wicket is shown, Barnes falling to R. Smith for 79. This was a momentous event as the scoreboard shows Australia were 202 for 1 at lunch! After lunch the Australian batsmen are shown in turn leaving and entering the pavilion. Brown is dismissed for 153 and Keith Miller is bowled first ball. Don Bradman departs for 187 and then Loxton. Action shots are interspersed with the fall of wickets. The scoreboard turns round to a score of 600 - 5, then at 688 - 7, 692 - 8 and finally 700 - 8. The following morning, the Essex batsmen warm up amidst the milling crowds. The Australian bowlers are seen and again the arrival and departure of the Essex batsmen at the crease. Dodds, Cray, Pearce, Horsfall, Ray. Smith and Price are shown. The players returning to the pavilion, presumably at the end of the Essex innings. Ominously, there is no shot of the Essex scoreboard.

Keywords

Cricket; Essex County Cricket Club

Background Information

This is the famous occasion when the Australians scored 700 runs in a day. Their final total was 728-8. They were captained on this tour by Don Bradman, who scored 187. He can be seen on the left, walking up the steps at the beginning of the film. Other players touring included Ray Lindwall and Lindsay Hassett, who didn’t play in this match. Essex were captained by T.N. Pearce and featured a young Trevor Bailey. He can be seen in slow motion shots, along with Ray Smith. Essex made 83 in their first innings and 187 in the second. The Australians won by and innings and 451 runs. This was an early tour after the war. India toured in 1946 and South Africa in 1947.