Bodyline: The science, sportsmanship and politics of the most infamous Ashes cricket series | ABC

Self-confessed cricket tragic Adam Zwar, with the help of biometric scientists, test cricketers past and present, historians and other passionate cricket lovers, breakdown the fast leg theory, and in doing so, discover that it wasn't just cricket that underpinned one of the most controversial moments in Anglo-Australian relations.
Watch the Bradman and Tendulkar documentary: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYKtlqlro7qpmqc
01:13 | What was the bodyline series?
04:00 | Harold Larwood and bodyline
08:00 | How fast did Larwood bowl?
10:00 | Is bodyline cheating?
14:20 | Matthew Hayden on Donald Bradman
18:15 | How to read a bowler
24:00 | Oldfield hit on head by Larwood bowl
28:35 | Media coverage of the bodyline series
34:35 | Body protection in cricket: a history
44:30 | Cricket bats of the 1930s
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[@abcaustralia]

Watch the Bradman and Tendulkar documentary: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYKtlqlro7qpmqc

[@GordonAndrew]

Larwood's bowling speed calculation is inconsistent or incorrect. Nowadays, bowling speed is calculated at the point at which the ball is released. In this doc, Lardwood is underrated because he's measured after the ball hits a dead wicket, AND, after wind resistance has slowed down the ball 20 yards.

[@royw-g3120]

The way Larwood was treated by the MCC is by far the most shameful period in their history. Disgusting trying to make the player carry the can for the effective, but ruthless tactics of his patrician captain. Harwood died a proud aussie.

[@royw-g3120]

Lillee and Thommo roughed up the West Indies in the mid 70s and the fans were gleeful. Clive Lloyd went back to the Caribbean and assembled a pace squad that terrorised world cricket for 15 years. Thanks Australia!

[@BruceLee-sw4ms]

I’m Australian : but I actually admire DRJardine - his captaincy and tactics was very smart. I would have done the same .

[@barbararice6650]

Kick your enemies in the nuts and steal your friends money, that's always been English foreign policy 😐👍

[@vantheman1238]

@@barbararice6650nice generalisation of the English. Jardine wanted to win and beat Australia and Bradman which he did.

[@GG-kc6ie]

​@@vantheman1238staggering how much furore was generated from the last Ashes considering the history of English Cricket. Hardly surprising but very amusing 😂

[@joebowden4065]

@@GG-kc6ietwo wrongs don’t make a right

[@cricketexplained8526]

This was a pretty decent programme. To me it's not the exact number of Larwood's speed that's hugely important, though it's in the range of what I would have guessed. It's his skiddiness, line and accuracy. I simply could not imagine facing that kind of bowler without a helmet, having twigged that his brief was to send them up my nose.

[@mackenshaw8169]

I've got to say I'm very pleasantly surprised by this quality doco from the ABC.

[@steveberwick521]

Both batsman who were hit were batting to a conventional (non bodyline field) Indeed Bertie Oldfield blamed himself for being hit and didn't blame Larwood at all. In effect the Australian Cricket Board were trying to tell a bowler where to pitch the ball.

[@vantheman1238]

Great comment

[@beano1eye]

Correct until Jardine changed the field back to leg theory against Woodfull who was struck a few times on the body until dismissed for 22.@@vantheman1238

[@ianlowery6014]

The film neglects to tell WHY "leg side theory" was banned. After the series in Australia, the West Indies used leg side theory in England, against England. The English crowds were vociferous in their disapproval. When the MCC and the crowds saw bodyline first hand, the fate of bodyline was sealed.

[@infidelhindu]

Incidentally, Jardine made his lone century in that match, successfully resisting leg-theory against Martindale and Constantine. However, seeing them damage other England batsmen sealed it. Essentially, the MCC were a bunch of wusses, who could dish out bodyline to other sides but couldn't take it. I have a lot more respect for Jardine than for his countrymen

[@mattnolan5527]

it wasnt banned

[@juanestadian8471]

@ianlowery6014 I'm not sure legside theory was banned. if it was, it must have been lifted by the 70s and 80s because Lillee and Thommo and then their descendants, the four prong pace attack of the West Indies freely bowled into the rib cage area of batsmen. Personally i think there isn't anything wrong with it. Its up to the batsman to be able to play it. You have a bat in your hand, defend yourself

[@MrDunkiep]

​@@mattnolan5527Fielding restriction was introduced that outlawed a Bodyline field.

