Rare footage reveals England cricket team’s aggressive tactics to defeat Donald Bradman in 1932-33 Ashes series

Rare footage showing the England cricket team’s tactics to defeat Donald Bradman in the 1932-33 Ashes Test series in Australia has been revealed.

The National Film and Sound Archive has shared footage recorded during the series of English bowler Harold Larwood using the “bodyline” approach and the reaction of the Australian team.

The controversial method was created by England captain Douglas Jardine after they lost the previous series thanks to Bradman’s remarkable batting.

In the footage, Bradman can at one point be seen rubbing his hands after being bowled by Larwood, while other Australians can be seen at various points writhing on the ground in obvious pain.

Although the strategy helped secure victory for the English, it did not last long and at one point the English team even feared for their lives in front of angry local witnesses.

Drama on the pitch, hate in the stands

Heading into the 1932 Ashes Test, the England team’s primary objective was to find a way to “enlighten” Bradman’s unique ability as a batsman, NFSA curator Jeff Wray said.

They had previously noted that he was less confident when facing short deliveries and decided to take advantage of that.

“The pressure had been building throughout the series, England had made no secret of the tactics they were going to use,” Wray said.

“Alarm bells rang when four fast bowlers entered the touring team.

“The trial matches just added to the excitement.”

In those days, cricketers did not wear helmets and protective clothing as they do today, and were completely exposed to balls traveling at 90 kmph.

“Waist to chest height, on the leg side, on a packed court, it was pretty scary and difficult to play,” Wray said.

Batsmen were forced to either play or “get out of the way”.

Footage recently digitized by the NFSA shows Bradman rubbing his hands after his hit, while another video shows another batsman falling to the ground after being hit on the temple.

The tactic was so shocking, Mr Wray said, that it almost caused an “international incident” as Adelaide spectators reacted to what was happening on the field.

The English even discussed using the stumps as weapons, so convinced were they that angry locals stormed the pitch in protest.

– There was talk of abandoning the tour, but they continued.

“Jardine continued the body line because it was the rules of the day.”

The rare videos show more than just deadly bowling

The footage has been released in honor of the infamous series’ 90th anniversary.

Wray said the clips were unique and that he didn’t think they had been seen since the 1930s.

They are also notable for featuring Bradman’s bowling and Larwood’s batting, both rare sights.

“I can find no other view of Bradman’s bowling, nor have I heard it spoken of before.

“We also have footage from the fifth Test, which was Larwood’s last Test match, where he broke his leg during the game and didn’t play again for England, and he made 98 runs, so it’s a bit of a role reversal. [with Bradman].”

Before television, Mr. Wray said, the material would originally have been shown only in cinemas as part of newsreels.

Body line “part of our national story”

England won the Ashes Test series 4-1, making it one of the strongest Test performances in their history.

Bodyline had proven to be effective.

Bradman finished the Test with a batting average of 56.57 compared to his career average of 99.94.

Jardine continued to use the tactic in two Ashes series and was also adopted by the West Indies team, but its days were numbered.

Eventually, the rules were changed to ban the practice.

“You could just see it was becoming a tit-for-tat exercise and something had to be done, so they introduced some laws that made the umpires responsible, that if the bowling was scary, they could step in and stop it.”

He said the infamous series was now an iconic episode in cricket history and part of the Australian psyche.

“It’s part of our national story,” he said.

“If someone says ‘bodyline’, you automatically know you’re talking about something somewhat unathletic and pale, so to speak.”