The decade of the 1950s in Australian cricket takes us from the end of the 'Bradman Era' through to the beginning of the 'Benaud Era'. The game went through many trials and tribulations, there were issues of captaincy, losses in three consecutive 'Ashes' campaigns, allegations of 'doctored' pitches, controversy over illegal bowling actions and the advent of television coverage.The 1950s was the decade where Australia ventured beyond its traditional boundaries, for the first time making visits to the West Indies (1955) then India & Pakistan (1956 and 1959/60). By the end of the decade, Australia had played official matches in every corner of the cricket world. In an era when players were also expected to hold down full time employment, Australia made eight overseas tours!New heroes emerged; Harvey, Benaud, Davidson, Simpson, Sobers and Trueman would soon become household names as cricket strove to maintain its popularity as the ‘King’ of summer games in Australia.
Looks back at the game's most contentious issue - illegal bowling actions - played out with the dramatic no balling of the affable Ian Meckiff. Umpire Colin Egar speaks publicly for the first time on the reasons behind his decision to make the fateful call.
Cricket In The '70s - The Chappell Era: The 1970's turned out to be the most tumultuous period in the history of Test Cricket. It was a period of great controversy, but it was also a period of great cricket and great players! Names such as CHAPPELL, WALTERS, MARSH, LILLEE, THOMSON, SOBERS, LLOYD, RICHARDS, GREIG, SNOW, UNDERWOOD and WILLIS reflect on the cricket, the characters and the controversies that shaped the destiny of this unique game that is a national pastime. Those old enough to remember will never forget the infamous Snow/Jenner incident, Greg Chappell's century on debut, Gary Sobers' classic 254, the pace and fire of Lillee and 'Thommo' as well as Doug Walters hitting a six off the last ball of a day’s play to bring up his century! Cricket in the 70's - The Chappell Era is a rollicking jaunt down memory lane for those that want to remember and for those that want to learn more about a remarkable period that ultimately changed the way the game of cricket was played in the future.
Cricket In The '80s - Rookies, Rebels And Renaissance: This is the next instalment in ABC-TV's highly successful 'Cricket History Series', focusing on the turmoil that beset Australian cricket during the decade of the 1980s. Tremors of varying intensity shook Australia's national pastime to its very foundation. The schism caused by the World Series Cricket revolution in the late '70s, the rise and dominance of world cricket by the West Indies, the simultaneous retirements of Greg Chappell, Dennis Lillee and Rod Marsh followed closely by the defection of sixteen players to play cricket in isolated apartheid South Africa in return for lucrative financial inducements saw Australian cricket slump to possibly the lowest point in its once illustrious history. The way Australian cricket coped with this adversity, slowly recovered and eventually triumphed by the end of the decade is a tribute primarily to the character and resolve of two men, Captain and premier batsman, Allan Border as well as Manager and Coach, Bob Simpson.
