Australian cricket team in England in 1972

The Australian cricket team toured England in the 1972 season to play a five-match Test series against England for the Ashes. The series was drawn 2-2 and England retained the Ashes. As of 2015, it remains the last Ashes series to be drawn. The two sides also played a three-match ODI series, which England won 2–1.

Australian squad

The following squad was selected by Neil Harvey, Sam Loxton and Phil Ridings:

• Batsmen - Ian Chappell (captain), Greg Chappell, Ross Edwards, Bruce Francis, Doug Walters, Paul Sheahan, Keith Stackpole
• Wicket-keepers - Rod Marsh, Brian Taber
• Fast bowlers - Dennis Lillee, Bob Massie, David Colley, Jeff Hammond
• All-rounders - John Inverarity, Graeme Watson
• Spinners - John Gleeson, Ashley Mallett

Controversial omissions from the squad included Bill Lawry, Graham McKenzie and Ian Redpath.

Test series

1st Test

8 – 13 June 1972 Scorecard

England	v	Australia
249 (120.4 overs) Tony Greig 57 (123) David Colley 3/83 (33 overs)		142 (58 overs) Keith Stackpole 53 (85) John Snow 4/41 (20 overs)
234 (86.2 overs) Tony Greig 62 (116) Dennis Lillee 6/66 (30 overs)		252 (85.2 overs) Rod Marsh 91 (111) Tony Greig 4/53 (19.2 overs)

England won by 89 runs Old Trafford, Manchester Umpires: Charlie Elliott (Eng) and Tom Spencer (Eng)

• England won the toss and elected to bat.
• 11 June was taken as a rest day.
• David Colley, Bruce Francis (both Aus) and Tony Greig (Eng) made their Test debuts.

2nd Test

22 – 26 June 1972 Scorecard

England	v	Australia
272 (91.5 overs) Tony Greig 54 (117) Bob Massie 8/84 (32.5 overs)		308 (122.1 overs) Greg Chappell 131 (303) John Snow 5/57 (32 overs)
116 (55.2 overs) Mike Smith 30 (99) Bob Massie 8/53 (27.2 overs)		81/2 (26.5 overs) Keith Stackpole 57* (79) Basil D'Oliveira 1/14 (8 overs)

Australia won by 8 wickets Lord's, London Umpires: David Constant (Eng) and Arthur Fagg (Eng)

• England won the toss and elected to bat.
• 25 June was taken as a rest day.
• Ross Edwards and Bob Massie (both Aus) made their Test debuts.

3rd Test

13 – 18 July 1972 Scorecard

Australia	v	England
315 (118.4 overs) Keith Stackpole 114 (255) John Snow 5/92 (31 overs)		189 (88.3 overs) John Edrich 37 (122) Dennis Lillee 4/35 (29 overs)
324/4d (92 overs) Ross Edwards 170* (290) John Snow 3/94 (24 overs)		290/4 (148 overs) Brian Luckhurst 96 (268) Dennis Lillee 2/40 (25 overs)

Match drawn Trent Bridge, Nottingham Umpires: Dusty Rhodes (Eng) and Tom Spencer (Eng)

• England won the toss and elected to field.
• 16 July was taken as a rest day.

4th Test

27 – 29 July 1972 Scorecard

Australia	v	England
146 (86.5 overs) Keith Stackpole 52 (119) Derek Underwood 4/37 (31 overs)		263 (130.1 overs) Ray Illingworth 57 (252) Ashley Mallett 5/114 (52 overs)
136 (56.1 overs) Paul Sheahan 41* (135) Derek Underwood 6/45 (21 overs)		21/1 (10 overs) Brian Luckhurst 12* (37) Dennis Lillee 1/7 (5 overs)

England won by 9 wickets Headingley, Leeds Umpires: David Constant (Eng) and Charlie Elliott (Eng)

• Australia won the toss and elected to bat.

5th Test

10 – 16 August 1972 Scorecard

England	v	Australia
284 (92.2 overs) Alan Knott 92 (126) Dennis Lillee 5/58 (24.2 overs)		399 (151.5 overs) Ian Chappell 118 (267) Derek Underwood 4/90 (38 overs)
356 (121.2 overs) Barry Wood 90 (216) Dennis Lillee 5/123 (32.2 overs)		242/5 (92.2 overs) Keith Stackpole 79 (163) Tony Greig 2/49 (25.3 overs)

Australia won by 5 wickets The Oval, London Umpires: Arthur Fagg (Eng) and Dusty Rhodes (Eng)

• England won the toss and elected to bat.
• 13 August was taken as a rest day.
• Barry Wood (Eng) made his Test debut.

The series was drawn 2-2, which meant that England retained the Ashes.

ODI series

1st ODI

24 August 1972 Scorecard

Australia  222/8 (55 overs)	v	England 226/4 (49.1 overs)
Ross Edwards 57 (84) Bob Woolmer 3/33 (10 overs)		Dennis Amiss 103 (134) Graeme Watson 2/28 (8 overs)

England won by 6 wickets Old Trafford, Manchester Umpires: Charlie Elliott (Eng) and Dusty Rhodes (Eng) Player of the match: Dennis Amiss (Eng)

• Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
• Ross Edwards, Dennis Lillee, Bob Massie, Paul Sheahan, Graeme Watson (all Aus), Dennis Amiss, Geoff Arnold, Brian Close, Tony Greig and Bob Woolmer (all Eng) made their ODI debuts.
• Dennis Amiss (Eng) recorded the first century in ODI history.

2nd ODI

26 August 1972 Scorecard

England  236/9 (55 overs)	v	Australia 240/5 (51.3 overs)
Alan Knott 50 (50) Ashley Mallett 2/24 (11 overs)		Keith Stackpole 52 (70) John Snow 3/35 (11 overs)

Australia won by 5 wickets Lord's, London Umpires: Arthur Fagg (Eng) and Tom Spencer (Eng) Player of the match: Greg Chappell (Aus)

• Australia won the toss and elected to field.
• David Colley (Aus) made his ODI debut.

3rd ODI

28 August 1972 Scorecard

Australia  179/9 (55 overs)	v	England 180/8 (51.3 overs)
Keith Stackpole 61 (144) Geoff Arnold 4/27 (11 overs)		Geoffrey Boycott 41 (90) Dennis Lillee 3/25 (11 overs)

England won by 2 wickets Edgbaston, Birmingham Umpires: David Constant (Eng) and Alan Oakman (Eng) Player of the match: Barry Wood (Eng)

• England won the toss and elected to field.
• Jeff Hammond (Aus) and Barry Wood (Eng) made their ODI debuts.

References

Annual reviews

• Playfair Cricket Annual 1973
• Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 1973

Further reading

• Bill Frindall, The Wisden Book of Test Cricket 1877-1978, Wisden, 1979

External links

• CricketArchive – tour itineraries

The Ashes
List of Ashes series (white – in England, yellow – in Australia)
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