Playthrough: Righting some wrongs (and keeping some rights) in Australian cricket history

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13 November 1981
vs - First Test
WACA

Australia
Rick McCosker
Graeme Wood
David Boon
Greg Chappell
Allan Border
Dirk Wellham
Rod Marsh
Bruce Yardley
Dennis Lillee
Len Pascoe
Terry Alderman

Pakistan
Rizwan-uz-Zaman
Mudassar Nazar
Mansoor Akhtar
Javed Miandad
Majid Khan
Wasim Raja
Imran Khan
Sarfraz Nawaz
Wasim Bari
Iqbal Qasim
Sikander Bakht

Just a pair of changes for Australia from the Ashes team, with Allan Border and Len Pascoe returning for both debutants that day. Pakistan continue to do the "run the same team as IRL" as has been all this series.

Australia lost the toss and had to bowl first. The openers did see off Lillee and Pascoe, but Nazar then nicked Yardley to slip. Yardley also got rid of Rizwan LBW, but Akhtar and Miandad survived past lunch - and then tea. It took a destructive burst from Lillee to finally part the two, Miandad being clean bowled, and then Akhtar was bowled by Alderman just before the second new ball. Majid nicked one off Lillee after it was taken, but Imran and Raja got Pakistan to stumps, then a life early on Day 2 when Imran was dropped at second slip. Alderman redeemed himself by catching Raja, but only after a fifty for the Pakistani all-rounder. Australia continued to be wasteful, as Nawaz was caught off a no-ball. Alderman eventually did the job himself, pinning him LBW, then Bari was dropped by second slip off Pascoe. Pascoe did end up finally getting his first wicket of the innings, with Imran caught at short mid wicket for 105. Alderman and Lillee cleaned up the tail, but Pakistan had still posted 417.

Australia's openers showed they had grit too, adding 105 before Bakht beat McCosker's edge and bowled him. Wood followed, LBW to Raja, for 61 shortly after, then Pakistan had a dropped chance of their own as first slip dropped Boon on 8. Chappell fell just after drinks in the afternoon session, Raja picking up another LBW for 38. Raja also got Boon LBW, but an entire session later and for 59. Wellham became Raja's fourth wicket when he swept and only top edged it, then he completed his five-for by bowling Marsh. With help from Yardley, Border got moving, and got his 50 before the end of Day 3. Non-batsmen Pascoe and Alderman added 20 after the tail collapsed early on Day 4, leaving Pakistan leading by 101.

Rizwan-uz-Zaman attacked early in Pakistan's innings, before charging at Yardley and missing. Akhtar tried to replicate his style but only succeeded in edging Yardley to the keeper. Miandad followed in getting in and then out, then Nazar flicked one to short leg to give Pascoe two and Australia a shot. Raja was out cheaply to Alderman, then Khan failed (although he did survive for an hour for his 9). Majid fell to Yardley for his fourth wicket, Border got Nawaz with no addition to the score, and the tail fell to Yardley (his fifth) and Pascoe to give Australia a target of 266 in exactly a day.

Australia's openers went relatively quickly, adding 57 in 20 overs before a Wood sweep went up into the air. Boon was yorked by Bakht just before lunch, which Australia went to 188 behind. Four wickets with relatively low scoring after lunch, though, put Australia down a more conservative route. But Marsh fell after lunch and the tail collapsed, giving Pakistan the 1-0 advantage.

Spoiler: 1981/82 Bradman Trophy Standings

1. Bruce Yardley 3
2. Rick McCosker 2
3. Graeme Wood 1

 

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27 November 1981
vs - Second Test
The Gabba

Australia
Rick McCosker
Graeme Wood
David Boon
Greg Chappell
Allan Border
Greg Ritchie
Rod Marsh
Bruce Yardley
Dennis Lillee
Len Pascoe
Terry Alderman

Pakistan
Rizwan-uz-Zaman
Mudassar Nazar
Mansoor Akhtar
Javed Miandad
Majid Khan
Wasim Raja
Imran Khan
Sarfraz Nawaz
Wasim Bari
Iqbal Qasim
Sikander Bakht

Pakistan go unchanged, while Australia drop Wellham and debut promising youngster Greg Ritchie.

