English cricket team in Australia in 1978–79

The England cricket team toured Australia in the 1978–79 season to play a six-match Test series against Australia for The Ashes. England won the series 5-1, thereby retaining The Ashes.

This series was often over shadowed by Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket which meant many players from both sides were absent, including Greg Chappell. Australia were more handicapped which opened the way for England and their captain Mike Brearley.[1] The side was managed by Doug Insole, Ken Barrington assistant-manager/coach and physiotherapist Bernard Thomas was given credit as the prime reason for England's supreme fitness.[2]

Test series summary

Note: Each over consists of 8 balls.

First Test
1-6 December 1978
Scorecard
v
116 (37.7 overs)
RM Hogg 36 (67)
RGD Willis 4/44 (14 overs)
286 (95.4 overs)
DW Randall 75 (196)
RM Hogg 6/74 (28 overs)
339 (116.6 overs)
KJ Hughes 129 (411)
RGD Willis 3/69 (27.6 overs)
170/3 (53.5 overs)
DW Randall 74* (175)
RM Hogg 1/35 (12.5 overs)
England won by 7 wickets
The Gabba, Brisbane
Umpires: RA French and MG O'Connell
Player of the match: DW Randall (Eng)
  • Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
  • 4 December was taken as a rest day.
  • JA Maclean and RM Hogg (Aus) made their Test debut.

Second Test
15-20 December 1978
Scorecard
v
309 (117.5 overs)
DI Gower 102 (221)
RM Hogg 5/65 (30.5 overs)
190 (66.5 overs)
PM Toohey 81* (184)
RGD Willis 5/44 (18.5 overs)
208 (66.3 overs)
DW Randall 45 (65)
RM Hogg 5/57 (17 overs)
161 (46.1 overs)
GM Wood 64 (168)
JK Lever 4/28 (8.1 overs)
England won by 166 runs
WACA Ground, Perth
Umpires: RC Bailhache and TF Brooks
Player of the match: RM Hogg (Aus)
  • Australia won the toss and elected to field.
  • 18 December was taken as a rest day.

Third Test
29 December 1978 - 3 January 1979
Scorecard
v
258 (89.1 overs)
GM Wood 100 (283)
G Miller 3/35 (19 overs)
143 (63.6 overs)
DI Gower 29 (48)
RM Hogg 5/30 (17 overs)
167 (71.2 overs)
KJ Hughes 48 (142)
JE Emburey 3/30 (21.2 overs)
179 (67 overs)
DI Gower 49 (128)
RM Hogg 5/36 (17 overs)
Australia won by 103 runs
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Umpires: RA French and MG O'Connell
Player of the match: GM Wood (Aus)
  • Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
  • 31 December was taken as a rest day.
  • AR Border made his Test debut.

Fourth Test
6–11 January 1979
Scorecard
v
152 (52.6 overs)
IT Botham 59 (108)
AG Hurst 5/28 (10.6 overs)
294 (108 overs)
WM Darling 91 (200)
RGD Willis 2/33 (9 overs)
346 (146.6 overs)
DW Randall 150 (498)
JD Higgs 5/148 (59.6 overs)
111 (49.2 overs)
AR Border 45* (115)
JE Emburey 4/46 (17.2 overs)
England won by 93 runs
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Umpires: RC Bailhache and RA French
Player of the match: DW Randall (Eng)
  • England won the toss and elected to bat.
  • 9 January was taken as a rest day.

Fifth Test
27 January - 1 February 1979
Scorecard
v
169 (40.4 overs)
IT Botham 74 (97)
RM Hogg 4/26 (10.4 overs)
164 (53.4 overs)
GM Wood 35 (117)
IT Botham 4/42 (11.4 overs)
360 (142.6 overs)
RW Taylor 97 (300)
AG Hurst 4/97 (37 overs)
160 (67 overs)
KJ Hughes 46 (176)
M Hendrick 3/19 (14 overs)
England won by 205 runs
Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
Umpires: RC Bailhache and MG O'Connell
Player of the match: IT Botham (Eng)
  • Australia won the toss and elected to field.
  • 30 January was taken as a rest day
  • PH Carlson and KJ Wright (Aus) made their Test debut.

Sixth Test
10-14 February 1979
Scorecard
v
198 (60.7 overs)
GN Yallop 121 (212)
IT Botham 4/57 (9.7 overs)
308 (103 overs)
GA Gooch 74 (136)
JD Higgs 4/69 (30 overs)
143 (61.1 overs)
B Yardley 61* (147)
G Miller 5/44 (27.1 overs)
35/1 (10.2 overs)
JM Brearley 20* (30)
JD Higgs 1/12 (5 overs)
England won by 9 wickets
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Umpires: AR Crafter and DG Weser
Player of the match: GN Yallop (Aus)
  • Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
  • 13 February was taken as a rest day.
  • AMJ Hilditch (Aus) made his Test debut.

One Day Internationals (ODIs)

Australia won the series 2-1, with one match abandoned and one no result.

Note: Each over consists of 8 balls.

1st ODI
26 December 1978
Scorecard
v

2nd ODI
13 January 1979
Scorecard
Australia 
17/1 (7.2 overs)
v
WM Darling 7* (32)
CM Old 1/5 (3.2 overs)

3rd ODI
24 January 1979
Scorecard
Australia 
101 (33.5 overs)
v
 England
102/3 (28.2 overs)
GM Wood 28 (66)
M Hendrick 4/25 (8 overs)
G Boycott 39* (107)
G Dymock 1/16 (6 overs)
England won by 7 wickets
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Umpires: AR Crafter and CE Harvey
Player of the match: M Hendrick (ENG)

4th ODI
4 February 1979
Scorecard
England 
212/6 (40 overs)
v
 Australia
215/6 (38.6 overs)
DI Gower 101* (100)
G Dymock 2/31 (8 overs)
PM Toohey 54* (55)
JK Lever 3/51 (7 overs)
Australia won by 4 wickets
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Umpires: RC Bailhache and DG Weser
Player of the match: DI Gower (ENG)
  • Australia won the toss and elected to field.
  • KJ Wright (AUS) made his ODI debut.

5th ODI
7 February 1979
Scorecard
England 
94 (31.7 overs)
v
 Australia
95/4 (21.5 overs)
JM Brearley 46 (112)
GJ Cosier 3/22 (7 overs)
GM Wood 30 (38)
RGD Willis 2/16 (5 overs)
Australia won by 6 wickets
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Umpires: RC Bailhache and DG Weser
Player of the match: G Dymock (AUS)
  • Australia won the toss and elected to field.

Annual reviews

References
  1. The Ashes by Dean Haynes
  2. "England in Australia, 1978-79". Wisden. John Wisden & Co / ESPN Cricinfo. 1980.

Further reading
  • Chris Harte, A History of Australian Cricket, Andre Deutsch, 1993
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