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Historical footage: Impressions of some greats

NotMcKenzie

International Debutant
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.
It is 1950/51: the bowler at 25:46 with the skipping run-up and windmilling action is clearly Doug Wright, and I reckon that the previous bowler filmed at the same end is Trevor Bailey, with Bedser at the other end. After the innings change, it is Johnson, Iverson and Lindwall.

Preceeding this, at 17:15, is the Otago vs MCC match at Dunedin in 1947, judging by the score of 197 for Sutcliffe and the presence of Voce and Pollard.
 
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Starfighter

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
There is also the 4th test vs England in 1930. The only bowler I can confidently identify is Nichols, the fast bowler bowling towards the camera at four minutes or so.


And from after 3 minutes is some footage, almost entirely from the first day, of the last test in 1954/55. Naturally, the cameras weren't rolling when NZ were bowled out for 26.

 
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the big bambino

International Captain
In the top film I think the bowler just before Nichols is Barratt, though possibly Worthington. Both were bald but I favour it being Barratt as the scorecard shows him bowling just below Nichols. The NZ openers are shown walking out just beforehand. So I think the action is the opening overs of their innings.

Later on you see a scorecard and Worthington's name isn't shown. He was the 6th and last bowler used and hadn't been called upon to that point. So the bowler is most likely Barratt. Of course these old clips tended to jump about timeframes but this one looks fairly orderly to me. At around 4:40 you see another bowler whom I think is Allom judging from his height. Later on you see Woolley's left armers and possibly Bowley's leggies.
 

HookShot

U19 Vice-Captain
There is also the 4th test vs England in 1930. The only bowler I can confidently identify is Nichols, the fast bowler bowling towards the camera at four minutes or so.


And from after 3 minutes is some footage, almost entirely from the first day, of the last test in 1954/55. Naturally, the cameras weren't rolling when NZ were bowled out for 26.

Hi Starfighter. I clicked on those two thinks but cannot see/find any videos. Hints?:)
 

HookShot

U19 Vice-Captain
Here’s some good footage of Sutcliffe and Leyland batting against Larwood and the other Nottingham bowlers. Sutcliffe bats as I would expect by getting behind the line of every ball, but Leyland is obviously a more attacking batsman who seems to be using a very heavy bat judging by his swing. Verity and Bill Bowes look immaculate in their bowling as usual.

 

Brook's side

State Vice-Captain
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)
Absolute quality.

Often when I see really old footage, I'm thinking, are these guys actually genuinely all that good? Would they stand a hope in hell against modern players?

I think this is the earliest one I've seen where I can answer, yes.

Sobers was obviously an incredible bat. I guess that's Wes Hall bowling towards the end? Looks frightening.
 

Burgey

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Absolute quality.

Often when I see really old footage, I'm thinking, are these guys actually genuinely all that good? Would they stand a hope in hell against modern players?

I think this is the earliest one I've seen where I can answer, yes.

Sobers was obviously an incredible bat. I guess that's Wes Hall bowling towards the end? Looks frightening.
Norm O'Neill played an ATG knock int he Tied Test too. @Days of Grace how does it figure in your innings rankings.

And Davo, 11 wickets and 120 runs for the match. WAFG he was.
 

Burgey

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FMD what a game to attend.

It's interesting watching these clips and seeing the leg trap fields which were still being set. I understand the restriction on leg side fielders came about in 1960, but it looks like they had more than that in some of these clips, though it's a bit hard to tell with the limited camera angles.
 

Starfighter

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
FMD what a game to attend.

It's interesting watching these clips and seeing the leg trap fields which were still being set. I understand the restriction on leg side fielders came about in 1960, but it looks like they had more than that in some of these clips, though it's a bit hard to tell with the limited camera angles.
Davidson certainly has more at the end. Mightn't have changed at the same time everywhere. It was '58 in England. Maybe I can dig something up from the 58/59 Ashes.

I know the West Indies refused to play under the front foot no ball rule in '63 against England, implicitly to maintain the advantage of the old rule for their fast bowlers.
 

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