[@OldManGamingUK]

You failed to mention that It was also changed because Australia refused to tour England unless the rules were changed.

[@david10101961]

Very interesting to get some first hand insight into the technology and expertise that's available to top international players. And to see what it would be like (even if simulated) to be facing a bowler of Binga or Larwood's pace from 18m away (although I've watched plenty of decent club quicks bowling in the nets, from side on, at maybe 130+ clicks). Looks like the really great batters who have that little extra time to play their shots are able to determine where the ball will pitch just before it leaves the bowler's hand. And always a treat to listen to Matty Hayden, what a gentleman and a terrific ambassador for the game. Great doco, thanks for uploading.

[@davidanderson4091]

24:47 - This injury is pretty much what happened to Natasha Richardson (Liam Neeson's wife) who died after hitting her head in a skiing accident. She seemed OK at first but then complained of a severe headache a couple of hours later. Two days later, she died in a New York hospital.

[@royw-g3120]

Larwood reminds me of Darren Gough, shortish big backside, accelerating run up very smooth.

[@angelacooper2661]

My father was actually born early on during the Bodyline series. Darren Gough, in his autobiography, wrote that he met Larwood in the 1994-95 Ashes series; within months Larwood was dead. Darren Gough is the same age as me!

[@jamesvozar1]

Brilliant doco well done to the host and team who made it, unmissable for cricket die hards.

[@cl5ltd]

A most interesting doco. Growing up with 3 cricket obsessed brothers, our backyard test matches were dangerous to say the least...even taped tennis ball could hurt and windows lived a charmed life.

[@TheMatrrixx]

Hi, are you descendants of the great Harold Larwood?

[@mohitsinha2732]

This vid has multiple B/W clips of the real Larwood in action... He seemed to float/hover on the grass... Smooth like Holding... And u wouldn't need any 3D comp modelling to realise that he was bowling 90mph+ from the carry & trajectory of his deliveries...! For Cricket Connoisseurs... Larwood used to bowl Bodyline @ 145-150kmph (as per 3D comp models based on reels of that era)... And Bradman Averaged 56.25 in Bodyline Series.... So Sunny (Gavaskar) faced 4 Larwoods from WI in 70s/80s besides Thomo/Lillee, Imran/Sarfaraz, Willis... And thus 52 odd batting Avg is very comparable.... BTW... Sunny averaged close to 70 against the Mighty WI hostile bowling with no bouncer restrictions...and made 13 (14?) centuries against them... And his 2nd innings avg was close to 60 overall... All without any helmet and with basic protective gear nearly of Bradman era.... All these armoured helmeted batsmen are kids... Sachin included... U can never compare helmeted & unhelmeted records...

[@EJP286CRSKW]

Sunny had the benefit of the field restrictions behind square leg. Not a valid comparison.

[@harsh0241]

Bradman>Sachin>Gavaskar

[@adriang6259]

Never realised how sweet Larwood's action was. It was actually beautiful to watch. I still think it's a dirty tactic but our guys should have used it too. I can't believe it took a further 40 years to bring in head protection.

[@benjaminshiels1824]

If we had have lowered ourselves to their level they wouldn't have looked as bad as they did! Australia showed amazing character on th field. 👍

[@rar0t0nga]

@@benjaminshiels1824kind of. But Oz couldn’t have retaliated effectively, even if they wanted to- they didn’t have Harold Larwood. Look at the bowlers at Australia’s disposal… Wall, Halcombe, Nash, Alexander… either not fast enough, or not accurate enough. Eddie Gilbert may have been able to bowl Bodyline, he was certainly fast enough by all accounts. But he was never likely to be picked. Bill Voce bowled to the leg trap because he was accurate enough and, as a left armer well over 6”, he created an awkward angle and got steep bounce. Bill Bowes was pretty ineffective - not fast enough. And Allen didn’t bowl it. Sure, it may have been a little uncomfortable for the poms even with Australia’s flimsy fast bowling resources, but nothing like as effective. It was very effective in the hands of Harold Larwood- express pace, extreme accuracy, skiddy and unpredictable bounce. And Oz didn’t have anyone remotely like Harold.

