Skip to content

Greatest Test Team Final: Don Bradman's 1948 Australia win first Test as Keith Miller stars

Sky Cricket statistician Benedict Bermange using cricket simulator to settle the argument over the greatest Test team ever; the final pitches two Australian sides against each other in the shape of Don Bradman's 1948 'Invincibles' against Steve Waugh's 2002 XI

Benedict Bermange's Greatest Test Team Final
Image: Don Bradman's 1948 Australia are taking on Steve Waugh's 2002 Australia in the Greatest Test Team final

Don Bradman's 1948 Australians drew first blood in the Greatest Test Team final with a 90-run victory over Steve Waugh's 2002 side in the first Test.

The 1948 side had a steady start before Arthur Morris fell in Shane Warne's third over - the leg-spinner having been introduced an hour into play.

Having taken lunch at 71-1, Glenn McGrath struck the all-important blow when he forced Don Bradman to top-edge a pull to Brett Lee at fine leg for 31. Sid Barnes continued on his way but fell for 85 - caught at slip by Ricky Ponting off Jason Gillespie.

Greatest Test Team Final - First Test
Image: The match summary from the first match in the five-Test final

Lindsay Hassett compiled a well-made half-century but was removed by Brett Lee with half an hour of the opening day's play left, and Lee clean bowled Neil Harvey in his next over to leave the 1948 side 250-6 stumps.

Sam Loxton and Ray Lindwall consolidated their team's position on the second day and shared a seventh-wicket partnership of 107 before McGrath wrapped up the innings for 398.

Glenn McGrath (PA Images)
Image: Glenn McGrath's eight wickets in the match came in vain for Australia 2002

Matthew Hayden fell in Lindwall's second over but Justin Langer and Ponting both completed their half-centuries as the 2002 side reached 118-1 at the close of the second day's play. However, both batsmen fell within 20 minutes of the restart on day three.

Langer was bowled by Miller for 65 before Ponting edged Lindwall to Barnes in the gully. Steve Waugh made only 11 before he was caught and bowled by Bill Johnston to leave the Aussies struggling at 143-4. Mark Waugh led a recovery of sorts with 54, but the new ball did the trick as Lindwall and Miller returned to dismiss the 2002 side for 282, a first-innings deficit of 116.

Also See:

Barnes fell just before the close but day three ended with the 1948 team sitting pretty at 64-1 with Bradman and Morris at the crease. They continued serenely on the fourth day and it came as a surprise when Bradman edged Gillespie into the waiting hands of Ponting at slip for 24.

Hassett and Morris soon followed, and all of a sudden 110-1 had become 113-4. Miller, Harvey and Loxton all made useful contributions, but four wickets apiece for McGrath and Warne ensured that the innings ended at tea on the fourth day for 229, leaving Steve Waugh's side 346 to win.

PA images Keith Miller, who is the 6ft 1'' Captain of New South Wales. 11/10/04: Australian cricket legend Keith Miller who has died in a nursing home at the age of 84. A former World War II fighter pilot, who made his Test debut in 1946, Miller was a fixture in the Australia team for a decade and is rated as one of their greatest ever all-rounders. He also made one appearance for Nottinghamshire in the 1959 season.
Image: Keith Miller's 10-wicket haul took Australia 1948 into a 1-0 lead

They needed a good start, but that was precisely what they didn't get. Langer for nine, Ponting for a six-ball duck, and Hayden for five all fell to the rampaging Miller - all in the space of his first four overs.

The Waugh twins managed to stop the rot, with Mark looking especially fluent, but he played all round a Doug Ring googly for 41 to leave his side tottering at 90-4 at the close.

Worse was to follow as Steve Waugh edged Miller to Neil Harvey from the 11th delivery of the final day, but Damien Martyn and Adam Gilchrist remained together and lunch was taken at 167-5, with 189 still required.

Needless to say, it was the incomparable Miller who eventually made the breakthrough, dismissing Gilchrist for 61 and then Martyn followed for 71 half an hour later.

The tail failed to wag and fittingly it was Miller who took the final wicket on the stroke of tea, when McGrath was bowled to give the 1948 side victory and a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

Keith Miller was named Player of the Match for his figures of 4-79 and 6-83, giving him a match haul of 10 wickets.

Make sure you return to skysports.com/cricket and the Sky Sports App for daily updates on the final.

Around Sky