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Frank Worrell's team of 1950s Caribbean Test cricketers overcame the odds in Sydney to beat their Australian counterparts by 6 wickets.
First of all they were rocked by Everton Weekes' ankle injury on the morning of the match. When the Windies captain was castled by 'Slasher' Mackay before lunch on day 3 for 41, the visitors were 168-5 in reply to Australia's 466 (Norm O'Neill 188) and seemingly in peril of following on. But thereafter the West Indies batted superbly with Alexander (73), Walcott (115) and Collie Smith (a brilliant 141) putting pressure back on the home side with a total of 560.
Over 3 hrs were lost on a gloomy showery 5th day but the West Indies' spinners refused to allow the match to drift to a draw. Ramadhin and Smith bamboozled the Australian batsmen, who collapsed to 194 all out. Openers Hunte and Rae gave Windies a flying start in their victory pursuit of 101 and their deserved win was secured in semi darkness. Worrell led his men magnificently and to a man, his players were a credit to him, but particularly the ill-fated all rounder Collie Smith. His off breaks yielded 8 wickets and his century set the platform for this unlikely victory.
Australia 1950s: CC McDonald, JW Burke, PJP Burge, NC O'Neill, GB Hole, KD Mackay, R Benaud (c), AK Davidson, RG Archer, LV Maddocks (wk), LF Kline
West Indies 1950s: CC Hunte, AF Rae, JK Holt, FMM Worrell (c), CL Walcott, OG Smith, FCM Alexander (wk), JDC Goddard, S Ramadhin, R Gilchrist, AL Valentine
Australia 1950s 1st Innings 466-10 (151.3 Ov)
NC O'Neill 188, GB Hole 65, JW Burke 71, OG Smith 4-102, AL Valentine 2-72, S Ramadhin 2-109
West Indies 1950s 1st Innings 560-10 (177.4 Ov)
OG Smith 141, CL Walcott 115, FCM Alexander 73, LF Kline 3-98, R Benaud 3-120
Australia 1950s 2nd Innings 194-10 (95.4 Ov)
NC O'Neill 47, AK Davidson, JW Burke 35, OG Smith 4-48, S Ramadhin 4-59
West Indies 1950s 2nd Innings 102-4 (19 Ov)
CC Hunte 49*, AF Rae 40, LF Kiline 3-14
West Indies won by 6 wickets
Man of the Match: OG Smith
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