English cricket team in Australia in 1954-55

Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England against Australia in the 1954-55 Ashes series and as the MCC in other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s. After losing the First Test by an innings, they beat Australia 3-1 and retained the Ashes. The combination of Frank Tyson, Brian Statham, Trevor Bailey, Johnny Wardle and Bob Appleyard made it one of the strongest bowling sides to tour Australia, and it was the only team of any nationality to defeat Australia at home between 1932-33 and 1970-71.

The tour was managed by Geoffrey Howard, the popular secretary of Lancashire County Cricket Club who had been a wicketkeeper-batsman for the Private Banks XI in 1926-36 and had played three games for Middlesex. He was in the RAF during the Second World War and once hit a century before lunch playing for their cricket team. Howard had managed the MCC tour of India and Sri Lanka in 1951-52, and on a later tour would smooth things over when some players tipped water over umpire Idris Begh in Pakistan in 1955-56. "The 'Ger" ran a happy ship and even played in a couple of non-first class matches. He had been given no funds by the MCC (he was meant to return a profit) and had to take out an overdraft from an Australian bank until he could pay his way with gate receipts. When Len Hutton was stricken with fibrositis at the start of the Third Test, it was Howard and Duckworth who convinced him to play. George Duckworth had been England's wicketkeeper in the 1920s, but now managed the team's baggage and travel arrangements. He "was guide, philosopher and friend to all who had the sense to see the worth of his experience of cricket in Australia" and liaised with the press corps. One innovation was the appointment of Harold Dalton as the team physiotherapist. Previously the players had used local masseurs.

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