Re: Greatest Ashes innings
Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2014 10:56 amCompton's 145 not out at OT during the 1948 test:
In grim conditions, no other England batsman in the first innings made it past 40. Compton wore many short balls as Ray Lindwall in particular targeted the batsmen's heads, a nasty top edge off a no ball went rocketing into Compton's forehead gashing open his head and forcing to leave the field retired not out. In the same innings *modded* Pollard famously had to be carried of the field on a stretcher having taken a full toss to the ribs.
England refused to let Compton come back at the fall of the next wicket. By the time he was viewed fit enough to resume batting England were struggling at a near terminal 119 for 5. Denis formed partnerships of 75 with Godfrey Evans for the 8th and 121 with Alec Bedser for the 9th as he brought England back from the brink mixing resolute defence with crunching drives and hooks - 16 sixes in all.
By the end of the innings he had batted for over five hours and taken England to 363 with one of the best innings seen at the time.
In grim conditions, no other England batsman in the first innings made it past 40. Compton wore many short balls as Ray Lindwall in particular targeted the batsmen's heads, a nasty top edge off a no ball went rocketing into Compton's forehead gashing open his head and forcing to leave the field retired not out. In the same innings *modded* Pollard famously had to be carried of the field on a stretcher having taken a full toss to the ribs.
England refused to let Compton come back at the fall of the next wicket. By the time he was viewed fit enough to resume batting England were struggling at a near terminal 119 for 5. Denis formed partnerships of 75 with Godfrey Evans for the 8th and 121 with Alec Bedser for the 9th as he brought England back from the brink mixing resolute defence with crunching drives and hooks - 16 sixes in all.
By the end of the innings he had batted for over five hours and taken England to 363 with one of the best innings seen at the time.