[@barbararice6650]

Short fast balls aren't dirty tactics you, well I can't bring myself to say it 😑

[@michaeldoyle1222]

Larwood was a truly terrifying bowler - perhaps the most terrifying of all time - in terms of his remarkable speed and devastating accuracy.

[@davidcolley7714]

"Rather fail with honour than succeed by fraud" said no Australian cricketer ever. (Sophocles in case you're curious)

[@gezcampbell-smith4806]

A brilliant bowler, Harold Larwood. Devastatingly quick with a beautiful action. He would be picked by any team in any era. The way the MCC scapegoated him was and is an unpardonable disgrace. Jardine, though, spoke with the right accent and played for the right county so was protected. To this day, cricket fans in the UK view the MCC as the antithesis of what cricket and sport stands for.

[@andyburge7358]

You conveniently forget that the injuries to Woodfull and Oldfield were bowled to conventional fields, not bodyline fields. Other than that, a great documentary!

[@sentimentalbloke185]

Then Jardine called in the bodyline field for Woodfull's next ball. That was the point of bodyline: it was like a sword of damocles hanging over the play that Jardine could draw on. English never concede that they can be unsportsmanlike & proceed to blame the victim. Woodfull was both physically brave, & morally brave to resist retaliation. .

[@barbararice6650]

He draws attention to that fact in the show 😐

[@graemeyetts3465]

Excellent piece of work. I'm watching in lieu of the coming Ashes series. From what I understand about the infamous Bodyline series, Bill Woodfull was the true hero, and I'm English. I don't mind being hated by Ausies, it's not mutual.

[@Jesse-B]

Whatever one might say, the Bodyline series immortalised the ashes battle in the Australian psyche, and the English too I suppose.

[@arkamukhopadhyay9111]

Oldfield got hit due to piss poor technique. If memory serves right, it wasn't even a leg theory field at the time. He tried hooking a fast, rising delivery, was too slow, and it deflected off the edge of the bat onto his skull. Of course, the convict mob in the galleries went berserk.

[@sentimentalbloke185]

You don't have a memory, you weren't there. lol Your piss poor comment is predicated on some grainy old newsreel footage.

[@tryarunm]

Enjoyed watching this, even if it did seem to meander a bit after the first 10 minutes. Liked the hosts' presentation and his journey to recreating the exact equipment Bradman and the Australian batsmen would have played with. And the host's willingness to put himself on the line to recreating Bodyline. Would like to know the name of the batsman who hooked Lee for 6.

[@gavinward7352]

Thought exactly the same

[@LeeAlanJohnson75]

The fella at the other end didn't offer much restbite, a left armer from Notts ... Bill Voce

[@OldManGamingUK]

The commenator fails to mention the third test injury to Oldfield was as a result of conventional play and not leg theory. The ball which injured Oldfield was bowled to a conventional, non-bodyline field; Larwood immediately apologised but Oldfield said that it was his own fault before he was helped back to the dressing room and play continued. Oldfield had misjudged the ball and edged it into his own face. This video is deliberately misleading the viewer to think otherwise. Just like the 1984 miniseies Bodyline which did the exact samething, changed history to suit a dramatic narritive.

[@shawnriffhard]

I thought I heard him say exactly that. The fielders (?) weren't set up for bodyline and Oldfield admitted that it ricocheted of his bat, no?

[@foxyjazzbopper]

Brilliant👌👌

[@royw-g3120]

Ashes are getting spicy with Wood bowling some balls at 95+ mph. Not seen that si n c e Lee and Akhtar 15 years ago.

[@jamesvozar1]

You actually got Brett lee, Made by true cricket fans, :)

[@georgehurst8236]

Maté don’t forget about the way Lillee and Thompson bowled. Just as dangerous as Bodyline.

[@sentimentalbloke185]

Tyson & Statham too. Very dangerous. But the objection is to the field setting & the frequency of bouncers that it forced the bowlers to bowl.

