Ray Lindwall - Later Career

Later Career

Upon the return of the Invincibles to Australian soil, Lindwall played in Bradman's Testimonial match at the MCG in December 1948. Lindwall featured prominently on the first day, smashing 104 in 86 minutes for Hassett's XI. The match raised around 10,000 pounds.

The following season in 1949–50, the Australians headed to South Africa for a five Test tour. Lindwall's partnership with Miller was broken up when the latter was omitted from the touring squad. Miller stated that he wished to be considered only as a batsman and his omission caused great controversy. In any case, Miller was drafted in as cover after Johnston was involved in a car accident at the start of the tour, although both went on to play in all five Tests. Lindwall started the tour on a poor note in the First Test at Wanderers in Johannesburg, scoring 21 and then going wicketless as Australia completed an innings victory. It was the first time that Lindwall had failed to take a wicket in both innings of a Test. His wicketless run persisted until the second innings of the Second Test in Cape Town, where he took 5/32 after the hosts had been forced to follow on, as Australia completed another easy victory. Lindwall then took match figures of 4/54 as Australia completed a hat-trick of victories at Durban. Lindwall took 3/82 in South Africa's only innings in the Fourth Test at Johannesburg, but was dropped for the Fifth Test, something that surprised cricket commentators. His tour had been intermittently interrupted by groin problems, fibrositis and a stomach disorder, and his 12 wickets at an average of 20.66 at three wickets per match was below his customary rate. Overall, when fit, he was effective, with 50 wickets at 14.58. Lindwall forced his way back into the XI for the First Test of the 1950-51 Ashes series against Freddie Brown's England team. Australia struggled to 228 in its first innings with Lindwall making the second top-score of 41 in supporting Neil Harvey (74) in a rearguard action. Lindwall was not required as Miller and Johnston's medium pace reduced England to 7/68 on a sticky wicket before Brown declared, forcing the Australian to bat on the unfavourable pitch. Australia then declared at 7/32. Lindwall yorked Reg Simpson first ball and Australia seized the initiative, reducing England to 6/30 before bowling them out for 122 to take the match by 70 runs. Lindwall took five wickets in the Second Test in Melbourne, two of which came in the closing stages of the English run-chase. Chasing 178, England lost Brown and Evans in consecutive overs to the second new ball and ended 28 runs short of victory. Australia went on seal the series with an innings victory in the Third Test in Sydney – Lindwall bowled Brown and Bedser before breaking Trevor Bailey's thumb in the first innings to help Australia seize control. In the Fourth Test in Adelaide, Lindwall took 3/51 in England's first innings before scoring a patient 31 in Australia's second innings, helping to set up at target that was 274 runs too much for Brown's men. The Fifth and final Test of the summer was to be the first Test defeat for Lindwall in the first 24 Tests of his career. Despite taking 3/77 in the first innings to complement the four wickets of Miller – the most in an innings by the pair during the series – England took their first win over Australia since 1938. Lindwall had taken 15 wickets at 22.93 for the series.

