Alex Carey’s resilient century offered a glimmer of hope for Australia on day one of the third Test, but England faces a monumental challenge to salvage the Ashes series, currently trailing 2-0 [[1]].Historically, comebacks from such a deficit are rare; only once in nearly 150 years of Test cricket has a team overcome a 2-0 Ashes series deficit-Australia themselves in the 1936/37 series led by the legendary Don Bradman [[2]]. This article delves into that remarkable Australian triumph, a series shadowed by the legacy of “Bodyline” and marked by personal tragedy and tactical brilliance [[3]].
Alex Carey’s century helped Australia stage a remarkable recovery on day one of the third Test, putting pressure on England’s hopes of reclaiming the Ashes. As the series stands at 2-0 to Australia, England faces a daunting task to mount a comeback against a dominant Australian side.
History is not on England’s side, as only one team has ever overturned a 2-0 deficit to win an Ashes series – and that was Australia, back in 1936, with the legendary Don Bradman leading the charge.
That 1936 tour began with England arriving in Australia aboard the Orion, departing from Southampton docks in a markedly different era of cricket attire. The MCC had worked to mend fences following the controversial Bodyline series, even sending a goodwill team the previous winter, but tensions remained palpable. There would be no repeat of the strained atmosphere that characterized the earlier Bodyline clashes.
Douglas Jardine, the architect of the Bodyline tactics, had largely retired from the game by 1934, and Gubby Allen took over as England captain. A key figure was missing from the squad: Harold Larwood, who had taken a remarkable 119 wickets that English summer but refused to apologize for his role in Bodyline. Bill Voce, Larwood’s partner in pace, did make the trip after Allen convinced him to seek redemption. (Larwood later declined an offer to cover the tour as a journalist for the Sunday Dispatch.)
Allen’s touring party of 17 included stars like Wally Hammond, Hedley Verity, Maurice Leyland, Les Ames, and George Duckworth, alongside a baggage man and team manager. Len Hutton was deemed too young for selection, while Herbert Sutcliffe was considered past his prime.
The series began with England surprisingly winning the first two Tests, putting Bradman under intense scrutiny. The Australian captain was facing questions about his leadership and form, compounded by a deeply personal tragedy: the recent death of his infant son just six weeks before the series began. “In the lives of young parents, there can scarcely be a sadder moment,” Bradman later wrote in his autobiography, Farewell to Cricket.
Neville Cardus, reporting for the Manchester Guardian, documented the tour in his book, Australian Summer. Duncan Hamilton’s The Great Romantic recounts Cardus advising Allen the night before the third Test: “For heaven’s sake clinch the rubber at once. Bradman cannot go on like this much longer.”
Cardus’s prediction proved accurate. The third Test, played in Melbourne, saw conditions heavily influenced by the weather. Late on the first day, and continuing into the second, thick rain created a treacherous “sticky dog” pitch. Bradman, declaring at 200 for nine, aimed to exploit the conditions, instructing his bowlers to target the edges of the bat and pulling his close catchers back to the boundary. The next day was scheduled as a rest day with a forecast for sunshine, but Allen gambled on trying to bowl Australia out again, allowing England to bat on and on, reaching 76 for nine.
Bradman then masterfully turned the tables. He feigned ignorance of Allen’s declaration, subtly delaying the game by sending umpires to the English dressing room for confirmation, eating up valuable minutes. He then sent in his tail-enders to protect his top order, ensuring Australia wouldn’t have to bat again before the close of play. Just 18 balls were bowled before bad light brought an end to the day, with 13 wickets having fallen in just three hours – a pivotal moment in the series.
When play resumed in front of over 87,000 spectators at the MCG, Bradman eventually came to the crease with Australia leading by 221. He went on to score 270, sharing a world-record sixth-wicket partnership of 346 with Jack Fingleton, setting England a daunting target of 689. England never came close.
Allen had been outmaneuvered by a tactical genius. His confidence shattered, he disparaged his own players in letters home, labeling Voce a “fat pig” and complaining about the sacrifices required for the matches.
Bradman continued his dominance in Adelaide, scoring a brilliant 212 in 437 minutes to secure a 148-run victory and level the series. He then sealed the comeback with a commanding 169 in the final Test, leading Australia to an innings and 200-run win.
In 2001, Wisden.com recognized Bradman’s 270 as the greatest innings of all time, surpassing Brian Lara’s 153 not out against Australia and Graham Gooch’s 154 against the West Indies.
Cardus, now captivated by Australia, summarized the series, stating, “The failure, as Australians realistically perceived and as they frankly stated – though in different words, was, at the pinch, a failure as much of character as of technique.”
Bradman remained undefeated as captain throughout his illustrious career.
