looks at one test match, England versus Australia, Old Trafford, July-August 1961, in deep focus. The only comparable book I can readily think of is The Greatest Test of All by Jack Fingleton on the 1960 tied test match at Brisbane between Frank Worrell’s West Indies and Benaud’s Australian side. Fingleton also watched the Old Trafford match as journalist and commentator.
Richie Benaud’s Blue Suede Shoes: The Story of an Ashes Classic, David Kynaston and Harry Ricketts, Bloomsbury, 2024.
Another book worthy of mention in this context is A Tale of Two Tests, written by Benaud himself. He captured in vivid detail and with some introspection the drama of the Brisbane tie and the Aussie victory at Old Trafford to retain the Ashes. Benaud’s book is thus a source for Kynaston and Ricketts’ gripping narrative. This recently published book about an “Ashes classic’’ will itself become a classic in the genre of cricket writing.
The word “source’’ is used deliberately as this book is a fortiori, a product of historical research and reconstruction. The authors were kids when the events at Old Trafford unfolded. Their narrative is based on newspaper reports, especially the reports of well known cricket writers like Jim Swanton, John Arlott, John Woodcock, Len Hutton, Jack Fingleton, Jim Laker, Ian Peebles and so on, some television footage, archives of radio commentaries and memories of some of the players.
What brings life to the sources is the keen understanding and love Kynaston and Ricketts have for the game of cricket. They are also able to provide a la C.L.R. James an overview of the socio-political and economic context that was influencing how cricket was being played and being viewed at that time. Of particular interest for cricket lovers is their analysis of the evolving dynamics of the relationship between amateur and professionals which was a peculiar feature of English cricket. There are other kinds of details as well. To take a saucy example: In the course of their account of the third test at Headingley in 1961 with England poised to win and level the series with two tests to play, the authors write, “It had been a day for the history books; and likewise, as would eventually transpire, the moment this Saturday evening when, by a swimming pool at Cliveden, the Secretary of State for War, John Profumo, was introduced by Stephen Ward to a semi-naked Christine Keeler.’’ Verily, what do they know of cricket who only cricket know.
There exist very good reasons for focusing on the 1961 Old Trafford test match and for considering it a classic. This goes beyond its significance in deciding the Ashes; the match showcased superb cricket and great drama that a test match is capable of producing.
The Aussies in their first innings were all out for a mere 190. England replied with 367. In their second innings, the Australians scored 432 but at one point towards the middle of the morning session of the last day, it seemed the match had slipped out of their hands — they were only 157 ahead with one more wicket to fall.
Alan Davidson and Graham Mackenzie were at the crease when the former went for off spinner David Allen who was bowling into the “rough’’ created by bowlers’ boot marks just outside the left hander’s off stump. This devastating assault on Allen was one of the pivotal moments of the match — one of his sixes went over long off, over the terraces to hit the brick wall by the railway yard. Davidson and Mackenzie put on 98 in 102 minutes and when Mackenzie was bowled by Jack Flavell, England was left to get 256 to win in 230 minutes.
This looked eminently doable especially when Ted Dexter played what Benaud described as the finest short innings he had ever seen. It was when Dexter was on 40 that Benaud had a brief conversation with his vice-captain, Neil Harvey. Benaud said, “We’ve had it as far as saving this, Ninna. The only way we’ll get out of it is to win.’’ Harvey grinned and replied, “Get into it then. I’m with you.’’
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When Dexter was on 76, Benaud had him caught behind off a quicker ball. Another pivotal moment. But more was to follow. Bowling according to a well thought through plan (endorsed by Ray Lindwall in a private conversation that Benaud had had with him the previous evening), Benaud went round the wicket even to right handers so that he could land the ball on the rough. He bowled Peter May around his legs for a duck. It was the beginning of the end. England ended with 201 on the board. Benaud had figures of six for 70 off 32 overs. He had been innovative and fearless as a captain and had bowled with enviable accuracy. It was a famous victory. Kynaston and Ricketts capture the see-saw battle almost ball by ball. Their research is impressive.
In a sense, the book is not just about the Old Trafford match. The authors provide the build up. The draw at Edgbaston, the Australian victory (without Benaud) at Lord’s where the “ridge’’ at the Nursery end played up; and the English win at Headingley with Fred Trueman at his best on his home turf. This leaves the reader agog to learn about the Old Trafford drama. In this prefatory narrative, there is one vital element that is missing. And I cannot help wondering why. This is the role that Harvey played when he skippered the side at Lord’s. The authors do not have a word to say about his captaincy. It is almost as if the Australian side played without a captain. This is inconceivable. Benaud knew and acknowledged the crucial part that Harvey had played. When Davidson bowled Brian Statham at Old Trafford to register an Aussie victory, the first person Benaud rushed to was Harvey. This was not only for the support that Harvey had extended in the mid-field exchange referred to above. It was a public acknowledgement of Harvey’s captaincy at Lord’s. Benaud was to do the same in print in his book.
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The only minor disappointment in this book are the last two chapters, both somewhat extraneous and perhaps irrelevant to the main narrative. The ideal ending would have been the following passage from Benaud, which the authors quote to end the chapter titled “Aftermath’’: “May and his men were kind enough to come in for a drink with us, and tender their congratulations. I know how they must have felt. I have been beaten myself when playing for Australia against England, and it seems as though the end of the world has come. Perhaps that’s why this is such a great game. It is the greatest leveller I know.’’
Cricket had brought together the gentleman cricketer from Charterhouse and Cambridge with the Australian sportsman who wore blue suede shoes (the authors think that it is too fanciful to assume that Benaud had heard the famous Elvis Presley song and had then bought the shoes) that would be infra dig and forbidden in the clubs May frequented.
Tailpiece: Since I enjoyed the book so much and because I am in awe of what is called the Golden Age of Cricket, I may be permitted to recollect my own gold nugget from this book. I found it in the authors’ account of the first test match at Edgbaston. Watching the match were three greats from the Golden Age: Frank Woolley, S.F. Barnes and between them Wilfred Rhodes, completely blind. Rhodes is “watching’’ the match through the descriptions provided by his two mates flanking him. And while Harvey was batting with his effortless mastery, Rhodes turned towards Fingleton to tell him, there should be a deep point for Harvey. Cricket in the mind.
Rudrangshu Mukherjee is chancellor and professor of History at Ashoka University.
