Don Tallon - World War II

World War II

Following his form in 1938–39, Tallon eagerly awaited the arrival of England for the 1940–41 tour of Australia. He was only 23 and regarded as an almost certain selection following his record-breaking performance with both bat and gloves. However, the outbreak of the Second World War called a halt to his rise and robbed him of the opportunity to represent his country while in his prime as a cricketer; official international cricket did not resume until he was 29. In the meantime, domestic cricket continued in 1939–40. It was another poor season for Queensland, who won only once and lost their remaining five matches. Tallon scored two fifties before scoring 154 in his last Sheffield Shield innings of the season. This set Victoria a target of 230, but they reached it for the loss of only one wicket. Tallon was selected for The Rest of Australia in a one-off match against New South Wales at the end of the season, but managed only a duck and eight. He ended the summer with 401 runs at 28.62 and 17 dismissals.

With the war intensifying, the 1940–41 season was truncated and the last before the hostilities ended. Tallon scored 55 and completed four dismissals as Queensland started with a 27-run loss to New South Wales. He then starred in a match for combined Queensland and Victoria team against New South Wales. Tallon scored 55 and 152 and completed four dismissals, but was unable to prevent a one-wicket loss. He ended with 379 runs at 42.11 and made 16 dismissals in five matches.

With first-class cricket cancelled, Tallon joined the Australian Army in August 1940 at Bundaberg. Tallon was discharged in 1943 as a private and was not decorated. His discharge was due to stomach ulcers and he later had a major operation to remove part of his stomach.

Upon the resumption of competitive cricket, Tallon's chances of selection had improved due to the fates of his pre-war wicket-keeping rivals. Oldfield had long retired. Barnett, a captain in the army, had been a prisoner of the Japanese at Changi in Singapore for four years. Emaciated, he slowly recovered his fitness and forced his way back into the Victorian team, but was almost 40 and intended to retire in the near future. Walker had joined the Royal Australian Air Force as a gunner and was killed in a duel with Nazi fighter pilots over Soltau in Germany. This left Tallon as the front-runner, but there was a possibility that the selectors would opt for generational change and install a more youthful keeper like Gil Langley or Ron Saggers with an eye to the future. With the pressure of selection on his head, Tallon made eight dismissals in the first match after the resumption of cricket, against New South Wales in Brisbane, including three stumpings and three catches from the leg spin of Colin McCool, a future Test team-mate. The performance was to herald the start of a prolific bowler-wicket-keeper partnership. Tallon then scored 74 to guide Queensland to the target of 270 with four wickets in hand. Queensland won two of their seven matches and Tallon scored 305 runs at 30.50 and completed 27 dismissals to finally gain national selection.