[@keithrussell9722]

From an English perspective, Bodyline is a 90 year old Australian Whinge. Consider the following points. 1. No law was broken by Jardine. He directed Larwood's unique combination of pace and accuracy to great effect . 2. The administrators should recognise that they paved the way for Bodyline by loading the game at that time against bowlers, as in pluperfect pitches, no new ball, and a narrow LBW rule. 3..The biggest outrage has always been about Woodfull and Oldfield being hit by Larwood. But both were hit by deliveries bowled to a normal field, NOT Bodyline, and they were simply beaten by Larwood's pace. Moreover, Oldfield was hit by deflecting the ball by his bat onto his head.. 4. I have never heard Australians expressing regret when English batsmen have been hit by Australian quickies eg Lindwall, Miller, Thomson, Lillee, Lee ...In fact, my memory has been Australian crowds urging their heroes on. 5. For all his public criticisms of Bodyline, Bradman unleashed Miller and Lindwall against England after the War when, for the first time he had a pair of hostile fast bowlers (and at a time when he knew that England had no fast bowlers capable of responding), and he openly asked them to bowl bouncers and generally to bowl in a hostile manner. There is a famous occasion when Miller objected to doing this against Edrich. out of respect for Edrich's wartime record.

[@ianlowery6014]

Bodyline is a 90 year old English whinge. The Australians were to blame until the West Indies used bodyline against the Poms in England. Once England saw it instead of hearing about it the end of bodyline was nigh thanks to the English crowds, the English media, and the MCC. The percentage of bouncers used by Lindwall and Miller is small compared with Larwood. If bouncers were as bad as bodyline, they would have been banned too. Just because bodyline uses bouncers does not mean they are the same. I criticise bodyline, I don't criticise bouncers unless used excessively or against tail-enders.

[@mikespearwood3914]

Keith, from my individual Australian perspective...you are 100% correct. Bradman and others exploited an easier era for batting, and several records still stand to this day from this era. Bradman was 100% ruthless when it came to scoring runs, and then he met an opposing captain who was happy to be 100% ruthless in return. Bradman wasn't happy with this, and he came down to earth big time in this series!

[@sentimentalbloke185]

From an Australian perspective, Bodyline is a 90-year old English denial that they could be unsportsmanlike & not overreact to the genius of one opposition player. Time proved Jardine wrong.

[@OldManGamingUK]

​@@sentimentalbloke185how did time prove Jardine wrong? Nothing has changed, to this day you are still allowed to bowl at the batsman body, nothing has changed. The fact is you didn't even acknowledge any of the true facts pointed out to you. You just resorted to your typical Australians are Victims attitude.

[@russe19642]

We're still talking about it

[@IanPaulWright]

Gideon Haigh's tee shirt of The Fall 👍🏻

[@thomasmitchell2964]

Really enjoyed that amazing how the unsportsmanlike issues are still occurring today. Guess they always will and that is what makes the ashes unique Good luck to all me antipodean friends.

[@mrtecsom6951]

Exactly what rules did England forget when bowling legitimate leg theory?

[@benjaminshiels1824]

They forgot civility.

[@Dickie2702]

​@@benjaminshiels1824Bit like you guys did in the 2nd test 2023?

[@matiasavellanal5244]

@@Dickie2702 nah that was johnny being am idiot

[@kennethcrowther2277]

I reckon he was really quick.

[@scottessery100]

i think it proves that the old uns were bloody good back in the day

[@hjce296]

Why didnt the batsmen hook or pull the bodyline deliveries.

[@pauls1883]

In the video Brett Lee’s second delivery is a no ball by a margin of … oh … about 3 feet! WTF?

[@LeeAlanJohnson75]

From my view Australia 🦘 our oldest, deepest friend, whether it be sport, family, conflict, they've always been there for and with us. 🇬🇧🇦🇺

[@zabvza7457]

27:35 is very ironic to watch now

[@inpitlane]

When was this shot? Lee is still faster than most first class fast bowlers around the world and looks like he could walk out and play for Australia tomorrow.

