SOUTH AFRICA v AUSTRALIA 1949-50

Having already made sure of the rubber, the Australians proceeded to consolidate their gains with powerful batting displays. Morris and Moroney set the mood for the Australian innings in an opening stand of 214, which was only 19 short of the record partnership for Australia-South Africa Tests created by J. H. Fingleton and W. A. Brown at Newlands in 1935. The left-hander Morris hit a 6 and nine 4's and Moroney's innings contained thirteen 4's. Further evidence of Australia's batting strength came from Miller and Hassett whose attractive stand added 109, and Harvey became the fifth batsman to pass fifty. South Africa's opening pair E. Rowan and Nel played the fast bowling of Lindwall and Miller quite confidently, their stand producing 84 well-made runs, but a collapse followed and six wickets were down for 148 when Fullerton and Tayfield came together. Exercising proper restraint they put on 65, and Mann helped to maintain the recovery by sharing in a partnership of 94 with Fullerton which prevented any possibility of a follow-on. By this time much of the interest had gone out of the game, although Moroney became the first Australian to score two separate hundreds in a Test match against South Africa. Harvey, too, completed three figures before being beaten by Melle, a promising fast medium bowler, who was making his Test debut. Melle is a son of B. G. Von B. Melle, the old Oxford blue.