Bill Johnston With The Australian Cricket Team in England in 1948 - Early Tour

Early Tour

Australia traditionally fielded its first-choice team in the tour opener, which was customarily against Worcestershire. When Johnston was omitted for the opening match, it appeared he would not be in Bradman's Test plans. Australia went on to win by an innings, setting the tone for their tour.

Bradman brought Johnston into the team for the second tour match against Leicestershire. He made 12 runs and was the last man out as Australia ended on 448. After a lower order collapse of 5/38 against the local spin attack, Johnston came in and put on 37 in partnership with Keith Miller, allowing his colleague to reach his double century. Johnston bowled six wicketless overs for 15 as the hosts fell for 130. Made to follow on, Leicestershire made 147 to lose by an innings. Johnston took his first wicket of the tour, trapping Jack Walsh leg before wicket (lbw) to end with 1/42 from 27 overs. Johnston played a leading role in Australia's victory in the next match, against Yorkshire, on a damp pitch favourable to slower bowling. In this match, Johnston resorted to bowling left arm orthodox spin. The hosts elected to bat and he bowled almost unchanged, sending down 26 of the 54.3 overs, 14 of which were maidens. He took 4/18 as Yorkshire were bowled out in difficult batting conditions for 71. His wickets included batsmen Alec Coxon and Willie Watson, who went on to become England Test cricketers. The match remained finely balanced after Australia made 101, with Johnston unbeaten on five. He was again miserly in the second innings, bowling 15.2 overs with seven maidens and taking 6/18. His victims included leading English batsman Len Hutton, and Coxon and Watson for the second time as the hosts were bowled out for 89. Johnston had ended the match with 10/40. After collapsing to 6/31—effectively seven wickets down as Sam Loxton was injured and unable to bat—Australia scraped home by four wickets. It was the closest Australia would come to defeat for the whole tour.

The tourists travelled to London to play Surrey at The Oval, and they amassed 632 after batting first. Johnston bowled without success in the first innings. In the second innings he claimed both openers to reduce the hosts to 2/11 after Bradman had forced them to follow on. He returned later in the innings to remove Alec Bedser and Jim Laker, ending with 4/40 as Surrey were defeated by an innings. Johnston was rested for the following match against Cambridge University, which Australia won by an innings.

Johnston returned as Australia crushed Essex by an innings and 451 runs, their largest winning margin for the summer. After setting a world record for the most number of first-class runs in one day’s play (721), of which Johnston contributed nine, Bradman’s men bowled Essex out for 83 and 187 after enforcing the follow on. Johnston managed a match total of only 1/36. This was followed by another innings victory, this time over Oxford University. After scoring 13 in Australia's 431, Johnston bowled the most overs by an Australian in the match, taking 2/40 and 2/44 across a total of 42 overs.

Johnston was the left out for the next fixture, which was against the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) at Lord's. The MCC fielded seven players who would represent England in the Tests, and were basically a full strength Test team, while Australia fielded their first-choice team, with Johnston omitted. It was a chance for the Australian bowlers to gain a psychological advantage, with Len Hutton, Denis Compton and Bill Edrich—three of England's first four batsmen—all playing. Australia won by an innings to give an indication of their strength.

Four county matches remained before the Tests, giving the players more chances to press their claims for selection. Johnston was recalled for Australia'a first non-victory of the tour, which was against Lancashire. After the first day was washed out, Johnston made 24 in a 25-run ninth-wicket partnership with wicket-keeper Ron Saggers, which took Australia from 8/170 to 9/195. The tourists were eventually bowled out for 204. During his innings, Johnston swung lustily and hit three sixes. In reply, Lancashire reached 4/144 before Johnston took five of the last six wickets to help dismiss the home side for 182, securing a slender lead for the tourists. Johnston ended with 5/49 from 29 overs, the most by any of the Australians, and was not required to bat in the second innings.

Johnston was rested for the subsequent match against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, which was drawn. He returned against Hampshire and played a major role in Australia's eight-wicket win. The home team were put into bat on a drying pitch by vice-captain Lindsay Hassett—Bradman had rested himself for the match. Johnston bowled for almost the whole innings, sending down 38.4 of 85.4 overs. He took wickets at regular intervals to end with 6/74 as Hampshire were bowled out for 195. Johnston was unbeaten on two as Australia lost 8/47 and collapsed to 117 all out, trailing by 78 runs. It was the first time tha the tourists had conceded a first innings lead for the season. In the second innings, Johnston bowled unchanged at his end for the entire innings, providing steady breakthroughs to end with 5/43 as Hampshire were bowled out for 103. This left Australia a target of 182, and they batted fluently in their second innings to win by eight wickets. Johnston ended with match figures of 11/117. He was rested in the innings win over Sussex, in the last fixture before the First Test.