1974 in paleontology, Archosauromorphs, Newly named birds
A Phasianidae, transferred to the genus Bonasa Stephen, 1819 by Zygmunt Bocheński, 1991.


1974 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature (for instance, Irish or France).


1974 in poetry, Works published in English
Listed by nation where the work was first published and again by the poet's native land, if different; substantially revised works listed separately:


1974 in poetry, Works published in other languages
Listed by nation where the work was first published and again by the poet's native land, if different; substantially revised works listed separately:


1974 in poetry, Works published in other languages, India
In each section, listed in alphabetical order by first name:


1974 in poetry, Deaths
Birth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:


1974 in politics
1974 in politics covers information on political events occurred worldwide.


1974 in professional wrestling
1974 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.


1974 in rail transport
This article lists events related to rail transport that occurred in 1974.


1974 in science
The year 1974 in science and technology involved some significant events, listed below.


1974 in spaceflight
On March 29, 1974 Mariner 10 became the first spacecraft to fly by Mercury, that saw a spacecraft for the first and last time in the 20th century.


1974 in sports
1974 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.


1974 in television
The year 1974 involved some significant events in television. Below is a list of television-related events of that year.


1974 in the Philippines
1974 in the Philippines details events of note that happened in the Philippines in the year 1974.


1974 in the United Arab Emirates
Events from the year 1974 in the United Arab Emirates.


1974 in the United Kingdom
The year is marked by the Three-Day Week, two general elections, a state of emergency in Northern Ireland, extensive Provisional Irish Republican Army bombing of the British mainland, several large company collapses and major local government reorganisation.


1974 in the Vietnam War, January
The Battle of the Paracel Islands was an engagement fought between the naval forces of the People's Republic of China and South Vietnam in the Paracel Islands. The Republic of Vietnam Navy lost 75 killed and 48 captured and one Corvette sunk while the People's Liberation Army Navy lost 18 killed. As a result of the battle, the PRC established de facto control over the Paracels.


1974 in the Vietnam War, January
After meetings with Defense Attaché Office (DAO) commander General John E. Murray, General Cao Văn Viên, chairman of the Joint General Staff and his head of logistics General Dong Van Khuyen ordered cuts to ammunition and fuel supplies for all units due to budgetary constraints.


1974 in the Vietnam War, February
In the Battle of Tri Phap Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) forces launched an attack on a People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) base at Tri Phap, Dinh Tuong Province.


1974 in the Vietnam War, March
The Battle of Svay Rieng was the last major operation of the war to be mounted by the ARVN against the PAVN. The battle resulted in over 1,200 PAVN killed and 65 captured for ARVN losses of less than 100 killed.


1974 in the Vietnam War, April
Chí Linh Camp defended by the 215th Regional Force Company with a platoon of two 105 mm howitzers was attacked by the PAVN 7th Division, quickly damaging the two howitzers and destroying the ammunition dump. On 5 April the PAVN 3rd Battalion, 141st Regiment, with the division's 28th Sapper and 22d Artillery Battalion supporting, overran the base. By 10 April, about half of the defenders and 20 dependents had straggled into Đồng Xoài or Chơn Thành Camp to the west. The rest, about 50 men, remained unaccounted for. With the elimination of Chí Linh, the PAVN 7th Division enjoyed unimpeded movement along Highway 14 between Chơn Thành and Đồng Xoài.


1974 in the Vietnam War, April
The Provisional Government of National Union (PGNU) was formed in Laos.


1974 in the Vietnam War, May
Associated Press photographer Slava "Sal" Veder wins the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography for his photo Burst of Joy.


1974 in the Vietnam War, May
United States Air Force (USAF) EC-47 Airborne Radio Direction Finding missions, flown continuously since 1966, were discontinued and the responsibility for this task was assumed by the 7th Radio Research Field Station at Ramasun Station, Udon Thani Province, Thailand.


1974 in the Vietnam War, May
The Battle of the Iron Triangle began on 16 May, when the PAVN 9th Division backed by a small contingent of tanks launched an attack on Rach Bap, took possession of An Dien and pushed south towards Phu Cuong. The ARVN counterattacked in mid-November and by 20 November had recaptured Rach Bap.


1974 in the Vietnam War, June
General Murray sent a cable to The Pentagon criticising reductions in military aid saying that "you can roughly equate cuts in support to loss of real estate" and that as aid decreased South Vietnam would be forced to retreat to a rump state based on Saigon and the Mekong Delta.


1974 in the Vietnam War, June
Murray advised that South Vietnam needed a minimum aid level of US$ 1.126 billion, but even this would not replace lost and damaged equipment, with aid of US$ 900 million military capacity would decline after mid-1975, with aid at US$ 750 million South Vietnam would be unable to stop a major attack, while at US$ 600 million the US should "write off South Vietnam as a bad investment and broken promise."


1974 in the Vietnam War, June
The PAVN hit Bien Hoa Air Base with at least 40 122 mm rockets doing minor damage to runways and destroying 500 Napalm canisters, but without damaging any aircraft. Other rockets exploded in hamlets surrounding the base, killing and wounding civilians.


1974 in the Vietnam War, July
U.S. aid to South Vietnam is reduced from $1.1 billion in fiscal year 1974 (July 1973-June 1974) to $700 million in fiscal year 1975 (July 1974-June 1975).


1974 in the Vietnam War, July
The Battle of Duc Duc begins with the PAVN attacking ARVN outposts near Duc Duc, Quảng Nam Province. The ARVN 3rd Division would suffer 4,700 men casualties in the battle.


1974 in the Vietnam War, July
The Battle of Thượng Đức began when a regiment of the PAVN 324th Division overran the An Hoa Industrial Complex and then attacked the town of Thượng Ðức 40 km southwest of Danang. The costly battle would result in a Pyrrhic victory for the ARVN.


1974 in the Vietnam War, August
A report of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee based on a visit to South Vietnam from 12 May to 4 June criticized the U.S. Embassy as being too close to the Saigon government. The report was very pessimistic about South Vietnam's future saying that unless outside powers applied strong pressure, the South Vietnamese Government and the Communists would fail to reach a political settlement. It also questioned the benefits of the US$ 750 million aid request.


1974 in the Vietnam War, August
U.S. President Richard Nixon resigned due to the Watergate Scandal. He was succeeded as president by Vice President Gerald Ford.


1974 in the Vietnam War, August
The Battle of Phú Lộc began as PAVN captured a series of hills in Phú Lộc District and installed artillery that closed Phu Bai Air Base and interdicted Highway 1. The hills were recaptured by the ARVN in costly fighting that depleted its reserve forces.


1974 in the Vietnam War, August
In a debriefing meeting with CINCPAC Admiral Noel Gayler in Hawaii at the end of his time as commander of the DAO, General Murray warned of the devastating impact of the aid cuts and Thiệu's misplaced confidence that aid would be restored. Murray warned that "without proper support, the [South Vietnamese] are going to lose, maybe not next week, or next month, but after the year they are going to."


1974 in the Vietnam War, September
The USAF completed its withdrawal from Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, handing the base back to the Royal Thai Air Force.


1974 in the Vietnam War, September
A hijacker took control of an Air Vietnam Boeing 727-121C on a flight from Da Nang to Saigon and demanded to be flown to Hanoi. The crew attempted to land at Phan Rang Air Base, overshot the landing and then crashed while turning to make another approach killing all 75 onboard.


1974 in the Vietnam War, September
BirdAir began operating supply flights from U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield to Phnom Penh using unmarked USAF supported C-130s crewed by civilians.


1974 in the Vietnam War, October
Saigon Police attacked about 300 Vietnamese journalists and 1,000 supporters protesting against censorship under Press Law 007.


1974 in the Vietnam War, October
75 civilians and policemen are injured in Saigon in anti-corruption protests led by Reverend Tran Huu Thanh, a Catholic priest.


1974 in the Vietnam War, November
The USAF placed Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base on standby status with 350 U.S. personnel remaining to maintain the facilities and provide initial capability to receive units back at the base if required.


1974 in the Vietnam War, December
From July 1965 to the end of 1974, some 6,500 officers and generals, as well as more than 4,500 soldiers and sergeants of the Soviet Armed Forces participated in the war.


1974 in the Vietnam War, December
The Battle of Phuoc Long began in Phuoc Long Province, about 100 km (62 mi) from Saigon. The campaign against Phuoc Long reflected North Vietnam's change in policy after the strategic raids of 1974, taking full advantage of South Vietnam's critical military situation.


1974 in the Vietnam War, December
On or about this date the Pathet Lao executed Charles Dean and Neil Sharman, backpackers who were captured southeast of Vientiane on 4 September.


1974 in the Vietnam War, December
North Vietnamese political and military leaders held a strategy planning conference attended in part by Soviet General Viktor Kulikov.


1974 in the Vietnam War, December
The 80-man 3rd Company, 314th Regional Force Battalion guarding the radio relay station on the summit of Nui Ba Den began receiving attacks of increasing intensity and frequency. PAVN assaults on Nui Ba Den continued throughout December 1974, but the RF Company held on. RVNAF efforts to resupply the troops on Nui Ba Den were largely unsuccessful. Helicopters were driven off by heavy fire, and fighter-bombers were forced to excessive altitudes by SA-7 missiles and antiaircraft artillery. One F-5A fighter-bomber was shot down by an SA-7 on 14 December. Finally on 6 January 1975, without food and water and with nearly all ammunition expended, the company picked up its wounded and withdrew down the mountain to friendly lines.


1974 in the environment
This is a list of notable events relating to the environment in 1974. They relate to environmental law, conservation, environmentalism and environmental issues.


1974 in video games
1974 has several new titles such as Speed Race, Dungeon, Gran Trak 10 and Tank.


1974 in video games, Best-selling arcade video games in the United States
The following titles were the best-selling arcade video games of 1974 in the United States, according to annual arcade cabinet sales estimates provided by Ralph H. Baer.


1974 railway strike in India
1974 railway strike in India was a major strike by the workers of Indian Railways in 1974. The strike lasted from 8 to 27 May 1974. The 20 day strike by 1.7 million (17 lakh) workers is the largest recorded industrial action in the world.


