English cricket team in Australia in 1978–79
The England cricket team toured Australia in the 1978–79 season to play a six-match Test series against Australia for The Ashes. England won the series 5-1, thereby retaining The Ashes.
This series was often over shadowed by Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket which meant many players from both sides were absent, including Greg Chappell. Australia were more handicapped which opened the way for England and their captain Mike Brearley.[1] The side was managed by Doug Insole, Ken Barrington assistant-manager/coach and physiotherapist Bernard Thomas was given credit as the prime reason for England's supreme fitness.[2]
Test series summary[]
Note: Each over consists of 8 balls.
First Test[]
1-6 December 1978
Scorecard |
Australia
|
v
|
England
|
116 (37.7 overs)
RM Hogg 36 (67) RGD Willis 4/44 (14 overs) |
286 (95.4 overs)
DW Randall 75 (196) RM Hogg 6/74 (28 overs) | |
339 (116.6 overs)
KJ Hughes 129 (411) RGD Willis 3/69 (27.6 overs) |
170/3 (53.5 overs)
DW Randall 74* (175) RM Hogg 1/35 (12.5 overs) |
- Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
- 4 December was taken as a rest day.
- JA Maclean and RM Hogg (Aus) made their Test debut.
Second Test[]
15-20 December 1978
Scorecard |
England
|
v
|
Australia
|
309 (117.5 overs)
DI Gower 102 (221) RM Hogg 5/65 (30.5 overs) |
190 (66.5 overs)
PM Toohey 81* (184) RGD Willis 5/44 (18.5 overs) | |
208 (66.3 overs)
DW Randall 45 (65) RM Hogg 5/57 (17 overs) |
- Australia won the toss and elected to field.
- 18 December was taken as a rest day.
Third Test[]
29 December 1978 - 3 January 1979
Scorecard |
Australia
|
v
|
England
|
143 (63.6 overs)
DI Gower 29 (48) RM Hogg 5/30 (17 overs) | ||
167 (71.2 overs)
KJ Hughes 48 (142) JE Emburey 3/30 (21.2 overs) |
179 (67 overs)
DI Gower 49 (128) RM Hogg 5/36 (17 overs) |
- Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
- 31 December was taken as a rest day.
- AR Border made his Test debut.
Fourth Test[]
6–11 January 1979
Scorecard |
England
|
v
|
Australia
|
152 (52.6 overs)
IT Botham 59 (108) AG Hurst 5/28 (10.6 overs) |
||
346 (146.6 overs)
DW Randall 150 (498) JD Higgs 5/148 (59.6 overs) |
111 (49.2 overs)
AR Border 45* (115) JE Emburey 4/46 (17.2 overs) |
- England won the toss and elected to bat.
- 9 January was taken as a rest day.
Fifth Test[]
27 January - 1 February 1979
Scorecard |
England
|
v
|
Australia
|
169 (40.4 overs)
IT Botham 74 (97) RM Hogg 4/26 (10.4 overs) |
||
360 (142.6 overs)
RW Taylor 97 (300) AG Hurst 4/97 (37 overs) |
160 (67 overs)
KJ Hughes 46 (176) M Hendrick 3/19 (14 overs) |
- Australia won the toss and elected to field.
- 30 January was taken as a rest day
- PH Carlson and KJ Wright (Aus) made their Test debut.
Sixth Test[]
10-14 February 1979
Scorecard |
Australia
|
v
|
England
|
198 (60.7 overs)
GN Yallop 121 (212) IT Botham 4/57 (9.7 overs) |
308 (103 overs)
GA Gooch 74 (136) JD Higgs 4/69 (30 overs) | |
35/1 (10.2 overs)
JM Brearley 20* (30) JD Higgs 1/12 (5 overs) |
- Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
- 13 February was taken as a rest day.
- AMJ Hilditch (Aus) made his Test debut.
One Day Internationals (ODIs)[]
Australia won the series 2-1, with one match abandoned and one no result.
Note: Each over consists of 8 balls.
1st ODI[]
2nd ODI[]
13 January 1979
Scorecard |
Australia
17/1 (7.2 overs) |
v
|
England
|
- England won the toss and elected to field.
- AR Border, PH Carlson and JA Maclean (all AUS) and RW Tolchard (ENG) made their ODI debuts.
3rd ODI[]
24 January 1979
Scorecard |
Australia
101 (33.5 overs) |
v
|
England
102/3 (28.2 overs) |
- Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
- AMJ Hilditch and RM Hogg (both AUS), and DL Bairstow (ENG) made their ODI debuts.
4th ODI[]
4 February 1979
Scorecard |
England
212/6 (40 overs) |
v
|
Australia
215/6 (38.6 overs) |
PM Toohey 54* (55)
JK Lever 3/51 (7 overs) |
- Australia won the toss and elected to field.
- KJ Wright (AUS) made his ODI debut.
5th ODI[]
7 February 1979
Scorecard |
England
94 (31.7 overs) |
v
|
Australia
95/4 (21.5 overs) |
JM Brearley 46 (112)
GJ Cosier 3/22 (7 overs) |
- Australia won the toss and elected to field.
Annual reviews[]
References[]
- ^ The Ashes by Dean Haynes
- ^ "England in Australia, 1978-79". Wisden. John Wisden & Co / ESPN Cricinfo. 1980.
Further reading[]
- Chris Harte, A History of Australian Cricket, Andre Deutsch, 1993
External links[]
- "England in Australia, 1978-79". Wisden. John Wisden & Co / ESPN Cricinfo. 1980.
- "Statistics: England tour of Australia, 1978-79". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
- CricketArchive tour itinerary (subscription required)
- 1978 in Australian cricket
- 1978 in English cricket
- 1978–79 Australian cricket season
- 1979 in Australian cricket
- 1979 in English cricket
- English cricket tours of Australia
- International cricket competitions from 1975–76 to 1980
- The Ashes