Lindsay Hassett With The Australian Cricket Team in England in 1948 - Second Test

Second Test

Australia opted to field an unchanged lineup for the Second Test at Lord's. Bradman elected to bat, allowing Lindwall more time to recover from a groin strain before being required to bowl. Hassett came in to join Morris at 2/87 when Bradman fell soon after lunch on the first day. The new ball was available, but England had declined to take it. Bedser beat Hassett second ball with a delivery that moved back in, but the appeal for lbw was turned down. However, Yardley opted to not take the ball, and Hassett managed to score a single and get off strike before the English captain finally called for a replacement ball. Journalist and retired Australian cricketer Bill O'Reilly said that the failure to take the new ball immediately after the appeal was a failure to maximise the psychological pressure on Hassett.

The pair added 79 before Morris fell for 105 and Miller was out seven runs later at 4/173. By taking two quick wickets, England had put the match back in the balance. Batting out of position in the middle order, Brown came in and helped Hassett to rebuild the innings. Both scored slowly, averaging more than three and half minutes for each run. Hassett was dropped three times before Yardley, who was bowling mainly in order to allow his frontline bowlers to recuperate, broke through his defences with a yorker, dismissing him for 47 after 175 minutes of batting; the English skipper trapped Brown lbw nine runs later to leave Australia 6/225. Australia recovered to 350 on the second morning, and England were then bowled out on the third morning for 215. Australia's top-order scored quickly and Hassett came in with the score at 2/296 after 277 minutes of batting. Yardley bowled Hassett first ball off the inside edge, so Miller came to the crease at 3/296 to face the hat-trick ball. Miller survived a loud lbw appeal to deny the English captain a hat-trick. Australia then declared at 7/460 on the fourth day to leave England a target of 596, which would have taken a world record run-chase for victory. Hassett caught Alec Bedser from the bowling of Bill Johnston as Australia bowled out the hosts for 186 early on the final morning to win by 409 runs.

The next match was against Surrey and started the day after the Lord’s Test. Australia elected to field and dismissed the hosts for 221. Brown injured a finger while fielding and was unable to bat in Australia's first innings. Hamence filled in as an opener alongside Hassett but was out for a duck, so Bradman joined his deputy with the score at 1/6. The Australian skipper put on 231 with Hassett, who top-scored with 139. Accelerating after reaching his century, Hassett was out for 4/289 and the tourists collapsed to be all out for 389, after losing 7/100. In the second innings, Australia's makeshift openers Harvey and Sam Loxton chased down the 122 runs required for a 10-wicket win in less than hour, so Hassett was not required to bat.

Bradman rested himself for the following match against Gloucestershire before the Third Test. Hassett led the team and elected to bat as Australia reached 7/774 declared on the second day. It was the tourists’ highest score for the tour and the second best by any Australian team on English soil. Hassett instructed his batsmen to attack local off spinner Tom Goddard, who was seen as a possible selection for England in the Third Test. His batsmen used their feet to charge at Goddard, who was used to batsmen playing him from static positions, and could not cope. Goddard took 0/186 from 32 overs and his chances of being selected ended. However, Hassett was unable to join the plunder, making only 21. He then enforced the follow on as the hosts were out for 279 and 132 to cede victory by an innings and 363 runs. Hassett allowed himself to bowl for the first time on tour, sending down two overs for eight runs without taking a wicket.