Bodyline Test match in 1933 against England makes Adelaide Oval the angry centre of international tension

The News in Adelaide captures the drama of the Bodyline Test match against England at Adelaide Oval in 1933.

The Bodyline Test at Adelaide Oval in 1933 attracted international attention and a record Saturday crowd of 50,962 and total attendance of 174,351 saw England defeat Australia by 338 runs.

The blows to Australian captain Bill Woodfull and Bert Oldfield, and the employment of the bodyline field brought accusations of “unsporting” English behaviour.

Two years earlier, Don Bradman had scored the oval’s highest Test score, 229 not out, against South Africa. In the same game, South Australia’s Clarrie Grimmett collected 14 wickets (7/116 and 7/83), the most in a Test match at the ground, in the Australia’s 10-wicket win.

A year before he moved to live in Adelaide, Don Bradman went into the third 1932-33 Test against England at the oval with a batting average at the time that was twice that of all other world-class batsmen.

The English, captained by Douglas Jardine, decided to bowl at the body of the batsman, hoping it would limit the ability to score runs and that, when the batsman defended himself, the deflected ball could be caught by one of several fielders close by.

On the second day of the Test, the big crowd ball saw English bowler Harold Larwood hit Australian captain Bill Woodfull over his heart. Play was halted and the English team used the opportunity to move their fielders into position to maximise the effects of bodyline bowling. The spectators became angry.

Woodfull remained at the crease and went on to score 73 not out. Bert Oldfield wasn't so lucky, sustaining a fractured skull after wearing a hostile Harold Larwood delivery.

On the third day, mounted police patrolled the oval to keep the 50,962 spectators (a record crowd for cricket at the ground) in order.