Bodyline (miniseries): Difference between revisions

The events leading up to the [[England Cricket Team]]'s 1932-19331932–1933 Ashes tour of Australia and the tactics, of bowling directly at the batsman, used by the English cricket team to counteract the extraordinary batting prowess of Australian cricketer [[Donald Bradman]] during the Ashes series.

* [[Colin Croft (actor)|Colin Croft]] as Sir [[Stanley Jackson (cricketer)|Stanley Jackson]]

* The controversial England captain [[Douglas Jardine]] is represented early in his career as encouraging a bowler to [[ListRun ofout#Running Mankadingout incidentsa inbatsman "backing up" cricket|''Mankad'']] an opponent without giving a prior warning. Jardine's action is excused in the dramatisation by [[Lord Harris]], who is represented as saying he had done the same in his playing career. While this represents Jardine's (and his supporters') perceived wilingness to resort to sharp practice, there is in fact no evidence that Jardine or Harris initiated such an instance as captains, and no record of such an incident in first-class cricket.

* The third test at Adelaide is correctly represented as a nadir of relations between the two teams and the two countries, specifically over an incident when [[Bert Oldfield]] was hit over the head while batting against [[Harold Larwood]].<ref>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/england-marylebone-cricket-club-tour-of-australia-1932-33-61718/australia-vs-england-3rd-test-62608/full-scorecard 3rd test, Adelaide]</ref> However, Oldfield apparently top-edged the delivery in question into his face, and Larwood was not actually bowling [[leg theory]] or [[Bodyline]] at the time.<ref>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/dangerous-games-245921 Dangerous games]</ref> On regaining consciousness, Oldfield, a tough character, is reputed to have said: "My own fault."<ref>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/bert-oldfield-7003 Bert Oldfield profile]</ref> Further, Oldfield missed one Test, as opposed to the remainder of the season.

* In the fourth test at Brisbane, [[Eddie Paynter]] is correctly represented as rising from his sick bed to reignite England's challenge and help with clinching the victory that regained [[the Ashes]], a display of pluck well received by the home crowd, and is correctly depicted as clinching the win with a [[Boundary (cricket)#Six runs|six]] in the second innings. However, he is represented as playing an extensive innings in the second innings featuring numerous scoring shots, when in fact he finished 14 not out, and his innings featuring only three scoring shots. (In contrast, he made 83 in the first innings at a crucial stage.)<ref>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/england-marylebone-cricket-club-tour-of-australia-1932-33-61718/australia-vs-england-4th-test-62609/full-scorecard 4th test Brisbane]</ref>

* Jardine is presented as placing [[The Ashes urn]] in the trophy cabinet at [[Lord’s]], indicating that the team were presented with the urn for winning the series. In fact, the urn has never been used as a trophy - it is a permanent exhibit in the MCC Cricket Museum at Lord’s.
* Jardine is presented as having his testTest career ended after a tour of India during the following year when equivalent tactics gave rise to vociferous protests. In fact, the accounts in ''[[Wisden]]'' of test matches during that tour make no mention of such protests, and the most successful England bowler on the tour was a slow bowler, [[Hedley Verity]],<ref>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/england-tour-of-india-1933-34-61789 England tour of India]</ref> although at time leg theory was used by bowlers on both sides.<ref>Douglas, Christopher (2002). Douglas Jardine: Spartan Cricketer. London: Methuen. ISBN 0-413-77216-0, p176: Frith, David (2002). Bodyline Autopsy. The full story of the most sensational Test cricket series: Australia v England 1932–33. London: Aurum Press. ISBN 1-85410-896-4, p391-2</ref>

* Harold Larwood is largely correctly represented as being made a scapegoat by the English cricket establishment for the hostility engendered during the series.: Howeverhowever, Larwood later settled in Australia, and became a popular figure in the countrythere, living there from 1950 until his death in 1995.<ref>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/harold-larwood-16207 Harold Larwood profile]</ref>

Therefore, the original version transmitted in its entirety by BBC2 Television in June 1985 is approximately 1 hour 46 minutes longer than the official Australian DVD version of Bodyline. BBC2This hadversion licencewas forrepeated UKon premiereBBC1 broadcaston Friday and oneSaturday late nights in November 1986, and again on BBC2 on Tuesday lunchtimes over July and repeatAugust showing1991<ref>https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?order=first&filt=is_tv&q=bodyline</ref> before transmission rights reverted to Australian TV [[Network 10]] and Kennedy-Miller for DVD production.