page_title: Bill Johnston (cricketer)
section_title: 1954–55 Ashes
hierarchical_section_title: Bill Johnston (cricketer) / Decline / 1954–55 Ashes
caption_attribution_description: 3rd Ashes Test at MCG. After the first days play the Aussies collected in the dressing room to toast each other for the new year. L-R: Bill Johnson, Les Favell
context_page_description: William Arras Johnston was an Australian cricketer who played in forty Test matches from 1947 to 1955. A left arm pace bowler, as well as a left arm orthodox spinner, Johnston was best known as a spearhead of Don Bradman's undefeated 1948 touring team, well known as "The Invincibles". Johnston headed the wicket-taking lists in both Test and first-class matches on the tour, and was the last Australian to take over 100 wickets on a tour of England. In recognition of his performances, he was named by Wisden as one of its Cricketers of the Year in 1949. The publication stated that "no Australian made a greater personal contribution to the playing success of the 1948 side". Regarded by Bradman as Australia's greatest-ever left-arm bowler, Johnston was noted for his endurance in bowling pace with the new ball and spin when the ball had worn. He became the fastest bowler to reach 100 Test wickets in 1951–52, at the time averaging less than nineteen with the ball. By the end of the season, he had played 24 Tests and contributed 111 wickets. Australia won nineteen and lost only two of these Tests.
context_section_description: The 1954–55 series against England was to be Johnston's last Test success. He took 19 wickets at 22.26 in the first four Tests before missing the last as England took the low-scoring series 3–1. After going wicketless in the opening season's tour match against the Englishmen, Johnston took a total of 7/122 against South Australia and retained his place in the team. He took 3/106 as Australia won the First Test by an innings.
  In the Second Test at Sydney, Johnston took 3/56 and 3/70 in a low-scoring match, removing Hutton in both innings. He had another notable innings when he joined Neil Harvey with 78 runs needed for victory on a difficult batting surface against the hostile pace of Frank Tyson and Brian Statham. In particular, Tyson was bowling with a strong tailwind and a slips cordon standing around 40 yards behind the bat. They put together a stubborn 39 run tenth-wicket partnership in 40 minutes, which gave Australia hope of an unlikely victory with Harvey still attacking. Harvey felt that Tyson was almost out of energy after a spell of extreme pace, and that the remaining bowlers were not beyond Johnston. However, a Tyson ball that was aimed at the ribcage saw Johnston fend at the ball; he was caught behind for 11, giving England a dramatic victory. After taking 1/26 in the first innings, Johnston took 5/85 in the second innings of his last Test performance in front of his home crowd at the MCG, with some tight spin on a dry surface. He removed Edrich for 13 and Peter May for 91 before cleaning up the tail with three quick wickets. This left Australia 240 to win but there was to be no fairytale as England won by 128 runs. Johnston then took match figures of 4/80 in the Fourth Test at Adelaide, in what was to be his last Test on Australian soil. Australia lost the match and England retained the Ashes; it was Australia's third consecutive Test defeat, the first time they had suffered a hat-trick of defeats since the infamous Bodyline series of 1932–33. Johnston had less success outside the Tests, which were played on bowler-friendly surfaces. He managed only 13 wickets at 30.38 in five matches.
caption: Bill Johnston and Les Favell on 31 December 1954
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