{"id":688061,"date":"2026-01-11T03:04:14","date_gmt":"2026-01-11T03:04:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/688061\/"},"modified":"2026-01-11T03:04:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-11T03:04:14","slug":"englands-art-of-war-ashes-before-bazball-came-bodyline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/688061\/","title":{"rendered":"England’s ‘art of war’ Ashes: Before Bazball came Bodyline"},"content":{"rendered":"

During a visit to Australia, British comedian Sid James<\/a> made sport of the fierce bowling technique Australians used at the time to terrorise cricketing nations. (Photo, circa 1972.)<\/p>\n

“Bodyline<\/a>” was\u00a0a ruthless cricket tactic originally devised\u00a0by the English cricket team in the 1930’s Ashes series to try and counter their “Bradman<\/a>”\u00a0problem.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As explained<\/a> in an Australian\u00a0television series about the since-banned\u00a0bowling method:\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

‘The technique involved bowling the ball directly at the batsman\u2019s body, resulting in many of the Australian team receiving injuries,\u00a0with batsman Bert Oldfield<\/a> sustaining a cracked skull and creating much anger and resentment towards the English team within Australia.’<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

After the controversial 1932-33 Ashes tour of Australia<\/a>, short-pitched fast bowling persisted but was no longer called Bodyline due to rule changes.<\/p>\n

In the mid ’70s, proponents of the “bouncer”, Aussie cricketer Denis Lillee<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0fellow paceman\u00a0Jeff Thomson<\/a>, became:<\/p>\n

\n

‘… the most feared bowling pairing of the era and inflicted great damage on England: rattling the tourists’ batters in the 1974-75 series in Australia…’<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Today, the Ashes<\/a>\u00a0is still just as keenly contested.<\/p>\n

\n

**<\/strong>This photograph is part of an IA series that looks at Australia through the lens of award-winning photojournalist Bill McAuley<\/a>.**<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Bill McAuley<\/a>‘s 40-plus-year news career began in 1969 as a cadet photographer at ‘The Age’ in Melbourne.<\/strong><\/p>\n

He has several published collections<\/a>, including ‘Portraits of the Soul: A lifetime of images with Bill McAuley’ and ‘Last light on Victoria Dock, 1999<\/a>‘. To see more from Bill, click here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tSupport independent journalism Subscribe<\/a>\u00a0to IA.<\/strong>\n\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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