Pakistan won the toss and batted again. It didn't go as well, as Rizwan was dismissed for a duck in the second over. Alderman came on after an intense yet fruitless Lillee spell and instantly bowled Nazar, then got Miandad caught behind a few overs later. Pakistan were 3/29 and their momentum from Perth was gone. They lunched on 4/60, with Akhtar having got in but Majid out. A 70-run partnership between Akhtar and Raja reignited Pakistan's hoped, until Akhtar paddle swept Border straight to short fine leg. Alderman bowled Raja the next over, but Imran added 100 runs with the tail (including 70 with Sarfraz) to keep Pakistan in the game. He was eventually last out, completing a five-for for Alderman.

Australia did not make stumps unscathed; Wood holed out to mid-on for two. Boon and McCosker spent the entire second morning getting themselves in, only for Boon to nick Sarfraz just after lunch. Pakistan considered the rest of the Aussie lineup a soft underbelly, as there was a lack of form in it; however, McCosker and Chappell added an even 100 before Greg nicked Sarfraz to slip for 57. But there was a big moment for Pakistan just overs later - McCosker called for a bad single at the expense of his wicket. Border and Ritchie proved equally capable, adding 102 and taking Australia to the lead. When Border got out, edging Imran to the keeper, Ritchie continued on to a 50 on debut before Qasim bowled him. Marsh took over from there, whacking a lovely 68 aided by Yardley and Pascoe, the latter of whom set a new high score in Test cricket. Australia led by 173 at the halfway point.

Pascoe was expensive early, conceding a six to Rizwan, but within an over he was gone to Lillee. Nazar followed in Pascoe's next over, and Pakistan had lost their first two in four overs. Miandad and Akhtar tried to rebuild, but the latter played a dumb shot and spooned one straight back to Yardley, leaving Pakistan 3/30... again. Mansoor Akhtar had a similar brain fade, running at one and missing, and Pakistan were four for very few. It was five for only slightly more when a Majid drive was scooped to Ritchie at mid on, then Imran was caught sharply in Yardley's follow through, and the innings win was coming into play. The five-for for Yardley was completed balls later when Nawaz edged him into Marsh's gloves, and Pakistan's tail collapsed, being all out for 89 and giving Australia a innings win. Yardley finished with 6/28, Australia's best bowling figures in this sim.

Spoiler: 1981/82 Bradman Trophy Standings

1. Bruce Yardley 8 (+5)
2. Rick McCosker 3 (+1)
2. Terry Alderman 3 (+3)
3. Rod Marsh 2 (+2)
4. Graeme Wood 1

 

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11 December 1981
vs - Third Test
MCG

Australia
Rick McCosker
Graeme Wood
David Boon
Greg Chappell
Allan Border
Greg Ritchie
Rod Marsh
Bruce Yardley
Dennis Lillee
Geoff Lawson
Terry Alderman

Pakistan
Mudassar Nazar
Mansoor Akhtar
Zaheer Abbas
Javed Miandad
Saleem Malik
Wasim Raja
Imran Khan
Sarfraz Nawaz
Wasim Bari
Iqbal Qasim
Tahir Naqqash

Australia make one change; Geoff Lawson comes in for Len Pascoe. As for Pakistan... Rizwan, Majid and Bakht dropped, for Zaheer, Saleem and Naqqash. Big changes for a team who's looking to win the series!

Australia finally won the toss and batted. McCosker failed, nicking Imran to the keeper, and Boon thrashed for 55 balls before Miandad held onto one at short leg. Chappell started fast but then was dismissed too, and Border failed after lunch. When Wood was LBW to the destructive Nawaz, Australia were 5/70. That became 6/71 when Imran induced a big nick from Rod Marsh, but Ritchie played a hand with Yardley, adding 39 in quick time before Imran yorked him. The tail then wagged, the ninth wicket adding 42 before Imran took his fifth consecutive wicket, ending the innings at 6/34 and Australia having posted 199.

A fired-up Lillee did damage on the second morning; not to the wicket column but to Mansoor Akhtar's finger. Alderman got the first actual breakthrough as Abbas drove hard and nicked him to the keeper, and while Mudassar Nazar attacked Yardley, Miandad nicked the spinner to slip. Malik followed the next ball, and at 4/51, Pakistan were in trouble. Wasim was not dislodged by the hat-trick ball, though, and he stabilised the ship. He was dropped at short leg just after lunch, and shortly after drinks in the middle session, Nazar was dropped at second slip. Border, though, got the breakthrough; Raja launched into a sweep only to pick Yardley at deep square leg. Nazar also holed out to a man in the deep on the other side of tea, this time long on, and Alderman and Lillee ran through most of the tail on the third morning. Tahir Naqqash, though, played a swashbuckling innings from #11 that gave Pakistan a 50-run lead after the first innings.

