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Historical footage: Impressions of some greats

NotMcKenzie

International Debutant
Found two films from the West Indies tour to Australia in 1960/61

Third Test, Final Day; shows the Australians falling to the spin of Gibbs and Valentine to give the West Indies their only victory in the series, by a margin of 222 runs (over a side led by Benaud, no less)

Fourth test, fourth day; shows the end of the West Indies' second innings to set Australia a target of 460. Also shows Des Hoare bowling in his only test.

Fifth test, first day, the first 300 feet of 16 mm film, apparently. And an interesting passage of play at 6:33.
 
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a massive zebra

International Captain
A documentary on Sydney Barnes. Not much actual footage but it does feature interviews with some of his contemporary cricket legends.

 

andmark

International Captain
Thanks for bringing the thread up AMZ. It's one of the better threads on the forum and always produces a decent watch.
 

NotMcKenzie

International Debutant
In spite of the title, this is in fact the Tied Test of 1960. The film, with sound, features a good amount of nice attacking strokes from both sides' batsmen, particularly from Sobers, and also a good beamer from Wes Hall at 7.04.




(It is entirely possible this had been posted before, but whatever)
 

NotMcKenzie

International Debutant
And somebody has posted an hour and a half of highlights of the test, although I suspect the video (along with those of three of the other tests) will be removed sooner rather than later:

 

NotMcKenzie

International Debutant
Bringing this thread back from the grave, I have found some videos uploaded last year showing the only footage I've seen of the Fifth Test of the 1958/59 Ashes at the MCG. They are home movies, so the quality is a bit on the low side, but they are in colour and generally from good angles, which compensates.


Shows Trueman, Tyson, Bailey, Laker, Davidson, Lindwall, Meckiff (whose first delivery filmed at 6:08 passes spectacularly wide of the return crease) and Rorke (showing clearly how tiny his runup was). Much of the footage is slowed, and one can get a good look at classical fast-bowling actions and some chucking. Also Bailey's golden duck (at 4:45, c. Davidson b. Lindwall) in the first innings (the footage is out of order as the toss is show half-way through); the delivery meant Lindwall tied Grimmett for the Australian wickets record. Benaud is also obvious from his celebration at gully.



Shows the Trueman and Tyson bowling at the end of the match. This footage is generally at a low frame rate and rather poorly preserved. Interestingly, following the 58/59 footage is b&w film from 50/51, with shots of Johnson, Iverson, Johnston and Miller.
 

Immenso

International Vice-Captain
Ah, this thread reminds me of some footage I found when making a video.

On: https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/collections/catalogue/catalogue-item?record_id=86624

There is footage of Australia v Waikato from Australia's non-test tour of 1950. Showing an unrecognisable Seddon Park, among other things. But was wondering if it has footage of a young Alan Davidson?, 3 years before his test debut, at 11:22 of the video. (Or is it some unknown Waikato bowler ...?) I actually can't tell which team is batting or bowling, but assuming it is Davidson from the bowling action. Can anyone confirm that?
Most of the Waikato bowlers don't have a proper cricket archive profiles describing what arm they bowl with.

Here is the score card: https://archive.nzc.nz/Scorecards/131/131647.html

The match is a non-FC status match. It is 7 years before Northern Districts cricket association was formed. Waikato are a minor association (equivalent of minor county) who now make up part of the major association ND. Similar to Windward Islands Leeward Islands etc in a West Indies context.
 
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HookShot

U19 Vice-Captain
When I first saw the shot in this video I can remember laughing out loud because it was so taking the piss.

Basically Knotty takes a good-length ball on the off stump from Jeff Thomson to hit it for 6 over long-off with an impossible in-inside-out swipe at the ball.

Thomson is left standing there with his hands on hips, fuming.

A young looking Botham is at the non-strikers end, so it must have been 1977.


 

Immenso

International Vice-Captain
From the same film:

The guy has also taken film of some tests from Australia, which are not identified or acknowledged by the archivists.

At 24:41 in the video, it starts showing a test from the MCG. I assume it is Ashes. I think it may be 1954/55 series, I think I see Frank Tyson's action?
Side on footage. Good view of runups and bowling actions of the quicks. But unfortunately part of bannister obscure part of the pitch.
When some of the slow bowlers are on, he has the camera in a position with unobstructed view.
He shows the moment the winning team run and grab stumps, but is a hard edit just before that, so don't see the actual final wicket.

Then at 29:01 there is footage of a test match from SCG. (great panorama panning shot of the stadium as it was at the time).
Excellent side-on footage of the match from this part of the film.

I can't tell who is bowling. But it possibly includes Miller, Lindwall, ( no left arm quick, so not Davidson), or maybe Statham, Tyson etc ?

It it is the 1954/55 series. There are 2 tests at Sydney. Probably can identify the match by whether Keith Miller is bowling or not (as he only played one of them). I have a feeling it is Miller that the guys films for about 3 or 4 delivers in succession.
Or if anyone recognises Trevor Bailey bowling? Then it is 2nd test.
 
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AndrewB

International Vice-Captain
When I first saw the shot in this video I can remember laughing out loud because it was so taking the piss.

Basically Knotty takes a good-length ball on the off stump from Jeff Thomson to hit it for 6 over long-off with an impossible in-inside-out swipe at the ball.

Thomson is left standing there with his hands on hips, fuming.

A young looking Botham is at the non-strikers end, so it must have been 1977.


Presumably the Trent Bridge Test, at which Knott was caught at third man by Ian Davis for 135.
 

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