1974 railway strike in India, Reasons for the strike
The strike was held to demand an eight-hour working day for locomotive staff by All India Railway Mens federation and a raise in pay scale, which had remained stagnant over many years, in spite of the fact that pay scales of other government owned entities had risen over the years. Furthermore, since British times the  Railways termed the work of the locomotive staff as "continuous", implying that workers would have to remain at work as long as the train ran on its trip, often for several days at a stretch. The independence of India did not change this.


1974 railway strike in India, Reasons for the strike
The eight hour work day had not been implemented in Indian railways by the Railway Board, a quasi government bureaucracy despite having become a free country in 1947, this had led to dissatisfaction among labour, especially locomotive Pilots. Traditional railway union leaders too were starting to get distant from worker demands and closer instead to politicians, thus leading to further discord.


1974 railway strike in India, Reasons for the strike
The spread of diesel engines and the consequent intensification of work in the Indian Railways since the 1960s resulted in continuous working hours being extended by days, creating much resentment among the workers. The Railways, although government-owned, remained an organization in which the accepted worldwide standard of an eight-hour working day was violated with impunity. When the crafts unions raised the issue, they demanded a 12-hour working day for loco running staff.


1974 railway strike in India, Reasons for the strike
This led to railway strikes by rail workers across the country in 1967, 1968, 1970 and 1973, finally leading to the 1974 strike which was participated in by 70% of the permanent work force of railways. This was not the first railways strike in India, the earliest having occurred in British India in 1862 in Howrah, and a number of strikes having occurred in the private railway companies that operated in British India, most of them becoming part of the Indian freedom struggle.


1974 railway strike in India, Reasons for the strike
As President of the All India Railwaymen's Federation, George Fernandes led the  strike.


1974 railway strike in India, Culmination
The strike commenced on 8 May 1974. The strike was brutally suppressed by Indira Gandhi government with thousands being sent to jail and losing their jobs. The strike was called off on 27 May 1974.


1974 smallpox epidemic in India
The 1974 smallpox epidemic of India was one of the worst smallpox epidemics of the 20th century and occurred three years before smallpox was eradicated.


1974 smallpox epidemic in India
Over 15,000 people contracted and died from smallpox between January and May 1974. Most of the deaths occurred in the Indian states of Bihar, Orissa and West Bengal. There were thousands who survived but were disfigured or blinded. India reported 61,482 cases of smallpox to World Health Organization (WHO) in these five months. India had over 86% of the world's smallpox cases in 1974, primarily due to this epidemic. By January 1975, an operation was started aimed at containing the last cases of smallpox, called "Target Zero", with the identification of the last smallpox patient in India occurring on May 24, 1975. By 1980, smallpox was certified as being eradicated from the world.


1974 smallpox epidemic in India
Smallpox was eradicated due to the WHO's smallpox eradication program. This program was formally established in 1958, but because of logistics disagreements between the WHO and the Indian government, did not progress rapidly. Headway only began to take place in India after the reorganization of the WHO in the mid 1960s. Donald Henderson, who was a U.S. Public Health Services Officer stationed in New Delhi, said that "If this interest and concern about ending smallpox can be maintained for the next few months, it's all over. We don't think we're overconfident, but everything looks good. By June of 1975, we hope we'll be finished with smallpox in Asia."


1974 Úrvalsdeild
Following are the results of the Úrvalsdeild, the top tier of the Icelandic football pyramid, in the 1974 season.


1974 Úrvalsdeild, Overview
It was contested by 8 teams, and ÍA won the championship. ÍA's Teitur Þórðarson was the top scorer with 9 goals.


19741 Callahan
19741 Callahan, provisional designation 2000 AN141, is a stony background asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 3.5 kilometers in diameter.


19741 Callahan
It was discovered on 5 January 2000, by the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research, LINEAR, at the Lincoln Laboratory's Experimental Test Site, Socorro, New Mexico, and named after a mentor of the 2003 Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge.


19741 Callahan, Orbit and classification
The S-type asteroid orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 2.0–2.5 AU once every 3 years and 4 months (1,231 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.13 and an inclination of 8° with respect to the ecliptic. Callahan was first identified as 1978 RQ8 at ESO's La Silla Observatory in 1978, which extends the asteroid's observation arc by 22 years prior to its official discovery observation.


19741 Callahan, Physical characteristics
In December 2009, a rotational lightcurve for this asteroid was obtained from photometric observations at the U.S. Palomar Transient Factory, California. It gave a rotation period of 7.2684±0.0015 hours with a relatively high brightness variation of 0.81 in magnitude (U=2), indicative of a non-spherical shape.


19741 Callahan, Physical characteristics
According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Callahan measures 3.9 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.22. The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for stony asteroids of 0.20 and calculates a diameter of 3.1 kilometers, with an absolute magnitude of 14.89.


19741 Callahan, Naming
This minor planet was named after Diane Callahan, teacher at U.S. Fairfield Middle School, Ohio, who mentored a finalist in the 2003 Discovery Channel Youth Science Challenge (DCYSC), a middle school science competition. The approved naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 10 October 2003 (M.P.C. 49772).


1974–75 1. Slovenská národná hokejová liga season
The 1974–75 1. Slovenská národná hokejová liga season was the 6th season of the 1. Slovenská národná hokejová liga, the second level of ice hockey in Czechoslovakia alongside the 1. Česká národní hokejová liga. 12 teams participated in the league, and TJ Lokomotíva Bučina Zvolen won the championship. TJ ŽS Spišská Nová Ves relegated.


1974–75 1.Lig
Statistics of the Turkish First Football League for the 1974–75 season.


1974–75 1.Lig, Overview
It was contested by 16 teams, and Fenerbahçe S.K. won the championship.


1974–75 2. Bundesliga
The 1974–75 2. Bundesliga season was the inaugural season of the 2. Bundesliga, the second tier of the German football league system. It was played in two regional divisions, Nord and Süd.


1974–75 2. Bundesliga
Hannover 96, Bayer 05 Uerdingen and Karlsruher SC were promoted to the Bundesliga while Olympia Wilhelmshaven, Rot-Weiß Oberhausen, VfL Wolfsburg, HSV Barmbek-Uhlenhorst, VfR Heilbronn, Borussia Neunkirchen, VfR Wormatia Worms and VfR Mannheim were relegated to the Oberligas and Amateurligas.


1974–75 2. Bundesliga, Nord, League table
For the 1974–75 season saw no team promoted to the new 2. Bundesliga from the Amateurligas while Hannover 96 and SC Fortuna Köln had been relegated to the 2. Bundesliga Nord from the Bundesliga.


1974–75 2. Bundesliga, Süd, League table
For the 1974–75 season saw no team promoted to the new 2. Bundesliga from the Amateurligas and no team relegated to the 2. Bundesliga Süd from the Bundesliga.


1974–75 2. Bundesliga, Promotion play-offs
The second placed teams of each division entered a two-leg promotion play-off. Bayer Uerdingen was promoted to Bundesliga.


1974–75 2nd Bundesliga (ice hockey) season
The 1974-75 2nd Bundesliga season was the second season of the 2nd Bundesliga, the second level of ice hockey in Germany. 10 teams participated in the league, and EV Rosenheim won the championship, and was promoted to the Ice hockey Bundesliga as a result. EV Landsberg was relegated to the Oberliga


1974–75 A Group
Statistics of Bulgarian A Football Group in the 1974–75 season.


1974–75 A Group, Overview
It was contested by 16 teams, and CSKA Sofia won the championship.


1974–75 ABA season
The 1974–75 ABA season was the eighth season of the American Basketball Association. The Kentucky Colonels won the 1975 ABA Championship after winning the Eastern Division; the Denver Nuggets won the Western Division. Julius Erving and George McGinnis shared the league's MVP award.


1974–75 ABA season, Preseason
Prior to the start of the season the Eastern Division changed as the Memphis Tams gave way to the Memphis Sounds and the Carolina Cougars relocated and became the Spirits of St. Louis. The Western Division remained unchanged save for the Denver Rockets renaming themselves the Denver Nuggets.


1974–75 ABA season, Preseason
The ABA and NBA continued playing preseason exhibition games between their teams. The ABA won 16 of the 23 games, to 7 wins for the NBA. Among those games was the Pacers' first game in Market Square Arena in which they defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 118-115 before a standing room only crowd of 17,287; Bob Dandridge had 46 points and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 26 for the Bucks.


1974–75 ABA season, Regular season
On February 14, 1975, Julius Erving of the New York Nets scored a team-record 63 points against the San Diego Conquistadors in a four overtime game.


1974–75 ABA season, Regular season
The 8th ABA All-Star Game was played on January 28, 1975, in San Antonio, Texas. 10,449 attended. The East was coached by Kevin Loughery of the New York Nets and the West was coached by Larry Brown of the Denver Nuggets. The East won 151-124; Freddie Lewis of the Spirits of St. Louis was the game's MVP after scoring 26 points.


1974–75 ABA season, Regular season
The Denver Nuggets posted the ABA's best record of the season, winning the Western Division with a record of 65-19 (.774). That record was second best in ABA history, behind only the 1971-72 Kentucky Colonels' mark of 68-16 (.810). The 1974-75 Nuggets also finished second in ABA history behind the 1971-72 Colonels for team scoring difference, outscoring their opponents by an average of 8.40 points per game to the 1971-72 Colonels' 8.98 points.


1974–75 ABA season, Regular season
In the Eastern Division the Kentucky Colonels won 22 of their last 25 regular season games to tie the New York Nets for first place in the Eastern Division at 58-26 (.690).


1974–75 ABA season, Playoffs
The 1975 ABA Playoffs began with a one-game series between the Kentucky Colonels and New York Nets for first place in the Eastern Division. The game was played on April 4, 1975, at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky. The Colonels won, 108 to 99.


1974–75 ABA season, Playoffs
The Colonels then defeated the Memphis Sounds 4 games to 1 in the Eastern Division semifinals, while the Nets lost to the Spirits of St. Louis in the other Eastern Division semifinal, 4 games to 1. The Colonels then defeated the Spirits in the Eastern Division finals 4 games to 1.


1974–75 ABA season, Playoffs
In the Western Division the first place Denver Nuggets won their semifinal round against the Utah Stars, 4 games to 2, and the third seeded Indiana Pacers upset the #2 seed San Antonio Spurs 4 games to 2 in the other Western Division semifinal. The Pacers pulled another upset in the Western Division finals, upending the Nuggets 4 games to 3.


