When Michael Clarke opened the bowling with Michael Beer on the second day of the current Test against the West Indies, it was the first time a spinner had done so for Australia in the first innings of a Test match since 1938.
Who did it then? What were the results? Why has it taken so long for it to happen again?
The first Test match at Tent Bridge in 1938 was played on what Donald Bradman, the Australian captain, considered the best Test wicket he had ever seen. The events that followed were to prove him right.
Unfortunately Bradman lost the toss and England batted first. After Ernie McCormick bowled the first over, legendary leg-spinner Bill O’Reilly opened from the other end.
Bradman had not been happy with the balance of the bowling attack chosen for the match as it included two other spinners in Charlie Fleetwood-Smith and Frank Ward. The medium pace of Stan McCabe was the only other option for the new ball. He may have been saved for greater deeds with the bat.
By lunch England had reached 0 for 169. The only chance for victory for Australia was to prevent Charlie Barnett from reaching his century before the interval.
Barnett would have joined the three Australians in Trumper, Macartney and Bradman in this great feat. As Tiger O’Reilly explained, “Charlie would have given his last knacker to have reached that 100 before the interval… but I didn’t give him an earthly.”
At the end of the first day the hosts were 4 for 422 on their way to 8 declared for 658. Len Hutton had scored 100 in his first Test against Australia, as had the 20-year-old Dennis Compton. Barnett reached the three figures first ball after lunch and Eddie Paynter made a double century.
Records tumbled: Paynter’s 216 not out was the highest score against Australia in England; England’s was the highest team total against the Aussies; and it was the first time that four players had scored centuries in a Test innings.
Four Australian bowlers had over 100 runs scored against them, including O’Reilly who finished with 3 for 164 off his 56 overs. “Hardly ever did a ball turn,” according to Wisden.
The result seemed to be a lost cause when the visitors found themselves 6 for 194 before Stan McCabe played what Bradman himself felt was the greatest innings ever, in punishing the English bowlers for 232 in just four hours.
Not even this could prevent his side following on, but a draw was gained as Bradman ground out an uncharacteristically slow century for which he was roundly booed.
As for a spinner opening the bowling, no wonder it took almost 75 years for it to happen again!
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