Wood and McCosker were completely solid with the bat - the only thing that ever looked like breaking the partnership was genius from Pakistan or dumbness from them. Wood promptly ran himself out. McCosker carried on, but he and Boon were dismissed within three overs of one another. Another big stand was broken by Border holing out just before stumps, which Greg Chappell reached unbeaten, and he and Ritchie proceeded to add 90 on the fourth morning. Ritchie fell for 49 just before lunch, but Chappell continued to a vital century alongside Rod Marsh. When he was bowled for 110 by Imran and Marsh fell for 40 the next over, Yardley and Lillee added some cheap runs through the last session of Day 4, and Australia declared overnight, setting Pakistan 339 in exactly one day to win.

Abbas failed again, leaving Pakistan effectively 2/12 after three overs with Akhtar out for the Test. Alderman's first ball of the innings bowled Miandad for 8, and when Nazar went LBW to the same bowler for 22, Pakistan were again 4/51. That became 5/55 when Malik was caught at slip off Yardley. Raja and Imran added 37 before Border again got Raja, this time LBW, then Nawaz was dropped at slip off Yardley after lunch, and then again at gully off Lawson. A furious Lawson responded by bowling Imran and trapping Nawaz LBW in three balls, and the tail caved in to give Australia the series and a 215-run win.

Spoiler: 1981/82 Bradman Trophy Standings

1. Bruce Yardley 8
2. Greg Chappell 5 (+5)
3. Rick McCosker 3
3. Terry Alderman 3
3. Dennis Lillee 3 (+3)
4. Rod Marsh 2
4. Greg Ritchie 2 (+2)
5. Graeme Wood 1
5. Geoff Lawson 1 (+1)

 

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in , 1981-82
Tests: 26 December (Melbourne), 2 January (Sydney), 30 January (Adelaide)

Greg Chappell
David Boon
Allan Border
Rick Darling
Rick McCosker
Greg Ritchie
Dirk Wellham
Graeme Wood

Rod Marsh

Trevor Chappell
John Inverarity
Bruce Yardley

Terry Alderman
Ian Callen
Geoff Lawson
Dennis Lillee
Len Pascoe
Jeff Thomson

The big story here is Rick McCosker's impending retirement after the Adelaide Test, rather than any squad changes; this is mainly because there are none.

WI squad: S Bacchus, S Clarke, C Croft, W Daniel, W Davis, J Dujon, J Garner, L Gomes, G Greenidge, D Haynes, M Holding, C King, C Lloyd, M Marshall, D Murray, V Richards, A Roberts

 

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26 December 1981
vs - First Test
MCG

Australia
Rick McCosker
Graeme Wood
David Boon
Greg Chappell
Allan Border
Greg Ritchie
Rod Marsh
Bruce Yardley
Dennis Lillee
Geoff Lawson
Terry Alderman

West Indies
Desmond Haynes
Faoud Bacchus
Viv Richards
Clive Lloyd
Larry Gomes
Jeff Dujon
David Murray
Andy Roberts
Michael Holding
Joel Garner
Colin Croft

The mighty West Indies come to Australia... and Gordon Greenidge is missing with a knock. Not ideal, but if any side can survive that...

Australia won the toss and batted. The openers then scored one run from the first seven overs. They only scored 60, but survived 36 overs before Wood was LBW to Joel Garner. McCosker gritted out 82 before he fell similarly after tea, and Boon fell to Croft shortly after. But Chappell brought acceleration, scoring 68 @ 55 before inside edging Roberts to the keeper. Ritchie and Marsh both failed, but Yardley then added 90 for the seventh wicket with Border, helping AB to his century. He fell after reaching it to a catch at short leg, and while the tail looked like collapsing, Alderman blocked out 29 balls to help Yardley reach a Test high of 71 before he was last out. Australia, from such a slow start, had set 421 and almost made Garner, Roberts, Holding and Croft use a third new ball.

West Indies started horrifically, with Haynes LBW to Lillee in the third over. Viv followed on the next morning, flicking DL to short mid wicket for 5, and when Lawson yorked Bacchus the Windies were 3/18. Gomes went the next ball, too, and while Dujon survived the hat-trick ball, that was only the tip of the iceberg. He followed by falling to Alderman for three, but Lloyd and Murray looked much more assured. They added 50 before Yardley bowled Lloyd. Roberts got WI up to 100 before Border had him LBW, then later in the same over Murray fell the same way. The last pair added another 50, but West Indies still had to follow on.

