Cricinfo | Wisden Almanack
Jim Laker's summer. He took all ten in an innings for Surrey in the tour match against the Australians in May, grabbed a remarkable 19 for 90 in the fourth Test at Old Trafford and finished the series with 46 wickets at 9.60. If that was amazing, so were the selectors who could do no wrong, recalling the veteran Cyril Washbrook at Leeds (he made a hundred) and the one-legged Compton at The Oval (he made 94), and also summoned David Shepherd even though he had given up full-time cricket. The summer was another wet one and Nottingham was a washout, but Australia kept their awesome Lord's record intact with a 185-run victory, Miller taking 10 for 152. England levelled at Headingley where Laker and Tony Lock shared 18 wickets, and at Manchester Laker was unplayable on a wicket so dry it could have been tailor-made for him - many Australians suspected it was. Compton rescued England at The Oval and then Laker struck again as Australia finished on 27 for 5.
England 2 Australia 1 Drawn 2
Jim Laker's summer. He took all ten in an innings for Surrey in the tour match against the Australians in May, grabbed a remarkable 19 for 90 in the fourth Test at Old Trafford and finished the series with 46 wickets at 9.60. If that was amazing, so were the selectors who could do no wrong, recalling the veteran Cyril Washbrook at Leeds (he made a hundred) and the one-legged Compton at The Oval (he made 94), and also summoned David Shepherd even though he had given up full-time cricket. The summer was another wet one and Nottingham was a washout, but Australia kept their awesome Lord's record intact with a 185-run victory, Miller taking 10 for 152. England levelled at Headingley where Laker and Tony Lock shared 18 wickets, and at Manchester Laker was unplayable on a wicket so dry it could have been tailor-made for him - many Australians suspected it was. Compton rescued England at The Oval and then Laker struck again as Australia finished on 27 for 5.
England 2 Australia 1 Drawn 2