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Cricket is an old sport with morals and values as a high state of the game. It is known for its gentlemanly gameplay and fair play but sometimes the game slips and or the rules get bent.
In the summer of 1932-33 an infamous thing happened in cricket called Bodyline.
It was a cricket test series between Australia and England. This test series sparked a controversy that had some major consequences & even threatened to damage the relations between the two countries and tarnish the reputation of the game which has lasted up to now.
The cause was an interesting bowling tactic thought up by the English captain, Douglas Jardine, to slow, hurt or get out Australia’s star player, Don Bradman. The instruction was to get his fast bowlers to deliver short-pitched balls aimed directly at the body of the batsman especially Don Bradman, Jardine would then instruct several fielders close to the leg side to catch any deflections.
The strategy was clever and worked. It was technically known as fast leg theory and the media called it the catchy name of bodyline.
The bodyline idea was seen by lots of people as being immoral or unsporting. It was also called a very dangerous way of playing cricket.
All the Australian batsmen had to face a barrage of lots of balls which if hit them would and could injure them,
Back then safety equipment and technology were limited in this area. No helmets and basic protective gear.
The Australian crowds were angry by this idea as it perceived a lack of sportsmanship from the English team. It lead to the audience booing them every game.
The Australian players were also not happy with the idea of the bodyline tactic.
The tension reached its peak in the third Test match at Adelaide Oval, when a bodyline delivery from Harold Larwood struck the Australian captain, Bill Woodfull, just above the heart. Woodfull refused to leave the field, but was visibly shaken by the blow. The incident sparked an angry exchange between the two teams, and nearly caused a riot among the spectators. The Australian Cricket Board sent a cable to the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which governed English cricket, stating that bodyline was “unsportsmanlike” and “likely to upset friendly relations existing between Australia and England”. The MCC replied that it regretted any ill-feeling caused by bodyline, but defended its legality and effectiveness.
The controversy continued until the end of the series, which England won by four matches to one. Jardine was hailed as a hero in England for regaining the Ashes, but was vilified in Australia for his ruthless tactics. Bradman, who had averaged over 139 runs per innings in the previous series in England, was reduced to 56.57 runs per innings by bodyline, but still managed to score two centuries and top the batting averages for both sides.
The bodyline saga had a lasting impact on cricket and international relations. In 1934, the laws of cricket were amended to limit the number of fielders on the leg side to two behind square leg, effectively making bodyline impossible. The MCC also issued a statement that “any form of bowling which is obviously a direct attack by the bowler upon the batsman would be an offence against the spirit of cricket”. The Australian and English cricket authorities eventually reconciled their differences, but it took several years for the public animosity to subside. Bodyline remains one of the most controversial and fascinating episodes in cricket history.
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