The Victory Tests

Cover; Title page; Contents; Dedication; Chapter One -- Adelaide One; Chapter Two -- Lord's, May 21 1945; Chapter Three -- Lichfield, Staffordshire, Wartime; Chapter Four -- No Mere Gladiators; the summers of 1943 and 1944; Chapter Five -- Eastbourne, Spring 1945; Chapter Six -- Lord's, May 19 and 22 1945; Chapter Seven -- The Teams; Chapter Eight -- Between the First and Second Tests; Chapter Nine -- Second Test, Bramall Lane, June 23, 25 and 26 1945; Chapter Ten -- Amateurs and Professionals; Chapter Eleven -- Third Test, Lord's, July 14, 16 and 17, 1945; Chapter Twelve -- Sent to Coventry.;One minute before 7pm on Tuesday, May 22, 1945 a packed Lord's roared as Australia beat England in the last over of the first Victory Test. A fortnight after Victory in Europe, the result did not matter - only the cricket. The five matches between a near full-strength England and Australian servicemen, at least one of whom had just been released from a PoW camp, drew huge crowds. Great cricketers played on both sides: Len Hutton, Wally Hammond, Keith Miller, Lindsay Hassett. Everyone hailed the spirit of sportsmanship. Even the result - a 2-2 draw - was satisfying. Yet this story is forgotten.