[@aslkdfjhg]

Probably about 10 years ago. You'll see Lee bowling 6ft in front of the crease to match the equivalent speed that Bradman would've faced

[@ahogg5960]

@@aslkdfjhg Also to match the no ball rules of the day. It was a back foot rule that they changed because bowlers were taking the piss

[@rorschackjones]

RIP PHIL HUGHES....😔

[@kennethcrowther2277]

Keep your eye on the ball. Absolutely vital! The only problem is, you have to then react to the ball and decide how to play it. It's all very well to watch it all the way on to your face!

[@shaunwalker2557]

I think the Aussie's and Bradman wanted Larwood to bowl underarm....

[@pauls1883]

1933: England bowling body line. Australian: By Jove! That might not be against the rules, but it’s against the SPIRIT of the game! 2023: Wicketkeeper throws down Johnny Bairstow’s stumps as he wanders out of his crease to garden the pitch. Australian: Nah… Fuckem. It’s in the rule book. 🤔 FYI I am an Australian and I was ashamed with the Bairstow incident.

[@mrtecsom6951]

Well bowled Harold 👍

[@benjaminshiels1824]

"Unsportsmanlike" was an understatement! Smh

[@Dickie2702]

Just like your wicketkeeper and captain in the 2nd test 2023, you can't have it both ways. Both were within the rules as they stood at the time but the spirit of the game was forgotten by both sides.

[@barbararice6650]

Thank you Mr sandpaper man 😐

[@EdwardJWhiting]

What's with the ads, ABC?

[@abcaustralia]

What ads?

[@Geopolitics-qr6yn]

India is also a member of OST

[@abhiabrahamthomas2993]

Does Jardaine look like alan donald?

[@ashokrao2377]

Namaskar brave Australians kudos Don bradman the bravest

[@mondop5270]

Pitches were vastly diff then compared to 2days- dodgy bounce etc.. no helmets and dudes bowling to hit the body. Tough 2 make runs. Love a good cricket doco

[@sentimentalbloke185]

Pitches were notoriously dead flat in that era when a test might go on for 8 days & actually contributed to the formulation of bodyline as bowlers couldn't get much response from the wicket.

[@Dickie2702]

Hopeless/not very athletic fielding that added 15-30 runs for every 100 scored. The Don was an amazing player but he wouldn't have averaged what he did in today's arena, but I feel sportsman should be judged in the context of the era they in which they competed. Bradman the best batter Larwood the quickest bowler and Muhammed Ali just the Greatest of a golden era.

[@WorldSacred]

Uhuh. Brett Lee's third bowl was about a 50cm no ball.

[@richardbelben7075]

Don’t mention body line Aussies say it was unfair and if they say that then it must have been 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@charlespirate1]

If Australia thought of it first they’d have thought it was great. Bodyline is just a monumental case of sour grapes.

[@adfletcher1989]

No sandpaper needed for bodyline

[@kevinbell9873]

Larwood and Jardine legends

[@Chadhogan111]

Tonally all wrong, why the techno music?

[@jadesmith6823]

How times have changed watching the English side of 21/22 🤦🤷🏻🤣🤣🤣

[@philh8288]

Hey we're doing alright now. Thanks

[@edwardbennett3572]

Why were they all bowling no balls at the end?

[@JahangirJadoon]

What a waste of budget this must’ve been for the producers of this show 😅

[@trentsilvers6321]

How’s the No balls from Brett Lee

[@user-ig2br4nl3n]

Everyone in the comments talking like they played in the series

[@scottessery100]

the ozzies dont like it when the poms play as hard as they do ... 2005 was fun

[@mrtecsom6951]

I imagine all the Sandpaper boys were crying 😭 foul when Lindwall Miller Lillee Thommo etc etc etc were peppering the English batsmen. Err I think not

[@dtrainmclean4867]

Love it but Brett is bowling massive no balls lol

[@arkamukhopadhyay9111]

He's bowling according to the old no ball rule that applied back in the 30s.

[@servicekid7453]

Comparing Hayden to Bradman? 😂😂😂😂 not fit to lace Bradman’s boots. And a nasty guy

[@nickpaine316]

Please learn your history. The footage and players quoted and shown in this programme, and the statistics about players being hit are false. Leg theory was invented years before and used by all teams before the Jardine series

[@shawnriffhard]

What precisely, is false? I'm an American, new to cricket and find this story pretty fascinating.