1974–75 ABA season, Playoffs
In the 1975 ABA Finals the Colonels defeated the Pacers 4 games to 1 to claim the league championship.


1974–75 ABA season, Awards and honors
The league's MVP award for the 1974-75 season was awarded jointly to Julius Erving of the New York Nets and George McGinnis of the Indiana Pacers.


1974–75 ABA season, Awards and honors
McGinnis was also the league's leading scorer at 29.78 points per game (2,353 points in 79 games). Erving was second at 27.89 points per game.


1974–75 ABA season, Awards and honors
Swen Nater of the San Antonio Spurs led the league in rebounding, averaging 16.40 per game. Artis Gilmore of the Kentucky Colonels was second with 16.20 per game, down from 18.31 the season before.


1974–75 ABA season, Awards and honors
Mack Calvin of the Denver Nuggets set an all time ABA record for free throw percentage, hitting 475 of 530 attempts for an 89.622% average.


1974–75 ABA season, Awards and honors
Artis Gilmore was named Most Valuable Player of the 1975 ABA Playoffs. Gilmore scored 28 points and grabbed 31 rebounds in the final game of the Finals and in Game 3 in Indianapolis Gilmore scored 41 points and nabbed 28 rebounds.


1974–75 AHL season
The 1974–75 AHL season was the 39th season of the American Hockey League. Ten teams were scheduled to play 76 games each in the schedule. The Baltimore Clippers suspended operations after 46 games, when displaced by the Baltimore Blades of the World Hockey Association. The Providence Reds finished first overall in the regular season. The Springfield Indians won their fourth Calder Cup championship.


1974–75 AHL season, Final standings
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points;


1974–75 AHL season, Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes


1974–75 Aberdeen F.C. season
During the 1974–75 season, the Scottish football club Aberdeen F.C. was placed fifth in the Scottish First Division. The team reached the quarterfinal round of the Scottish Cup.


1974–75 Albanian Cup
1974–75 Albanian Cup (Albanian: Kupa e Shqipërisë) was the twenty-third season of Albania's annual cup competition. It began on August 1974 with the First Round and ended on May 1975 with the Final matches. The winners of the competition qualified for the 1975-76 first round of the UEFA Cup. Dinamo Tirana were the defending champions, having won their eighth Albanian Cup last season. The cup was won by KS Elbasani.


1974–75 Albanian Cup
The rounds were played in a two-legged format similar to those of European competitions. If the aggregated score was tied after both games, the team with the higher number of away goals advanced. If the number of away goals was equal in both games, the match was decided by extra time and a penalty shootout, if necessary.


1974–75 Albanian Cup, Second round
In this round entered the 16 winners from the previous round. First and second legs were played on January 1975.


1974–75 Albanian Cup, Quarter finals
In this round entered the 8 winners from the previous round.


1974–75 Albanian Cup, Semifinals
In this round entered the four winners from the previous round.


1974–75 Albanian Cup, Finals
In this round entered the two winners from the previous round.


1974–75 Albanian National Championship
The 1974–75 Albanian National Championship was the 36th season of the Albanian National Championship, the top professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1930.


1974–75 Albanian National Championship, Overview
It was contested by 14 teams, and Dinamo Tirana won the championship.


1974–75 Albanian National Championship, League table
Note: '17 Nëntori' is Tirana, 'Labinoti' is Elbasani, 'Lokomotiva Durrës' is Teuta, 'Traktori' is Lushnja, 'Punëtori' is Albpetrol


1974–75 Algerian Championnat National
The 1974–75 Algerian Championnat National was the 13th season of the Algerian Championnat National since its establishment in 1962. A total of 16 teams contested the league, with JS Kawkabi as the defending champions.


1974–75 Algerian Cup
The 1974–75 Algerian Cup is the 13th edition of the Algerian Cup. USM El Harrach are the defending champions, having beaten WA Tlemcen 1–0 in the previous season's final.


1974–75 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
The 1974–75 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship was the fifth staging of the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1970-71.


1974–75 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
On 16 March 1975, University College Dublin won the championship following a 1-11 to 0-12 defeat of Nemo Rangers in the All-Ireland final at Croke Park. It was their second championship title overall and their second title in succession.


1974–75 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
The 1974–75 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship was the 5th national club hurling competition since its establishment in 1970–71. The first matches of the season were played in the winter of 1974 and the championship ended on 16 March 1975. Blackrock went into the 1974–75 championship as defending champions, having won their second All-Ireland title the previous year.


1974–75 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
The championship culminated with the All-Ireland club final, held at Croke Park, Dublin. The match was contested by St. Finbarr's of Cork and Fenians of Kilkenny. St. Finbarr's won the game by 3–8 to 1–6. It was their first ever All-Ireland title.


1974–75 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship, Format
The 1974–75 club championship was played on a straight knock-out basis. Each of the participating counties entered their respective club champions. The format of the competition was as follows:


1974–75 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship, Format
The Leinster, Connacht, Munster and Ulster championships were played on a straight knock-out basis. The four respective champions from these provinces advanced directly to the All-Ireland semi-finals.


1974–75 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship, Format
Semi-finals: (2 matches) The Munster champions played the Connacht champions while the Leinster champions played the Ulster champions. The winners of these two games contested the All-Ireland club final.


1974–75 Allsvenskan (men's handball)
The 1974–75 Allsvenskan was the 41st season of the top division of Swedish handball. 10 teams competed in the league. Västra Frölunda IF won the regular season, but HK Drott won the playoffs and claimed their first Swedish title. IF Saab and IFK Lidingö were relegated.


1974–75 Alpha Ethniki
The 1974–75 Alpha Ethniki was the 39th season of the highest football league of Greece. The season began on 29 September 1974 and ended on 8 June 1975. Olympiacos won their third consecutive and 20th Greek title.


1974–75 Alpha Ethniki
The point system was: Win: 2 points - Draw: 1 point.


1974–75 Arsenal F.C. season
During the 1974–75 English football season, Arsenal F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.


1974–75 Arsenal F.C. season, Squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


1974–75 Ashes series
The 1974–75 Ashes series consisted of six cricket Test matches, each match lasted five days with six hours of play each day and eight ball overs. It formed part of the MCC tour of Australia in 1974–75 and the matches outside the Tests were played in the name of the Marylebone Cricket Club. Ian Chappell's Australians won the series 4–1 and "brutally and unceremoniously wrenched the Ashes" from Mike Denness's England team.


1974–75 Ashes series
It was Australia's first series victory over England for ten years and the experience proved popular as 777,563 spectators came through the gates and paid nearly a million Australian dollars for the privilege. For the first time the first day of the Third Test at Melbourne was held on Boxing Day in an Ashes series, now a cricketing tradition.


1974–75 Ashes series
Chappell's team was labelled the "ugly Australians" thanks to his hard-nosed captaincy, intimidatory fast bowling and constant sledging as "Rod Marsh and his captain Ian Chappell would vie with each other in profanity". Dennis Lillee had injured his back in 1973, but now returned to Test cricket with 25 wickets at an average of 23.94, but the real surprise was Jeff Thomson whose javelin throw bowling action generated exceptional pace and rearing bouncers that gave him 33 wickets (17.93).


1974–75 Ashes series
Wisden reported that "never in the 98 years of Test cricket have batsmen been so grievously bruised and battered by ferocious, hostile, short-pitched balls". They received generous support from the fast-medium bowler Max Walker with 23 wickets (29.73) and the off-spinner Ashley Mallett with 17 wickets (19.94) as Australia won four of the first five Tests. Greg Chappell had already established himself as a world class batsman and cemented his reputation with 608 runs at an average of 55.27 and a record 14 catches.


1974–75 Ashes series
The opener Ian Redpath spent over 32 hours at the crease for his 472 runs (42.90) and Doug Walters became the first batsman to make an Ashes century in a single session since Don Bradman. The Australian fielding was exceptional as "almost everything that left the ground was caught and ... had a swallow flown within reach of the Australian fieldsmen ... it would have done so at its own risk".


1974–75 Ashes series
The England batsmen were battered and bruised to such an extent that in one game a local player was used to make up an XI. The 41-year-old Colin Cowdrey was sent to reinforce the team on his record sixth tour of Australia and opened the England innings in the second Test at Perth a few days after his arrival and without any match practice. Denness's form deserted him for most of the tour and he became the first captain to drop himself from a Test match, but returned to make 188 and win the Sixth Test by an innings, the highest score by an England captain in Australia.


1974–75 Ashes series, Umpiring
Ian Chappell ... made it clear more than once that he regarded the control of his side on the field as the concern solely of the umpires. Poor wretched men! I wonder what Ian thought might have happened if either Tom Brooks or Robin Bailhache had applied the full sanction of Law 46, and had banned either Lillee or Thomson on that emotion-charged Sunday afternoon. How many beer-cans might have bespattered the field, and angry spectators invaded the playing area? As it was the umpires contented themselves with friendly warnings afterwards described as 'unofficial'. In the circumstances it was hard to blame them.


1974–75 Ashes series, Umpiring
The umpires in all six Tests were Tom Brooks, who had made his debut four years previously in 1970–71, and Robin Bailhache, who made his debut in the First Test at Brisbane. Brooks had been a fast-medium bowler for New South Wales and was forgiving of short-pitched deliveries which he saw as a natural part of the game. This helped England in 1970–71 when they had the fast bowlers John Snow and Bob Willis, but not in 1974–75.


1974–75 Ashes series, Umpiring
The only real point of contention in the series was the intimidatory bowling, particularly by Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson of Australia, but also Bob Willis, Tony Greig and Peter Lever of England. As the series progressed the touring team and English press thought that the Australian umpires failed to apply Law 46; 'The persistent bowling of fast short-pitched balls at the batsman is unfair if, in the opinion of the umpire at the bowler's end, it constitutes a systematic attempt at intimidation'.


1974–75 Ashes series, Umpiring
Traditionally it was the job of the captain to restrain his bowlers if they became too aggressive, but Ian Chappell refused to do so and the Australian umpires were loath to give them official warnings. To be fair Chappell "employed almost the identical tactics used by Illingworth and Snow in 1970–71". Keith Fletcher and John Edrich (twice each), Dennis Amiss, David Lloyd, Colin Cowdrey and Fred Titmus of England and Wally Edwards, Dennis Lillee, Ashley Mallett and Greg Chappell of Australia were all injured while batting in the series.


