The Ashes: Reliving the infamous Bodyline saga

#4 Larwood's in the house

Harold Larwood's lethal pace compounded Australia's woes

The much anticipated series commenced on December 2nd at Sydney. The ground was almost full by 11:45 am with only a few vacant spots available on the hill.

Bill Woodfull won the toss and chose to bat on what appeared to be a wicket on the slower side. Larwood started proceedings with four slips and one short-leg. The first four balls were on the good-length, the fifth was faster and straighter and then, in the final ball of his first over, Larwood let one go. It was fast and pitched short of good-length. It missed Woodfull's head by inches. That signaled the start of the most famous battle in cricket's history. Voce, at the other end, had no such inhibition and he started with unadulterated leg-theory, without even one fielder in the slips.

Woodfull's first attempt at hooking a bouncer led to his downfall and Fingleton, the man who replaced him, was greeted with a barrage of short-pitch stuff from Larwood. Only 30-odd runs were scored in the first hour. In Larwood's second spell, he added one fielder to the leg side but success eluded him.

After lunch Larwood moved one more fielder to the leg-side leaving only one man in the slip cordon. Ponsford's attempt to turn a good-length ball to the leg led to the cartwheeling of his leg stump. Kippax joined Fingleton but both of them didn't last long. They were mentally undone by a barrage of short-pitch stuff and, as a result, gave away their wickets to perfectly decent good-length bowling.

Vic Richardson (grandfather of the famous Chappell brothers) joined Stan McCabe and they batted gallantly against the somewhat intimidating bowling. They added 129 precious runs before Richardson was dismissed by Voce with the second new ball.

Oldfield didn't last long but Grimmett, following the wicket-keeper in the batting order, batted bravely to remain not out at the end of the first day. McCabe, meanwhile, had reached his century- one of the best in the history of Ashes cricket.