Australian cricket team in Australia in 1965-66

The 1965-66 Australians drew 1-1 with the touring England team in the 1965-66 Ashes series. They were strong in batting, but weak in bowling and by the end of the series had seven batsmen, an all-rounder, a wicket-keeper and only two specialist bowlers in the team, with the batsman helping out with their part-time bowling skills.

Bobby Simpson was a physically compact, highly accomplished batsman with a striking penchant for compiling high scores...He was a pleasant, personable cricketer, and a captain with genuine feeling for his players. Those who watched him will never forget the masterly ease of his slip-catching.

Robert Baddeley Simpson, better known as Bobby Simpson was a cricket prodigy who had a difficult time establishing himself as a Test batsman, taking 30 Tests to make his maiden Test century, 311 against England at Old Trafford in 1964. He had already made a number of big centuries in the Sheffield Shield for New South Wales and Western Australia and in the middle of his career made 159 in Pakistan, 201 in the West Indies, 225 against England and 159 in South Africa. He was a careful opener, but once established had a number of strokes and unlike his regular opening partner Bill Lawry was able to hit the ball attractively. He had been a leg-spinner in his youth and had taken 5/57 against England in 1962-63 and he took 5/59 against India in what was to be his last Test until his 1977 recall. His greatest talent was in the field and held 110 catches in only 62 Tests and was "one of the greatest slip-fielders of all time. He had lightning-quick reflexes and it was rare indeed for a chance to go begging if the ball was anything like catchable." As a captain he was well liked, but more cautious than courageous. He held onto the Ashes with a 1-0 win in England in 1964 - his 762 minute triple century made sure that England would not recover the urn - and a 1-1 draw in 1965-66. He lost 2-1 in the West Indies in 1964-65 and 3-1 in South Africa in 1966-67 and his only other series victory was when he beat India 4-0 at home in 1967-68, when Simpson gave the captaincy to Bill Lawry after the Second Test. This poor record was caused by the weakness of the Australian bowling attack in the late 1960s, which relied heavily on the fast bowling of Garth McKenzie. Simpson first retired in 1968, but returned in 1977 in the midst of the Packer Crisis when Test players deserted regular cricket and Australia were left with a team of debutants and Jeff Thomson. Simpson had been playing grade cricket in the intervening years and returned as Australian captain, beating India 3-2 at home, but losing 3-1 in the West Indies. He asked the Australian Board of Control to promise his place in the 1978-79 Ashes series, but they refused and he took to broadcasting.

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