English cricket team in Australia in 1946-47

The English cricket team in Australia in 1946–47 was captained by Wally Hammond, with Norman Yardley as his vice-captain and Bill Edrich as the senior professional. It played as England in the 1946-47 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a sound team which was just as strong as Australia, but due to the Second World War they were an ageing side (only Godfrey Evans was under 28) and their bowling depended heavily on Alec Bedser and Doug Wright, who were overused and exhausted as a result. They failed to regain the Ashes and suffered the worst defeat in a Test series since losing 4–1 to Australia in 1924–25.

The MCC saw Hammond leading a "Goodwill Tour" of Australia to re-establish sporting relations after the Second World War, and was told that good sportsmanship was more important that winning the series, an attitude that prevailed into the 1950s and 1960s. The Australian captain Don Bradman was not so constrained and was determined to win the series, and win by a large margin. One English player said "We are the first Ambassadors ever embroiled in a war while on a goodwill mission". The goodwill aspect of the tour meant that Hammond could not publicly complain about the Australian umpires, who he regarded as incompetent.

Unlike the Australians, the selectors preferred to use cricketers who had made their name in the 1930s and selection appeared to be on the basis of pleasing the English public, who only knew the older players. Only Alec Bedser, Godfrey Evans and Norman Yardley had played little or no first-class cricket before the war. Evans, Yardley and Edrich were late choices; Evans as Paul Gibb's understudy, Yardley as vice-captain despite a poor season as an amateur had to be vice-captain and Bill Edrich after he made 222 not out against Northants. Eric Hollies was thought unlucky not to be picked after he took 184 wickets (15.60) including 10/49 in an innings against Notts – 7 bowled and 3 lbw – but he failed in 1950–51. To be fair, few new names suggested themselves; the 26-year-old Reg Simpson had batted well for the RAF in India, but made only 592 runs (24.66) in 1946, the 23-year-old Trevor Bailey was seen only as a good fielder, making 412 runs (31.69) and taking 37 wickets (24.40), and the 24-year-old Jim Laker only took 8 wickets (21.12).

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