1974–75 Ashes series, Umpiring
However, the umpires were willing to give the batsmen the benefit of bad light several times, particularly if Lillee, Thomson or Willis were bowling. In the First Test at Brisbane Bailhache told Lillee and Thomson to stop bowling short, but they did not and he offered the England openers the benefit of the bad light. As a result, Ian Chappell complained about the umpire's interference as it was not his job to tell his team how to bowl, Frank Tyson agreeing.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, Preliminaries
For when Mike Denness and his side went to the ground on the Wednesday morning, two days before the First Test, the pitch to their astonishment was a morass of black mud. They left the acting-curator and reigning Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Clem Jones, clad in a yellow safety-helmet flattening it, roughly speaking, with a heavy motor-roller...Clem Jones is a regular Pooh-Bah whose energies are said to have accomplished much for the city of Brisbane; but as Michael Melford put it in  The Daily Telegraph 'civic duties and curatorship do not easily blend.'


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, Preliminaries
Brisbane Tests were traditionally hit by torrential rain and in 1974–75 it fell heavily in the week before the match. The Lord-Mayor of Brisbane, Alderman Clem Jones, sacked the curator at the Gabba so that he could prepare the Test wicket himself. Jones had recently been dethroned as Queensland's representative in the Australian Board of Control, but was still influential in the Queensland Cricket Association. He was a hands-on manager who even manned the turnstiles when he saw the need and had prepared wickets before, but not at Test level.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, Preliminaries
His efforts were not helped by the downpour which turned the ground into sludge, and he admitted that the Test wicket "was a bit crook at one end". However, the scorching Queensland sun and an army of staff working day and night dried out the ground and Jones discarded the muddy wicket for the one used in the Queensland-Western Australia state game.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, Preliminaries
E.W. Swanton thought that over use of the heavy roller on the soft ground had created a ridge at the Vulture Street end, producing uneven bounce, but Frank Tyson noted that only Lillee and Thomson were able to get the ball to rise above stump height and that it only became unpredictable on the last day.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, Preliminaries
Australia had several series wins behind them and the selectors Sam Loxton, Neil Harvey and Phil Ridings picked the regulars; the batsmen Ian Chappell, Greg Chappell (despite recovering from influenza), Ian Redpath and Doug Walters, wicketkeeper Rod Marsh, fast bowler Max Walker and leg-spinner Kerry O'Keeffe. The fast bowler Dennis Lillee had demonstrated his fitness after his crippling back injury of 1973 and was brought back into the team along with the surprise choice of Jeff Thomson, an inaccurate fast bowler with a slinging, javelin throw action.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, Preliminaries
His sheer pace would be the deciding factor in the series, though many pundits thought the left-arm Geoff Dymock would have been the better bet. The leg-spinner Terry Jenner was another surprise as Brisbane was not conductive to spin, but in the end the regular spinner Kerry O'Keeffe was made twelfth man and Jenner played in his stead. Wally Edwards and Ross Edwards were brought over from Western Australia. Wally was an angular opening batsman in the style of Bill Lawry and Ross had made his name by scoring 170 not out at Trent Bridge in the 1972 Ashes series.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, Preliminaries
England had left their best batsman Geoff Boycott and best bowler John Snow at home, but were still able to present a professional-looking team which had lost only one of its last eleven Tests. The tour selectors Alec Bedser, Alan Smith, Mike Denness, John Edrich and Tony Greig were slightly hampered by rain-affected practice matches and a line of niggling injuries; David Lloyd was out with a broken finger, Geoff Arnold with a strained shoulder and Chris Old with an injured hand.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, Preliminaries
The captain Denness had just recovered from a mystery virus, Edrich from a back injury and Dennis Amiss and Bob Willis had thrown off groin strains. However, they had beaten New South Wales and were the first MCC team to beat Queensland since the war. Boycott's replacement Brian Luckhurst was chosen to open with Amiss, followed by the batsmen Edrich, Denness, Keith Fletcher, Greig, the wicketkeeper Alan Knott, the spinner Derek Underwood and the fast bowlers Willis, Mike Hendrick and Peter Lever.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, Preliminaries
Ian Chappell won the toss and elected to bat on the suspect surface. Though it is a brave captain who puts the opposition in to bat Chappell had a difficult decision as the wicket could dry out into a good batting surface later in the match, though the prevailing opinion was that it would be better not to bat last on an under-prepared wicket.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, Australia – First Innings
A retrospective analysis of the Australian batting performance revealed that the recognised bats, other than the two Chappells and Edwards had reduced the art to technical absurdity; whereas the tail-enders has distilled it to simplicity. The scoresheet disclosed that no fewer than six batsmen lost their wickets hooking and pulling.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, Australia – First Innings
Bob Willis opened the bowling with a stiff breeze behind him, but Peter Lever found it too much going into the wind and Mike Hendrick (2/64) replaced him after one over. Hendrick got Wally Edwards to mis-hook a short ball to a tumbling Dennis Amiss. At the other end Ian Redpath was backing away to leg to avoid Willis's bouncers, but exposed his off-stump and was yorked for 5, leaving Australia 10/2. The Chappell brothers recovered the innings with a stand of 100 runs in 155 minutes with Denness rotating his bowlers every four overs so they could rest.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, Australia – First Innings
Ian Chappell was out of form and took 97 minutes to make 11 runs, but after lunch the fast bowlers were replaced by Tony Greig, who suffered as the brothers took advantage of his poor length. In the end it was Derek Underwood who dismissed Greg Chappell for 58 with the best ball of the day, a leg-spinner which clipped the edge of his bat and was taken by Keith Fletcher at slip. The Australian captain started arguing with Greig as the lanky bowler's footmarks were in line with the stumps and obliterating Chappell's block mark.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, Australia – First Innings
Greig kept scuffing the block mark to even the ground so he would not trip and Chappell kept re-marking his block until they looked like schoolboys kicking dirt at each other. Chappell built up another partnership of 87 with Ross Edwards until the captain reached 90, decided to attack the bowling in the last hour of play and hooked Willis (4/56) into the hands of Greig, soon followed by Doug Walters who hooked him to Lever. Edwards was caught behind by another deadly delivery from Underwood (2/54) and 197/3 became 205/6 and 216/6 at stumps.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, Australia – First Innings
The overnight batsmen Rod Marsh and Terry Jenner had to face Willis with the new ball and Jenner mis-hooked him to square-leg, where Lever ran 22 yards to take the catch. Marsh was beaten by Hendrick's swing and was caught by Denness to leave Australia 228/8 and in real trouble when they were saved by a wagging tail.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, Australia – First Innings
The 6'4" Max Walker started swinging the bat for 41 not out and added 29 with Dennis Lillee, who fell over trying to hook a medium-paced bouncer from Greig (1/70) and gloved the ball to the wicketkeeper Alan Knott, who had missed a chance off Walker at 242/8. After Lillee had given Greig a few words of discouragement and walked off Jeff Thomson hit 23 and added 52 runs for the last wicket until he was run out by a brilliant pick up and throw from the England captain and Australia were all out for 309.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, England – First Innings
I hadn't witnessed the full, frightening pace of Jeff Thomson until the First Test of the 1974–75 series against England. Rod Marsh, playing for W.A., had. ' He's bloody quick!' was Rod's verdict... There was a stiff breeze and I thought Max might use the new ball better. Maybe curiosity influenced me, but I gave the ball to Thommo. His first over was quick...I was standing beside Marsh as the ball thudded into his gloves. He tossed the ball to Greg Chappell at second slip –  and wrung his hands. ' Something wrong, pal?' I asked. ' Christ, that hurt,' said Marsh. ' But I love it.'


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, England – First Innings
Dennis Lillee opened the Australian bowling with the help of the wind and was a yard faster than Willis, but Jeff Thomson bowling into the wind was faster still and made the opening batsmen Brian Luckhurst and Dennis Amiss flinch from the ball leaping off the pitch towards their bodies. Luckhurst edged a catch behind to Rod Marsh and Amiss to Terry Jenner in the gully and England were 10/2 just as Australia had been, with Thomson (3/59) receiving enthusiastic applause from his new home crowd.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, England – First Innings
The England vice-captain John Edrich dug himself in and fought off the short-pitched deliveries which battered his body and hands. His captain Mike Denness padded up to a ball that landed outside his off-stump and cut back under the new leg before wicket law which meant he could be out if the umpire was satisfied that the ball would hit the wicket even if it pitched outside the line of the stumps. Keith Fletcher was severely bruised on his forearm and fended off a couple of balls that landed just beyond the reach of Ian Redpath at short-leg.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, England – First Innings
Thomson had now switched ends and with the wind behind him was bowling at extraordinary speed, Fletcher once edging the ball over the slips that almost went for six. After Doug Walters and Jenner had given him a rest Lillee (2/73) returned to bowl Fletcher, who cut the ball onto his stumps and England were 57/4. The Edrich family were well known for their tenacity and Tony Greig used his long reach to slash the short stuff over the head of the Australian slip and gully fieldsmen. As a result, they saw out the day with the score on 114/4.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, England – First Innings
Strangely Ian Chappell did not ask for the wicket to be rolled at the start of the second day and neither did Denness at the start of the third. Edrich started the day making 2,000 runs against Australia, the seventh man to do so after Jack Hobbs, Wally Hammond, Herbert Sutcliffe, Len Hutton, Colin Cowdrey and Ken Barrington. Immediately afterwards Greig was dropped by Jenner off Lillee and Edrich, whose hand was so swollen from a bone broken on the previous day that he could barely hold his bat, edged Thomson to Ian Chappell at first slip for 48.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, England – First Innings
Max Walker (4/73) was now bowling into the wind with the new ball and dismissed Alan Knott and Peter Lever, but "Greig started slashing the ball all over the place on his way to a century and Underwood's nagging straight bat was defying everything we threw at him. Lillee, Thomson, Walker, Jenner...then through them all again." Greig (110) and Derek Underwood (25) added 58 for the eighth wicket when Chappell called on Doug Walters to break the partnership.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, England – First Innings
The ball slipped from Walters hand and wafted towards Underwood, who was so used to the pace of Lillee and Thomson that he mistimed his stroke and gave a simple catch to Redpath in the covers for 228/8. Greig hit his 17th boundary then gave a fine edge to Marsh from Lillee at 248/9, the first England batsmen to make a century in Brisbane since Maurice Leyland in 1936–37, also the last time England had won at the venue. Bob Willis and Mike Hendrick added 17 runs for the last wicket until the latter gave a catch to Redpath off Walker and England were out for 265, 44 runs behind Australia.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, Australia – Second Innings
To watch every ball of the 1974/75 Ashes battle was to see excitement and controversy at its height in the game of cricket: an Australian fast-bowling pair to rank with the greatest ever to pull on a pair of boots, catching the equal or better of anything I have seen in Test cricket, batting and captaincy to match anything Australian sides have produced since the war.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, Australia – Second Innings
There was a considerable difference between the two Australian innings: six batsmen had lost their wicket hooking the ball in the first innings and this stroke was ignored in the second as Ian Chappell told his men to stay in. This cost them the initiative as it took 150 minutes to reach 51/2, with only 8 runs scored off the last 12 8-ball overs. The batsmen to fall were Wally Edwards, who was caught by Alan Knott off Bob Willis (3/45), and Ian Chappell who prodded a ball to Keith Fletcher off Derek Underwood (2/60).


