Page "The Ashes" Paragraph 117

Aged 38 and having been unwell during the war, Bradman had been reluctant to play.

He batted unconvincingly and reached 28 when he hit a ball to Jack Ikin ; England believed it was a catch, but Bradman stood his ground, believing it to be a bump ball.

The umpire ruled in the Australian captain's favour and he appeared to regain his fluency of yesteryear, scoring 187.

Australia promptly seized the initiative, won the First Test convincingly and inaugurated a dominant post-war era.

The controversy over the Ikin catch was one of the biggest disputes of the era.