The 1951–52 season saw the arrival of the West Indies for the first time in two decades. The Caribbeans has just defeated England in England and were expected to test Australia, with the series seen as the battle between the best two teams in the world. Their batting was led the celebrated batting trio, the three W's: Frank Worrell, Everton Weekes and Clyde Walcott. Lindwall entered the First Test in Brisbane in good form, having taken nine wickets in a Sheffield Shield match against Queensland in the lead-up. His pace caught the tourists off guard, having not faced a bowler of such speed before. He took 4/62 in the first innings before top-scoring with 61 as Australia struggled and managed to only post a first innings lead of 10 runs. Lindwall was wicketless in the second innings and Australia faced 236 to win. They were again struggling at 6/149, before a sixth wicket stand of 54 between Lindwall (29) and Graeme Hole (45*) saw Australia secure a narrow three wicket victory. The Second Test in Sydney saw an increase in the amount of short-pitched deliveries, leading Wisden to bemoan the "relentless bumper tactics". Lindwall's bowling unsettled the West Indian batsmen but their captain John Goddard felt that the tactics were legitimate and that his batsmen should counter-attack. Lindwall took 4/66 in the first innings before scoring 48 as Australia took a 155 first innings lead. In the second innings, Lindwall took two further wickets and struck vice-captain Jeff Stollmeyer in the head. At one stage, Lindwall bowled 15 bouncers in five overs. Australia went on to win the match by seven wickets. The Third Test was an uneventful one for Lindwall, taking a solitary wicket as the tourists took a six wicket victory on a sticky pitch. Lindwall had another unspectacular match in the Fourth Test with combined figures of 3/131, before contributing 29 in the run chase of 260. Australia narrowly made the target with one wicket in hand, allowing them to take a 3–1 series lead instead of a 2–2 result. The series ended with a controversial battle between Lindwall and Weekes on the final day of the Fifth Test in Sydney. The tourists resumed at 2/112 in pursuit of 416 for victory and were repeatedly bounced by Lindwall and Miller. During Lindwall's sixth over, Weekes missed an attempted hook shot after hesitating. His batting partner Stollmeyer ordered him not to play the hook, something that Lindwall overheard. Lindwall responded by bowling further bouncers, which elicited uncertain responses from the batsman. Weekes repeatedly positioned himself to hook, before restraining himself, leading to further instructions from Stollmeyer and taunting from the Australians. Lindwall bowled his fourth consecutive bouncer and managed to extract an uncertain hook shot from Weekes, which resulted in his dismissal behind the wicket. Lindwall went on to take 5/52 for the innings and 7/72 for the match, securing a 4–1 series win. Lindwall had contributed heavily to the team's success with bat and ball, with 21 wickets at 23.04 and 211 runs at 26.37, but he was also criticised for his use of the short ball.

Lindwall accepted an offer to play in the Lancashire League in England during the Australian winter of 1952, joining Nelson Cricket Club for a sum of 600 pounds and bonuses, which did not include the boat fares for him and his wife. Lindwall took 96 wickets at 8.37 during the season and developed an inswinger on the advice of a local umpire who adamantly refused to give leg before wicket decisions to outswingers. Lindwall returned to Australia with a newborn son who has been born during his stay in Lancashire, and he was greeted by media speculation as to whether his professional sojourn had improved or detracted from his capabilities. Lindwall's form leading into the Tests against South Africa in 1952–53 prompted observers to opine that he was bowling better than ever, reinforced with the inswinger and his trademark Yorker. Lindwall made 70 from a total of 148 on a sticky wicket against South Australia in Adelaide that led Miller to regard it as the best innings he had seen under such conditions. He made the score after being sent in to open the batting in the absence of Sid Barnes.

Lindwall showed his versatility again in the First Test in Brisbane, scoring an unbeaten 38 in the second innings to extend Australia's lead to 373. When South Africa attempted to chase the target, Lindwall took 5/60 to cut them down 96 runs short of victory. Lindwall was reunited with Miller when the latter returned from injury for the Second Test at Melbourne, and despite the old combination taking 12 wickets, with Lindwall taking match figures of 5/116, Australia fell 82 runs short and South Africa had its first Test win against Australia in 42 years. The teams moved to the home ground of Miller and Lindwall for the Third Test in Sydney, and the local pair delivered, taking seven wickets between them to skittle the tourists for 173, with Lindwall taking 4/40. With Australia having taken a 270 first innings lead, Lindwall allowed Australia to seize the initiative, removing both openers in his first three overs, before ending with 4/72 to ensure an innings victory and a 2–1 series lead. The value of Lindwall and Miller were demonstrated during the final two Tests. At the Fourth Test in Adelaide, both broke down mid-game and left Australia two bowlers short. Chasing 377, the South Africans managed to stave off the bowling and secure a draw. Both were absent for the Fifth Test in Melbourne and South Africa capitalised, defeating the Australians by six wickets despite the home side having scored 520 in their first innings. The absence of Lindwall and Miller's new ball partnership allowed South Africa to fight back and draw the series 2–2, making it the first series that Australia had not won since 1938. Lindwall had taken 19 wickets at 20.16 in just three and a half Tests for the series, and Australia seemed unlikely to find replacements for their leading strike pair anytime soon; their eventual successors Richie Benaud and Alan Davidson were still to become regular internationals.