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, Australia – Second Innings
On the fourth day Ian Redpath was bowled again by Willis to leave Australia 59/3, but after this Greg Chappell (71), Ross Edwards (53), Doug Walters (63 not out) and Rod Marsh (46 not out) set about extending the lead. Chappell and Edwards added 114, without getting away from the tight bowling and defensive fields and Knott took his 174th Test catch off Willis to dismiss Edwards, thus breaking Godfrey Evans's 15-year-old record.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, Australia – Second Innings
It took some robust strokeplay from Walters and Marsh to bring the score to 288/5 in under 8 hours, Marsh hitting Underwood for a four and a six off successive balls before being dropped by the substitute Chris Old in the outfield and Walters hitting the 100,000th run for Australia against England on 199/5. Chappell declared 45 minutes before stumps to give England 335 minutes to make 333 runs to win, carefully timed to prevent a repeat of their shock win over the West Indies after a sporting declaration by Gary Sobers in 1967–68.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, England – Second Innings
Lindsay Hassett ... said he thought an over bowled by Thomson at Brisbane was the best he had ever seen from a fast bowler.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, England – Second Innings
Though there was 35 minutes for England to bat until stumps they survived with 10/0 as a stormcloud loomed over the ground. Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson were sending down three short balls an over and Umpire Bailhache told them they should bowl fuller, but the next ball was a Thommo bouncer and the umpire gave the English batsmen the benefit of the bad light. Ian Chappell complained about the umpire's interference as strictly speaking he could not tell the bowlers what to bowl and the ABC commentator Frank Tyson agreed.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, England – Second Innings
Brian Luckhurst edged Lillee (2/25) to Ian Chappell early the next morning leaving Dennis Amiss and John Edrich to bat, both of whom had broken bones in their hands from the first innings. Edrich took pain-killing injections in the drinks break, but was plainly out of sorts and was bowled by Thomson (6/46). Amiss received a brute of a ball from Thomson that he sent to Doug Walters at third slip.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, England – Second Innings
This brought Mike Denness and Keith Fletcher together at 40/3 and they resisted for an hour when the captain was taken by Walters off another Thommo thunderbolt, soon followed by Fletcher, caught by Greg Chappell off Terry Jenner (2/45) and Tony Greig bowled by Thomson yorker at 94/6. There was little hope of England lasting the day, but Alan Knott held out for two hours making 19, adding 29 with Peter Lever and 47 with the top-scorer Derek Underwood (30). When Underwood fell at 162/8, Knott and Hendrick soon followed and England were all out for 166 to lose by 166 runs, 84 minutes short of saving the game. Thomson took 6/46, which remained the best Test figures of his career.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, Result
The unpleasant truth for England after Brisbane was that every curator at every Test ground would be seeking to quicken their pitches. There would be no respite from pace. There was no running to the medium pace end for a breather. We had seen the birth of a new pace partnership which can be as effective as Lindwall and Miller. The past demonstrated that these are the types of bowlers who win Test matches.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, Result
Australia won the First Test by 166 runs to take a 1–0 lead in the series, though a little more effort from England could have denied them an important victory. Worse for them Dennis Amiss, John Edrich and David Lloyd had broken hands, Keith Fletcher a badly bruised arm, Bob Willis a groin strain and Peter Lever had injured a side muscle. Before they left Brisbane the tour selectors sent back to London for a replacement batsmen and asked for the 41-year-old Colin Cowdrey.


1974–75 Ashes series, First Test – Brisbane, Result
Cowdrey was highly regarded by the MCC team and in particular by Mike Denness, who had succeeded him as captain of Kent. In his 20-year Test career he had faced the fast bowling of Keith Miller, Ray Lindwall, Wes Hall, Charlie Griffith, Ian Meckiff, Gordon Rorke, Neil Adcock and even the young Dennis Lillee. Although the Australian press was aghast at such a recall – Cowdrey had not played a Test in four years – the tourists were keen to have a man with the technique and strength of purpose to play the fastest of bowlers. The attendance over the five days was a record 62,000, easily beating the old one of 42,000 as the facilities at the Gabba had been greatly improved over the wooden stands and barbed wire 'concentration camp' of yesteryears.


1974–75 Ashes series, Second Test – Perth, Preliminaries
My father toured Australia six times (in 1954/5, 1958/9, 1962/3, 1965/6, 1970/1 and 1974/5) with immense success, winning friends everywhere. You have probably seen a photograph of the banner hung at the MCG, that tribute to him from his Australian fans. People still talk of his hundred in Melbourne on his first tour, and his highest first-class score, 307 at Adelaide. Six times he toured, being good enough at 20 and good enough at 40.


1974–75 Ashes series, Second Test – Perth, Preliminaries
Colin Cowdrey arrived in Perth with the wives of the MCC team after a 19-hour delay in Bombay, too late to play a practice match and he was called up for the Second Test two days after he arrived and with three hours in the nets. This was his sixth tour of Australia matching the record of the Lancashire spinner Johnny Briggs. Frank Tyson, who had played with Cowdrey in the 1954–55 Ashes series and now commentating for the ABC was jokingly asked by fans if he would be recalled as well.


1974–75 Ashes series, Second Test – Perth, Preliminaries
The tour selectors were limited by the hand injuries to John Edrich and Dennis Amiss, but David Lloyd's finger had mended and he was called up to open the innings. Fletcher had a numb forearm after being hit by a Lillee bouncer in Brisbane and again by Alan Smith in the nets and was 'absent hurt' in the match against Western Australia, but had now recovered and kept his place. Peter Lever had a side strain and Mike Hendrick a fever and they were replaced by Chris Old and Geoff Arnold.


1974–75 Ashes series, Second Test – Perth, Preliminaries
More surprisingly Derek Underwood was replaced by the veteran Fred Titmus. Underwood had bowled some excellent balls in the First Test, but the WACA was a fast, true pitch with little turn and Titmus's ability to flight the ball was seen as an advantage, and his all-round ability would strengthen the fragile batting line up. The task of the Australian selectors was easier as they kept the same XI from Brisbane, but exchanged the twelfth man Kerry O'Keeffe for the off-spinner Ashley Mallett.


1974–75 Ashes series, Second Test – Perth, Preliminaries
Like Titmus Mallett was able to flight the ball, so Terry Jenner was made twelfth man and Mallett played. Ian Chappell won the toss and took the extraordinary decision to field, believing that the England batsmen were still demoralised from their experience at Brisbane and that a dose of fast bowling on the quickest pitch in Australia might break them. Also there was some moisture in the air which would help his swing bowlers. Only twice had a captain put the opposition into bat and won in Australia, Johnny Douglas in the Fourth Test of the 1911–12 Ashes series and Richie Benaud in the Fifth Test of the 1958–59 Ashes series, both at the MCG.


1974–75 Ashes series, Second Test – Perth, England – First Innings
Initially it looked like Ian Chappell's plan to put England in to bat had backfired. Though Jeff Thomson made the ball bounce over Brian Luckhurst's head on several occasions, the Kent batsmen was 'smitten hip and thigh' and had a bone broken in his hand, but he and David Lloyd saw off the new ball and added 44 for the first wicket. Luckhurst now decided to make some runs and was caught in the gully by Ashley Mallett trying to drive Max Walker (2/49).


1974–75 Ashes series, Second Test – Perth, England – First Innings
Colin Cowdrey now walked to the crease to an ovation from the 16,000 crowd at the WACA, but not from Thomson when he arrived at the crease. He showed that he has lost none of his timing and that his bat was as straight as ever. Lloyd (44) took 10 runs off Mallett's first over and England were 99/1 when he slashed a ball off Thomson into the gully where Greg Chappell took a sharp catch.


1974–75 Ashes series, Second Test – Perth, England – First Innings
England now collapsed to 132/6; Cowdrey was bowled behind his legs by Thomson (2/45) for 22, Keith Fletcher was beaten by Dennis Lillee and edged the ball to Ian Redpath in the slips, Mike Denness edged another ball off Lillee (2/48) to Greg Chappell also in the slips, Tony Greig repeated his slashing tactics of Brisbane, but smashed the ball into Mallett's stomach off Walker and was out. Alan Knott set about restoring the decision, making 51 out of 62 added with Fred Titmus in 70 minutes.


1974–75 Ashes series, Second Test – Perth, England – First Innings
Doug Walters (2/13) broke the partnership by having both batsmen caught by Redpath and the tail folded. Greg Chappell dived to knock a well struck ball from Chris Old off Ian Chappell's leg-spin and caught it on the second try and Geoff Arnold was run out by Walters and Marsh. England were dismissed for 208 a few minutes before stumps and Australia were on top.


1974–75 Ashes series, Second Test – Perth, Australia – First Innings
Doug Walters went to the wicket when Australia's total stood at 4/192 just before tea and played his shots to such telling effect that, by the time stumps arrived, he had scored 103... He opened the dressing-room door, expecting a flood of congratulations from his fellow players on the brilliance of his stroke play. His team mates, however, had anticipated Walters' expectations and were hidden in the shower room. Ian Chappell, the Aussie skipper, was alone in the room, hunched over a newspaper crossword. Chappell looked up as Walters entered, well ahead of his fellow batsmen. ' What the hell are you doing back here? I told you not to get out tonight'...


