Doug Ring with the Australian cricket team in England in 1948

About Doug Ring with the Australian cricket team in England in 1948 in brief

Doug Ring was a member of Donald Bradman’s famous Australian cricket team which toured England in 1948. Ring played in only the Fifth Test, taking one wicket for 44 runs for the match and scoring nine runs in his only innings after replacing off spinner Ian Johnson. Ring took 60 first-class wickets at a bowling average of 21. 81, the most expensive among Australia’s frontline bowlers. For the entire tour, Ring scored 150 first- class runs at a batting average of 16. 66 during the tour, and a top-score of 53 was his only effort beyond 50. Ring called himself ‘ground staff’ because of the paucity of his on-field duties in the major matches and they often sang ironic songs about their status. Ring was the last bowler to be selected for the team, and was used to relieve the workload on Bradman’s pace spearheads to keep them fresh for the Tests. The Australians went undefeated in their 34 matches; this unprecedented feat by a Test side touring England earned them the sobriquet The Invincibles. Ring made his Test debut in last international match of the 1947–48 Australian season, the 5th Test against India. Australia traditionally fielded its first-choice team in the tour opener, which was customarily against Worcestershire, but Ring was omitted from this match. Australia rested a few of its players and some fringe cricketers such as Ring and Sam Loxton were given a debut so that their ability could be evaluated before the tour of England.

The next match was against the Marylebone Cricket Club, who fielded seven players who would represent England in Tests. After Australia were out for 431, Ring came to the wicket at 73 and scored 53, adding 87 runs with fellow Victorian Loxton before being bowled. He then took 334 in the first innings, removing Arthur McIntyre, Alec Bedser and Jim Laker. He bowled five wicketless overs in the second innings as Surrey were defeated by an innings. Ring then took 118 and 052 from a total of 44 overs as Australia amassed 4414 declared and defeated Cambridge University. In the following match, Australia crushed Essex by an insomnia and 451 runs, its largest winning margin for the summer. Ring failed to add to his wicket tally in the county’s second innings, conceding 26 runs. He was rested for the next match against Yorkshire, on a damp pitch that suited slower bowling. He made two runs with the bat before being run out as Australia ended on 448. Ring scored two in the tourists’ 632, and he took two wickets to leave the hosts at 356 before returning to take three late wickets as Leicestershire lost their last four wickets without addition to be all out for 130. He also bowled 18 overs and conceded 35 runs without play in the match against Oxford University. The match was followed by another victory, this time over the hosts, 185 and 156 over Lord’s Cricket Club.