Haynes and Bacchus somewhat made the first innings right by adding 55 before stumps. After 16 more in the morning, Yardley induced an edge from Bacchus to first slip. Richards failed again, slapping Lillee to mid on - but off a no ball. He went on to make 45 before Yardley bowled him. Haynes motored on towards a century until he too fell to the spinner, edging Yardley behind for 95 just before drinks. Lawson got a wicket with the new ball, but like Lillee before had overstepped; fortunately this time Gomes only added five before Alderman legally bowled him after tea. Dujon was dropped by Marsh off Border, but Lillee finally got Lloyd for 68 at the other end. Dujon fell off the first over of Day 5 to Yardley, but the tail wagged a bit, Holding especially. Australia were left needing 152 in three hours to win the Test.

The openers started nicely, adding 30 at three an over before tea. McCosker fell after tea, but assisted ably by a bad drop at short leg, Boon and Wood attacked and reached the target with ten minutes to spare.

Spoiler: 1981/82 Bradman Trophy Standings

1. Bruce Yardley 10 (+2)
2. Greg Chappell 5
2. Allan Border 5 (+5)
3. Geoff Lawson 4 (+3)
4. Rick McCosker 3
4. Terry Alderman 3
4. Dennis Lillee 3
5. Rod Marsh 2
5. Greg Ritchie 2
6. Graeme Wood 1
6. David Boon 1 (+1)

 

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2 January 1982
vs - Second Test
SCG

Australia
Rick McCosker
Graeme Wood
David Boon
Greg Chappell
Allan Border
Greg Ritchie
Rod Marsh
Bruce Yardley
Dennis Lillee
Geoff Lawson
Terry Alderman

West Indies
Desmond Haynes
Gordon Greenidge
Viv Richards
Clive Lloyd
Larry Gomes
Jeff Dujon
David Murray
Andy Roberts
Michael Holding
Joel Garner
Colin Croft

Australia are unchanged; Gordon Greenidge comes back in for WI. Expected stuff really.

West Indies won the toss and batted, as probably was expected. Lloyd was rewarded with a century opening partnership before, after three hours, Yardley bowled Haynes. Yardley was on fire for the second half of the second session, also bowling Greenidge and having Richards caught at slip. Alderman dismissed Gomes and Dujon after tea, then Lillee removed Murray with the new ball. Australia made light work of the tail on the second morning, Lawson picking up two wickets including Lloyd for 67, and West Indies were all out for 273 an over after drinks.

Australia's openers spent their characteristic 30 overs at 1.5 RPO before Wood was caught at second slip. By Jeff Dujon, since Murray had the gloves for WI. 14 off 83 for Boon continued the sloth, then rain delayed the start of Day 3 by 90 minutes. The Aussies really got moving in the second session, including McCosker bringing up his ton, but no play occurred after tea due to rain, further reducing the chances of a result. Australia lost both set batsmen in the same Holding over at the start of Day 4, but Border held it together, and attacked when he and Marsh were united. The duo added 150 in roughly one session, being particularly brutal on Garner and only splitting when Richards had Marsh LBW. Australia declared at tea, leading by 205 with some hope of winning the game.

The Windies openers looked good having survived the opening bowlers, but Haynes then nicked Yardley to the keeper. Richards added four quick boundaries before being LBW to Bruce, and while Lloyd survived the night, he was the spinner's third victim on Day 5. The Windies produced a good partnership from there to lunch as Gomes supported Greenidge, but when he tamely chipped Lawson back to the bowler, the decline was on. Dujon fell with the old ball to Alderman, Murray looked good against spin but could not handle Lillee (LBW appeal, nicked four, plumb LBW), and Andy Roberts' counter-attack ended when he attacked one that went straight to cover. But the tail hung around from there, and Greenidge reached his 150 in the final over of a match ruined by rain.

Spoiler: 1981/82 Bradman Trophy Standings

1. Bruce Yardley 12 (+2)
2. Allan Border 8 (+3)
3. Greg Chappell 5
4. Geoff Lawson 4
4. Rick McCosker 4 (+1)
5. Terry Alderman 3
5. Dennis Lillee 3
6. Rod Marsh 2
6. Greg Ritchie 2
7. Graeme Wood 1
7. David Boon 1

 

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I had to wipe my local Steam stuff as it got corrupted. Unfortunately, that means that I lost the stats from the first two Windies games.
I'll probably just null and void the third (unplayed) game and move on after my placement is over (exactly one month from today).

That does mean Bruce Yardley wins the Bradman Trophy.