The Ashes: Reliving the infamous Bodyline saga

#3 McCabe's brave resistance

Stan McCabe scored a splendid century against hostile bowling in Sydney

Stan McCabe remained unbeaten on 187 as Australia were dismissed for 360. A great display of fearless and effective batting against high quality fast bowling.

Before lunch on Day 1, McCabe was watching that match from the members' enclosure. He was sitting there with his rather frightened parents. They were worried about the prospect of their son facing that kind of hostile bowling. When his turn to bat came, McCabe pacified his father and told him, " If I get hit, Dad, stop Mum from jumping the fence."

He tamed the intimidating bowling by attacking it with fearless hooks and pulls. After Richardson and Oldfield were dismissed, he only had the bowlers to give him company. He knew that they won't last long against that type of bowling. He still tried to instill confidence in them. When O'Reilly came out to bat, he walked to him and calmly told, " Don't worry about him (Larwood), he's not as fast as he looks- I'll handle him."

The first ball O'Reilly received from Larwood cannoned onto the shoulder of his bat before he could lift it properly. O'Reilly ran through to McCabe and said, " Not so bloody fast, eh? I'll say you can handle him."

The Australian presss celebrated the innings and the fact that he single-handedly lifted Australia's total to a respectable number in the absence of Bradman who didn't play because of his conflicts with the cricket board.

McCabe was a very modest person. At lunch on the rest day (after two days of play), selector 'Chappie' Dwyer remarked jokingly, " I suppose you (McCabe) have a swollen head after reading all that praise in the press." Stan's reply stunned everyone present: " But I have not read the papers. I thought there might be a lot of exaggearted praise in them. It would be better for me not to read."