Top News

There are some moments on the cricket field, which are written in the pages of history with golden letters. A Test match played in 1964 at the Old Trafford ground in Manchester is one such unforgettable chapter, where Australian veteran Bob Simpson scored a triple century and mesmerized the cricket lovers. It was not just a record, but a story that gave new dimensions to passion and dedication to cricket. Come, let us know this exciting match and the saga of Bob Simpson’s captaincy.

Old Trafford’s historic match

The fourth match of the Test series was played between Australia and England in Old Trafford, Manchester from 23 to 28 July 1964. Australian captain Bob Simpson won the toss and decided to bat first, which proved to be the most memorable decision of his career. Starting the innings with Bill Laurie, Simpson shared a brilliant 201 runs for the first wicket. Laurie scored 106 runs in 313 balls, but Simpson continued batting at the crease. After this, a 219 -run partnership for the fifth wicket with Brian Booth (98) brought Australia to a huge score of 656/8, after which the innings was declared.

Simpson’s innings of 311 runs was historic. He batted for 762 minutes while facing 743 balls, including 23 fours and a six. This innings was not only the largest in Manchester’s Test history, but it was also the only triple century. For England, John Price took three wickets, while Fred Rumsey and Tom Carterit took two wickets each.

England’s answer and match towards draw

England’s innings did not start well. For 15 runs, John Edrich (6) wicket fell, but captain Ted Deyxter and Geoff Boycott handled the team by partnering 111 runs for the second wicket. Boycott was dismissed by 58 runs, but Dexter shared a 246 -run partnership for the third wicket with Kane Barrington. Dexter scored 174 and Barrington scored 256 runs, leading England score 611 runs. For Australia, Graham McKenzie took seven wickets, while Tom Weavers took three wickets. Australia scored four runs in two overs in the second innings, and ended at the match.

The biggest innings on the Manchester ground

Old Trafford’s ground has been a witness to many historical innings. Bob Simpson’s 311 runs score is the highest individual score of this ground. This is followed by the names of Ken Barrington (256, 1964), Joe Root (254, 2016), Gordon Greenies (223, 1984), and Steve Smith (211, 2019). These figures reflect the specialty of the pitch of this ground, which is considered a paradise for the batsmen.

Australian cricket ‘protector’

Bob Simpson was not only a batsman, but a true hero of Australian cricket. The Australian team was going through a difficult period after Richie Benno’s sannyas and veterans like Harvey and Alan Davidson left in 1963-64. In such a situation, Simpson took over the captaincy and gave a new direction to the team. Simpson, who started captaincy with only 1,246 runs and 22 wickets in 23 Tests, led Australia in the remaining 39 Tests of his career. Under his captaincy, Australia won many memorable victories, and came to be called the ‘protector’ of Australian cricket.

An inspirational heritage

Bob Simpson’s story is not only of runs and records, but leadership, passion, and dedication. Manchester’s triple century innings is still a source of inspiration for cricket lovers. This innings not only reflects the talent of a player, but also shows that the impossible can also be achieved by determination and hard work.