1974–75 Ashes series, Second Test – Perth, Australia – First Innings
Ian Redpath and Wally Edwards saw off the new ball and were 1/0 at stumps on the first day. The next day Bob Willis (2/91) hit Edwards with a bouncer and appealed for Redpath caught behind off his gloves, which was declined by the umpire. They took the score to 64 runs in less than an hour when Edwards hit Tony Greig to David Lloyd at cover-point.


1974–75 Ashes series, Second Test – Perth, Australia – First Innings
The usually static Redpath was stumped when he danced down the wicket to Fred Titmus (2/84) and Ian Chappell edged Geoff Arnold (2/129) to Alan Knott while trying to leg glance, leaving Australia 113/3. Greg Chappell made 62, his fifth successive 50 against the tourists and added 79 runs with Ross Edwards by tea, though Titmus conceded only 20 runs in nine 8-ball overs. Chappell was out at 192/4 when he cut Willis into the gully where Colin Cowdrey knocked the ball up to be caught by Greig.


1974–75 Ashes series, Second Test – Perth, Australia – First Innings
After tea Doug Walters came out and took command of the game as Denness declined to use Willis to attack his well-known weakness around the off stump. Instead Greig sent up his slow off-cutters and gave away 69 runs off nine overs. Walters reached his 50 in 44 minutes, followed by that of Edwards in 174 minutes. The English fielding became ragged as they added 158 runs after tea.


1974–75 Ashes series, Second Test – Perth, Australia – First Innings
Walters reached his century off the last ball of the day by pulling Willis for six and was engulfed by fans as he left the field, as well they might as he was the first batsman since Bradman to score a hundred runs in a session in an Ashes Test. Australia were 352/4 and well ahead in the game, but the Australian team played a trick on Walters when he returned, hiding in the showers before coming out to congratulate him.


1974–75 Ashes series, Second Test – Perth, Australia – First Innings
He was out first thing the next day, caught by Fletcher in the gully off Willis waving his bat outside off-stump for 103, but Edwards stayed in to make 115, having been 79 overnight and became the first Western Australian to make a hundred at the WACA. He was bowled by Arnold, but Rod Marsh hit 41 and the tail added 65 runs before Chris Old cleared things up with 3/85. Australia made 481, a lead of 273 in the first innings and few thought England could avoid an innings defeat.


1974–75 Ashes series, Second Test – Perth, England – Second Innings
Truthfully, I enjoy hitting a batsman more than getting him out. It doesn't worry me in the least to see the batsman hurt, rolling around screaming and blood on the pitch.


1974–75 Ashes series, Second Test – Perth, England – Second Innings
With Brian Luckhurst injured Colin Cowdrey volunteered to open the innings with David Lloyd and withstood the wild first overs of Dennis Lillee (2/59) and Jeff Thomson (5/93). So many of the balls were short that only two or three had to be played each over and runmaking came slowly as the batsmen concentrated on survival. Lloyd was caught in the box by a bouncer from Thomson that failed to rise, doubled up in pain for five minutes and was helped off by the England physiotherapist Bernie Thomas.


1974–75 Ashes series, Second Test – Perth, England – Second Innings
Cowdrey was dropped by Ian Redpath off Lillee, hit on the arm, survived a confident appeal by Rod Marsh before he was finally caught lbw by Thomson for 41, the bowler's 50th first class wicket, with the score 62/1. Mike Denness had replaced Lloyd and despite Doug Walters' low expectations, "Oh Christ, don't tell me we have to put up with that Mike Denness for a couple of balls again", he and Tony Greig lasted the day with his team on 102/1.


1974–75 Ashes series, Second Test – Perth, England – Second Innings
After a rest day the innings resumed in 37 °C heat on the fourth day, but the game was effectively over when four wickets fell in the first hour. Greig repeated his slashing policy of the First Test until he was caught by Greg Chappell off Thomson. He was replaced by Lloyd who saw Denness edge the same bowler to Redpath, then Fletcher to Marsh to give him 3/8 in three overs.


1974–75 Ashes series, Second Test – Perth, England – Second Innings
Greg Chappell caught Knott and Lloyd, Luckhurst came out to bat with his broken hand, but was caught by Mallett off Lillee after a stand of 63 with the gallant Fred Titmus (61). With nothing to lose Chris Old thrashed 2 sixes and 5 fours, taking 20 runs off one over from Max Walker and making 43 of the 64 runs added with Titmus for the eight wicket, which ensured that Australia would have to bat again. Geoff Arnold was Thomson's fifth victim and Greg Chappell took Titmus off Mallett (2/32) to give him a seven catches in a Test, breaking the record for a fielder held by his grandfather Vic Richardson amongst others. England made 293, forcing Australia to make 21 runs for victory.


1974–75 Ashes series, Second Test – Perth, Australia – Second Innings
Ironically, England whose fielding had been so lacklustre in the Australian first innings pulled out all the stops in the second, when they had no chance of winning. Geoff Arnold appealed for lbw against Wally Edwards on his first two balls, and was successful the second time round, but Ian Chappell and Ian Redpath made the necessary runs to end the match with 23/1.


