During a visit to Australia, British comedianSid Jamesmade sport of the fierce bowling technique Australians used at the time to terrorise cricketing nations. (Photo, circa 1972.)
"Bodyline" wasa ruthless cricket tactic originally devisedby the English cricket team in the 1930's Ashes series to try and counter their "Bradman"problem.
Asexplainedin an Australiantelevision series about the since-bannedbowling method:
After the controversial1932-33 Ashes tour of Australia, short-pitched fast bowling persisted but was no longer called Bodyline due to rule changes.
In the mid '70s, proponents of the "bouncer", Aussie cricketerDenis Lilleeandfellow pacemanJeff Thomson, became:
Today, theAshesis still just as keenly contested.
Bill McAuley's 40-plus-year news career began in 1969 as a cadet photographer at 'The Age' in Melbourne.
He has several publishedcollections, including 'Portraits of the Soul: A lifetime of images with Bill McAuley' and 'Last light on Victoria Dock, 1999'. To see more from Bill, clickhere.
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