[@saturdayplayer2492]

Lee was bowling big no balls

[@richardbelben7075]

It was banned cause Aussies didn’t like it , gosh they may have got hurt then go on tv and cry 😢😂😂😂

[@LaplaceM7]

those were no balls right?

[@pauljeffrey1181]

Possibly wrong. I believe the no ball rules were quite different in those days.

[@karthikmonju8849]

@ 13.01 dodgy action

[@richardbelben7075]

Does this sound familiar to recent events “ at the time it was within the laws of the game “ as in the words of the Aussie media “ it doesn’t count as unsportsmanlike as no rules were broken , now stop moaning and get on with it 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@bryanjohnson7941]

Funny how the Aussies like to accuse others of cheating at cricket when not so long ago Steve Smith, Warner & Bancroft ………. (& they say no one else knew about it 🙄) & dont forget the underarm in 84

[@ianlowery6014]

And don't forget the prepared dust bowl which got Laker 19 wickets.

[@benjaminshiels1824]

Funny how sum English like to use youthful stupidity to cover up purely evil life threatening behaviour, fuled by cowardice simply to win a game.

[@stevesalkas9128]

Bradman would of retired if he fast west Indies fast bowlers

[@photomakerman]

this was hard to watch

[@simonallanby5945]

Massively underwhelming…very disappointed

[@aheat3036]

I am not a fan of the game named after a bug but thank the English for creating the game you claim to love!… Now if you want to worry about a national team that’s saturating the sport and taking it over, worry about India!

[@GrimmmReaperz]

Aussies still bleating on about this. It was within the rules and as a percentage of balls bowled in the series was low. Their problem was Harold Larwood bowling on uncovered fiery wickets. He hit more batsman without leg theory. Man up lads… stop whingeing.

[@ianlowery6014]

And the Poms were bleating when the West Indies did it to them in England in the very next series.

[@benjaminshiels1824]

Using loopholes to win a game with life threatening tactics is morally corrupt and cowardly! 👎

[@OldManGamingUK]

​@@benjaminshiels1824yet no serous injuries were ever sustained as a result of Leg Thoery bowling. But let's not let facts get in way of the narrative you an Ausralian were so blatantly indoctrinated into. The 1884 mini series Bodyline was not a Documentary, it was a Story that changed facts for narritive story telling which Australians were eager to buy into because deep down inside, they hate the English with a passion. They love to villify the English when ever they get the chance. England are the Villains, Australians are the heroes raising up against the Evil that is England. That is the reason why they still go on about bodyline, its why they still go on about Gallipoli, the evil British are to blame. Blah blah blah.

[@bobbythomas5357]

What was the point of this? Waste

[@jamesvozar1]

They just needed to get Binga to bowl a few slower balls at pad height so he got score a few runs, would have made the end a bit more of a climax, too dangerous obviously to do anything serious with bouncers and no head gear.

[@rayanthonyjohnhuybertsz6735]

Bradman is not the greatest batsman, if he was playing today he would be lucky to get a chance to play for Australia, everyone is talking about one fast bowler, what if Bradman had to play against the great Westindian bowlers of the late 70sand 80s he would have shat in his pants, maybe they don't know that they are playing test cricket, the Australian were complaining because they did not have a fast bowler like Larwood, when they had very fast bowlers just look what they did to the batsman from other countries, just imagine if Vivian Rechards was facing Larwood and the rest of the bowling,

[@mohitsinha2732]

Bradman had very good Hand-eye coordination, Footwork & Technique.. He wouldn't have sh*t bricks, but his average if he played pace greats of 70s/80s would have been in the 50s like Sunny Gavaskar & Sir Viv Richards. This was proved by his 56.25 batting avg in Bodyline Series.

[@ianlowery6014]

Look what happened when Viv Richards faced Dennis Lillee in WA, 4 bouncers and out for 0 on the last ball. Your comments about Bradman are moronic and ill-informed. Try doing a bit of maths, and compare with everybody else. He survived a deliberate trap set for him.