1974–75 Ashes series, Second Test – Perth, Result
Australia won the Second Test by 9 wickets to take a 2–0 lead in the series. It was the first time that Australia had won two Tests in a series against England since 1961 and the first time that they had been 2–0 up against the old enemy since 1958–59.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, Preliminaries
Colin Cowdrey and John Edrich were unable to practice on Christmas Eve – mainly because of the drizzling rain but also because Cowdrey wanted to spend his birthday in comparative peace. Since both batsmen wanted to feel the ball on bat before the Test, I volunteered the use of the Hawthorn Indoor Cricket Centre, in which I was a partner, for a two-hour work-out on Christmas morning. It was quite a contrast to open the children's presents in the early hours and to open the bowling at the two English batsmen before lunch. My fifteen old son, Philip, thought the latter experience to be quite the best of his Christmas presents.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, Preliminaries
By long tradition the Victoria–New South Wales Sheffield Shield match began on Boxing Day at the MCG, much to the chagrin of the NSW players who missed Christmas with their families as a result. But with six Tests to fit into the season this game was moved and the Third Test was held instead, thus beginning the current tradition of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. Australia kept an unchanged team from Perth, but the England team had a few changes.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, Preliminaries
Dennis Amiss and John Edrich had recovered enough to play again after having their hands broken in the First Test at Brisbane, though Edrich's hand was still sore. The out of form Brian Luckhurst and Keith Fletcher were dropped to make room. Geoff Arnold and Chris Old were also dropped as the now fit Mike Hendrick and the spinner Derek Underwood returned to the team, Old somewhat unfairly as he had played well at Perth.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, Preliminaries
This gave England only two fast bowlers, Bob Willis and Arnold, the medium pace and off-cutters of Tony Greig and the spin of Fred Titmus and Underwood. The Melbourne Cricket Ground was slower than it had ever been, with low bounce that would limit the effectiveness of the Australian fast bowling attack. Ian Chappell won the toss for the third time in a row and became the first captain in history to put the opposition in to bat in successive Tests. The day was overcast and as good for bowling as it would ever be at the MCG and Chappell was confident in the strength of his bowling attack and the fragility of the English batting.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, England – First innings
The deterioration of crowd behaviour in Australia has been marked and easily observable over the last few years...Exhibitionists, generally in drunken stupor, invaded the pitches...attempted to run the gauntlet of policemen patrolling the perimeter. When they intruded upon the playing area to congratulate their heroes, their sincerity extended to trying to steal their caps or snitching a bail or stump whilst the umpire was distracted by his concern for the pitch...umpire Brooks and an intruder clashed physically in the centre of the Test pitch. The invader was sent sprawling in the centre of the wicket by an exasperated umpire, who was no doubt unwise to intrude into the domain of law and order.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, England – First innings
Dennis Lillee (2/70) showed what could be done by swinging the ball like a boomerang in the first over and with his eighth ball turned Dennis Amiss around and clipped the shoulder of his bat to give Doug Walters a difficult catch at third slip. Jeff Thomson did not like bowling into the wind and was replaced after one over by Max Walker, who bowled three maiden overs, but had David Lloyd dropped by Walters as he and Colin Cowdrey slowly advanced the score.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, England – First innings
Thomson was brought in at Lillee's end with the wind behind him and gave Lloyd a rearing ball that moved on the leg stump, struck his hand and lobbed to Ashley Mallett in the gully to leave England 34/2. 40/2 at lunch. John Edrich came in with his still sore hand and for two hours the veteran partnership added 76 runs between lunch and tea. The 50 was brought up in 160 minutes by a Thomson bouncer that leaped over Rod Marsh's head for four byes and he struck Cowdrey on the chest and elbow with successive balls.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, England – First innings
Edrich snicked Lillee to Ian Chappell, who dropped and catch and split his hand between his thumb and forefinger, so had to leave the field for treatment. Just before tea two supporters climbed the picket fence and reached the wicket before Umpire Brooks removed them and the interlude spoiled Cowdrey's concentration. He misjudged a Thomson inswinger which he thought was passing him, but rapped his pads and he was given out leg before wicket for 35.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, England – First innings
In the next over, Edrich tried to glance a ball from Mallett (2/37) and was caught by Marsh for 49, though the batsmen later said he had missed and the ball had come off his pads he was given out by Umpire Bailhache and England were 110/4. Tea was taken when the wicket fell and Mike Denness and Tony Greig resumed after the break. As at Brisbane and Perth, Greig slashed away at everything and was dropped by both Ian and Greg Chappell.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, England – First innings
Thomson pulled up with a leg-strain and left the field, but Denness cut Mallett into the hands of Marsh and Greig was controversially run out and England were 157/6. Ian Chappell had thrown the ball in from the boundary as Greig was completing his third run and Marsh caught the ball and smashed the stumps as the 6'7" South African reached for the crease with his long handled bat. Photographs later showed that he had just made his ground, but Umpire Bailhache gave him out and Greig refused to go until rudely told to leave by Greg Chappell.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, England – First innings
The innings now depended on Alan Knott, who made 52, and Fred Titmus who batted until stumps, which were pulled when Lillee bowled round the wicket to the Cockney spinner and Mallett took a catch off his bat-handle. Resuming at 176/7, Thomson returned despite the advice of the team physiotherapist as Knott and Derek Underwood made 39 runs in 38 minutes, the England wicketkeeper cutting with abandon. Thomson was bowling carefully to avoid further injury and was replaced by Walker (1/35) who an overconfident Underwood tried to drive only to give Marsh his third catch of the innings.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, England – First innings
Bob Willis slashed a ball from Thomson into the covers and Walters took a running catch over his left shoulder. Mike Hendrick hit two boundaries in his 8 not out and the innings ended when Thomson (4/72) yorked Knott with the score on 242 to give him 20 wickets in five innings.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, Australia – First Innings
At 3:30pm two umpires emerged from the players' race leading from the dressing rooms. The crowd roared its approval. It seemed there was going to be more play. The cordon of policemen, reinforced after the spectator intrusions of the first day, respectfully made way to allow the umpires to pass. But wait! Surely Tom Brooks does not have a beard. Robin Bailhache, slight in build though he is, is slightly more substantial than the youthful beanpole figure making his way to the centre. It took Bill Watkins, the groundsman at the M.C.G. to detect the impersonation.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, Australia – First Innings
He hurried from his post by the covers in the centre of the ground to intercept the impostors and turn them back from whence they came. In tribute to a skilful piece of improvised humour, police sergeant Brian Watkins allowed them to make good their escape, instead of conducting them to the local lock-up.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, Australia – First Innings
The second day had 54,000 spectators, but was affected by rain and bad light. Mike Hendrick took the second over and pulled a hamstring muscle with his fifth ball, tried a sixth and then left, injured beyond help for the rest of the series. England were left with only one fast bowler and Bob Willis gave an extended spell of seven overs and Derek Underwood was given the ball after only six overs, but strangely Fred Titmus was not brought on until after lunch, and then replaced Underwood instead of forming a spin twin partnership.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, Australia – First Innings
Though Wally Edwards was clearly struggling Ian Redpath was happily playing the depleted attack, but when the umpires gave them the light at 3:13 pm the Australian batsmen walked off. At 3:30 pm a couple of hoaxers dressed up as umpires and "sold the crowd a pup" before they were chased off. Play resumed for two overs at 4:00 pm until a Willis bouncer and light rain convinced the umpires to stop play and the day ended with Australia 63/0.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, Australia – First Innings
Willis stormed in the next morning and Edwards attempted a forehand smash against a rising ball straight to Denness at mid-off. Ian Chappell's hand was still smarting so Greg Chappell came in and tried to cut Willis through the gully, but the ball lifted and moved in and the ball was taken by the telescopic arm of Tony Greig at second slip. At the other end Titmus (2/43) floated a ball up to Ross Edwards that he edged to Colin Cowdrey at first slip and Australia were 68/3.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, Australia – First Innings
Doug Walters hit a chancy 36 with the stationary Redpath, whose 55 took 242 minutes to make when Greig (2/63) dismissed them both to bring Ian Chappell and Rod Marsh together at a precarious 126/5. These two added 47 runs when Willis took the new ball and caught the captain lbw for 36, 173/6. Marsh (44) and the free swinging Max Walker (30) pulled Australia up to 237 when they were both caught by Alan Knott, a leaping dive to dismiss Marsh off Titmus and a simple snick to take Walker off Willis. Lillee survived a lbw appeal from Titmus, Ashley Mallett was run out by substitute Chris Old for a duck and Willis bowled Thomson and Australia were all out for 241, one run behind England. Willis took 5/61, his first 5 wicket haul in Tests.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, England – Second Innings
This was the one occasion when Australia saw the vintage Amiss. There was no better batting on either side in the series than the 70 he made before lunch, chiefly with Lloyd in their opening stand of 115. For once Lillee and Thomson were hit and hit hard, and naturally their control faltered.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, England – Second Innings
After one Thomson over on the third day the gloom made the umpires pull stumps with England 1/0. Dennis Amiss had made his name as a heavy scoring batsman with tallies of 663 runs (82.87) in the West Indies in 1973–74 and 370 runs (92.50) against India and 220 runs (55.00) against Pakistan in 1974 with five big centuries to his credit. He needed only 93 runs to make 1381 runs in 1974 and equal the record made by Bobby Simpson in 1964.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, England – Second Innings
Here, on a flat wicket at Melbourne he showed his talent in Australia by making 70 runs in an opening stand of 115 in the first session against Lillee, Thomson and Walker. David Lloyd looked less certain and gave several chances, including a catch by Ian Chappell which the Australian captain indicated had hit the ground before he took it, much to everyone's surprise. Ashley Mallett (4/60) slowed the run rate and just before lunch tricked LLoyd (44) and had him caught and bowled when the left-hander tried to drive a turning ball.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, England – Second Innings
With the pitch taking spin Dennis Lillee slowed his pace and concentrated on swing and after swearing at the gentlemanly Colin Cowdrey was hit through mid-wicket where Greg Chappell leapt across his brother at first slip to take a catch. Jeff Thomson (4/71) took a spell of 3/13 in six overs, having John Edrich caught behind, Denness caught by Ian Chappell and Knott was caught behind. He hit Fred Titmus painfully on the back of his knee, which held up the match until he could struggle back to his feet.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, England – Second Innings
Ian Chappell caught Amiss off Mallett ten runs short of his century and 3 runs short of Simpson's record. Mallet also bowled Titmus for a 31-minute duck and had Underwood caught by the captain as England collapsed from 152/2 to 182/8. As at Brisbane Tony Greig restored the situation thrashing 5 fours and a six in his 60 and adding 66 runs with Bob Willis (15) for the ninth wicket before Greg Chappell snatched a catch off a ball heading to the third man boundary.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, England – Second Innings
The limping Hendrick came out to help add a few runs, but Willis was bowled trying to drive Thomson, who had now taken 24 wickets in three Tests, an average of four wickets in each England innings. The total of 244 left Australia 365 minutes to make 246 runs to win their third Test in succession.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, Australia – Second Innings
In seven overs by Titmus and Underwood, bowling to normal containing fields, Australia added only seven runs...a protest against Titmus bowling to six leg-side fielders and Underwood operating without a slip. But what did they want – England to serve up the Ashes on a plate with, as Neville Cardus once observed parsley around them?


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, Australia – Second Innings
There was only time for one over before stumps on the fourth day and Bob Willis conceded 4 extras, reducing the target to 242. The next morning Tony Greig (4/56) got Wally Edwards lbw for a duck as he shuffled across the wicket and in the following over Ian Chappell was lbw to Bob Willis (1/56) and Australia were 5/2.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, Australia – Second Innings
Ian Redpath (39) and Greg Chappell (61) resurrected the Australian innings with a stand of 101, but scored runs a crawl – 68 runs in the morning session – and Redpath survived two lbw appeals and was dropped by the normally reliable Denness. Derek Underwood (0/43) and Fred Titmus (2/62) were brought on, but found little turn and Chappell was the third man in the innings to be leg before wicket when a Titmus shooter hit him on the ankle. Redpath had been almost run out, but John Edrich's poor return allowed him to get home.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, Australia – Second Innings
Ross Edwards was caught by Titmus's spin as the ball kicked up, clipped the edge of the bat and was caught by David Lloyd, then Redpath's luck ran out and he was run out by Underwood and Knott when he crossed the crease without grounding his bat and Australia was 121/5. The spinners were now bowling with two slips, a short-leg and short mid-wicket, tied up Doug Walters (32) and Rod Marsh (40) and reduced the 40,000 crowd to silence. By tea Australia were 145/5, needing 101 runs to win in two hours, or about 28 overs.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, Australia – Second Innings
Greig replaced Underwood and appealed for lbw against Walters when a shooter got through, then had him caught by Denness at 171/6, but by 5 pm Australia needed 55 runs in the mandatory 15 overs in the last hour of the game. After some discussion between Denness, Edrich, Cowdrey and Greig the new ball was not taken and Titmus and Underwood – nicknamed "Steptoe and Son" – carried on with defensive fields to a displeased Marsh who refused to make runs in protest.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, Australia – Second Innings
After six overs Willis and Greig took the new ball and the latter had Marsh caught by a diving Knott on the leg-side. Marsh was reluctant to go and when Grieg theatrically pointed the way to the pavilion he was booed by the crowd. Max Walker (23 not out) and Dennis Lillee (14) thumped 22 runs off three overs from Willis and Underwood was brought back on to bowl the penultimate over with the England team spread around the outfield, which was a maiden. Greig bowled the last over with 14 runs or 3 wickets needed for victory.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, Australia – Second Innings
Greig's fifth delivery was no-balled as he had three fieldsmen behind square-leg – the rule introduced to prevent Bodyline. With three balls left and 9 runs needed Lillee drove Greig into the hands of Denness in the covers. Walker had crossed ends and his single off the penultimate ball ensured a draw and the final ball was a bouncer to Ashley Mallett. Australia ended on 238/8, 8 runs short of victory.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, Result
On the whole the result was fair enough – the closest-fought draw in my experience in Tests between England and Australia.


1974–75 Ashes series, Third Test – Melbourne, Result
Australia and England drew the Third Test, leaving Australia with its 2–0 lead in the series. Though England had yet to pass 300 runs in an innings in the series they had shown that they could reduce Australia to their level and it was a considerable improvement over the defeats at Brisbane and Perth.


1974–75 Ashes series, One Day International – Melbourne, Preliminaries
The first ever One Day International had been played at the MCG to replace the washed out Third Test of the 1970–71 Ashes series. Four years later a match was organised for New Year's Day instead of the Melbourne Test usually played on that day, the Test being moved to Boxing Day.


1974–75 Ashes series, One Day International – Melbourne, Australian Innings
Mike Denness won the toss and put Australia in to bat with immediate results as Wally Edwards and Ian Redpath were sent back to the pavilion with the score on 11/2. Ian Chappell hit 42 off 49 balls before Peter Lever caught him in the outfield off Chris Old (4/57) with the score on 65/3. Greg Chappell made 44 off 50 balls until Old bowled him, Ross Edwards and Doug Walters to leave Australia 139/6. Wickets now fell regularly as the lower order tried to add a few runs, but they were bowled out for 190 after 34.5 overs, leaving England to make 191 off their full 40 overs.


1974–75 Ashes series, One Day International – Melbourne, England Innings
Dennis Amiss had made the first two one-day international centuries and hit 47 off 54 balls out of the 70 run opening stand with David Lloyd (49). Amiss was bowled by Max Walker and Lloyd was run out, but more controversially the bowler Greg Chappell ran out Brian Luckhurst when he was backing up and England were 124/3. The big hitting Chris Old was promoted up the order and struck 12 runs off 10 balls before be was bowled by Alan Hurst (2/27), who was playing instead of Dennis Lillee.


1974–75 Ashes series, One Day International – Melbourne, England Innings
Off the only ball he faced Tony Greig ran three and was then run out, followed by Denness and Keith Fletcher who both fell nine runs short of victory. Alan Knott and Derek Underwood made the winning runs with the help of a few extras and 191/7 was reached with 23 balls to spare.


1974–75 Ashes series, One Day International – Melbourne, Result
England won by 3 wickets and Ian Chappell and Dennis Amiss were made the two men of the match for their entertaining innings, even though they were not the top scorers. Oddly, the result was almost a mirror image of the first One Day International, when England had made 190 and Australia 191/5.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, Preliminaries
If Denness did not warrant selection from amongst seventeen players on the eve of the Fourth Test, the chances are that he was not good enough in the first place to have been in the touring party. It required courage to drop himself at Sydney. It would have been far more judicious act of courage to have refused the captaincy of the touring side to Australia when it was first offered to him.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, Preliminaries
The great shock of the Fourth Test was that Mike Denness became the first Test captain to drop himself for poor form. Percy Chapman had dropped himself for the Fifth Test in 1928–29 because of flu and Wally Hammond in 1946–47 due to fibrositis, but in both these cases the series had already been decided. England could still win the series by winning the last three Tests, or hold onto the Ashes by winning two and drawing the other.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, Preliminaries
Denness had made only 65 runs (10.83) so far in the series and was desperately out of form, but his replacement Keith Fletcher was hardly a better bet with 45 runs (11.25) and had been dropped for the Third Test. The vice-captain John Edrich was put in charge, an old pro who had captained Surrey since 1973, but was unlikely to fire up the team or take any chances.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, Preliminaries
Geoff Arnold replaced the injured Mike Hendrick, but Chris Old was made twelfth man and England went into the match with just two fast bowlers on a lively green wicket that made Frank Tyson "worry about the safety of the English batsmen". Australia made a change to their line up with the opener Wally Edwards being dropped after making 68 runs (11.33) in the first three Tests. He was replaced by the tall, athletic Rick McCosker who had made four consecutive first class centuries that season and 52 and 56 for NSW against the tourists.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, Preliminaries
Unfortunately, this left Australia with only one opening batsman and McCosker was sent in with Ian Redpath on his debut, though admittedly on his home ground. Ian Chappell won the toss for the fourth time in a row (Edrich called heads, while Denness had always called tails) and chose to bat regardless of the help the wicket was due to give the bowlers.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, Australia – First Innings
Whether or not Walter's misfortune put The Hill in bad way I can't say, but what with the beer and the overcrowding and the heat the denizens thereof had one of their noisiest, most refractory days.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, Australia – First Innings
The first ball was a leg bye to bring Rick McCosker on strike and he glance the ball off his legs to bring up his first Test runs to the applause of the 52,164 strong crowd. He made 80 on debut and added 96 with Redpath as the England fast bowlers missed their chance with the new ball and the pitch proved to be truer than expected.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, Australia – First Innings
McCosker edged a ball that fell short of Alan Knott, slashed another that was missed by Edrich in the gully and Redpath nearly ran himself out off a no-ball (photographs later showed that he should have been out). The England captain set defensive fields from the outset, with a third and fine leg and only three close fielders and Australia were in little trouble.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, Australia – First Innings
Redpath was hit on the hand by Bob Willis and finally out when he trod on his stumps off Titmus for 33, but McCosker made 80 when he was disturbed by the rumpus from the Sydney Hill. Fans were throwing beer cans at Tony Greig, one hitting him on the back, and Umpire Brooks had to intervene to calm them down and have the field cleared of rubbish before play could resume. McCosker's concentration was disturbed and he was caught by Knott off Greig (4/104)


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, Australia – First Innings
Ian Chappell was almost run out by David Lloyd for a duck, but made 53 before he was caught by Knott off Geoff Arnold (5/86). Ross Edwards came out at 199/3 to the disappointment of his local fans, who wanted their hero Doug Walters to come out and score a century as he had at Perth and had erected the famous "Doug Walters Stand" banner on the Hill. Edwards made only 15 in a stand of 52 with Greg Chappell when he played over a yorker from Greig two balls short of stumps and play was ended early at 251/4.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, Australia – First Innings
This soon became 255/5 when Arnold took the new ball and nipped it back to catch Walters lbw, but Chappell and Marsh added 50 runs in 56 minutes. They were removed by the ever-combative Grieg, who removed Marsh's middle stump with a yorker and caught Chappell off Arnold when he looked set for a hundred to leave them 310/7. The Australian lower order made runs quickly enough despite being repeatedly bounced by Arnold and Grieg, who hit Lillee on the elbow and bruised Ashley Mallett's bowling hand.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, Australia – First Innings
Fletcher told Lillee that he had been asking for bouncers the way he bowled and the fast bowler's reply made him complain to Umpire Brooks about his use of language. Two bouncers in one over resulted in Greig being warned for intimatory bowling, who asked if Lillee was restricted to one bouncer per over to him as well. Brooks saying that as Lillee was a tailender and Greig was a batsman the same standard did not apply. In the end Arnold dismissed Lillee and Walker, but Thomson hit 24 not out off 23 balls before Mallet was lbw to Grieg with the score on 405.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, England – First Innings
Chappell, the grandson of Victor Richardson, had no doubt been weaned on tales of the Bodyline tour by his grandfather, one of the few Australian batsmen to fight it out with Larwood and his support bowlers. Forty years later, and it was time to pay back the Poms. When Keith Fletcher deflected a ball on to his cap and crumpled in a heap as it dropped just short of cover point, Ian Chappell probably thought his grandafther would approve if he had been alive to witness the carnage. One can only hope that the reaction of Vic Richardson – a combative, but essentially a cheerful, sporting cricketer – would have surprised Chappell.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, England – First Innings
The England innings began with 10 extras from Jeff Thomson with Rod Marsh leaping behind the stumps in vain as one ball lifted over the heads of the batsman and wicketkeeper for four. Thereafter wickets fell regularly with the Hillites cheering on the fast bowlers, but it was Max Walker (2/77) who made the breakthrough when he swung the ball to the edge of Dennis Amiss's bat to see it superbly caught by Mallett in the gully.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, England – First Innings
Thomson took a surprisingly good catch to dismiss Lloyd off a Lillee bouncer and then beat Cowdrey three balls in a row before the master was caught by McCosker at short leg. This left England 69/3, but Edrich and Fletcher saw the day out safely enough. One ball from the captain was driven full into McCosker's face, knocking him unconscious for five minutes and he was helped off the field. Mallet was brought on at the end of the day, but asked to be taken off after one over because of his bruised hand from that morning.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, England – First Innings
Returning on the third day Thomson was bowling at his fastest and took 1/12 off five overs, having Edrich missed by Redpath in the slips, Greig caught by Greg Chappell and almost having Alan Knott out on the second, third and fourth balls he faced, dropped by Marsh, a caught behind not given and almost bowled by an inswinger. Fletcher was hit on the head by a bouncer and was caught by Redpath off Walker to leave England at 123/5, their top order failing again.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, England – First Innings
After his escape Knott rode his luck and sliced 11 fours in an innings of 82, adding 57 with Edrich (50), 60 with Fred Titmus (22) and 33 with Derek Underwood (27). Knott and Underwood took 14 runs off one Lillee over and Ian Chappell had to set a defensive field for the first time in the series. The wicketkeeper was finally dismissed leaning back ready to cut the short ball and had his stumps flattened by a Thomson half-volley, but Lillee repeatedly bounced the tailenders and gave Bob Willis a beamer which fortunately missed his head. Willis was bowled by Thomson (4/74) and Lillee took the last wicket, having Underwood caught by Walker when he drove high into the covers. England were out for 295, having saved the follow on, which looked unlikely at one point, but still 110 runs behind.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, Australia – Second Innings
His batting was disdainfully untroubled and his strength on the on-drive caused the English bowlers to revise their policy of pitching constrainingly close to the batsman's pads. Reaching a contemptuous fifty in eighty minutes, Chappell depressed the accelerator of attack and Australia cruised past the century mark in four minutes under two hours.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, Australia – Second Innings
England were dismissed just before tea, so the interval was taken early and Ian Redpath and Ian Chappell came out to open as Rick McCoster was still dazed from his injury, having fielded for only a few overs in the morning before he had to retire again. Chappell was caught by David Lloyd close to the ground off Willis, but there no immediate appeal as Lloyd had hurt his bruised fingers and left to have them tended when the Australian captain was given out.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, Australia – Second Innings
This brought in his brother Greg Chappell at 15/1 and he added 108 runs with Redpath by the end of the day, with 100 runs coming in 110 minutes. Resuming on 123/1 Redpath and Chappell took their partnership to 220 runs, a record for Australia against England in Australia, beating the 216 made by Bill Woodfull and Hunter Hendry back in 1928–29. These came slowly at first as Edrich set a defensive field and Arnold and Willis bowled accurately for the first 90 minutes.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, Australia – Second Innings
However, when they were replaced by Underwood, Titmus and Greig, Chappell increased the run-rate and when Willis returned the Queensland captain took 13 runs off one over. He made his first century of the series, 1,000th run of the season and was dropped on 136 by Underwood at deep fine-leg with The Hill braying behind him. He was out for 144 trying to hit Arnold for six and skying the ball to Lloyd at mid-wicket.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, Australia – Second Innings
Chappell had now made 122, 51, 58, 71, 62, 2, 61, 44, 84 and 144 against the tourists in the season, including the Queensland vs MCC match and the One Day International. Walters came in and tried to impress his fans with another Perth-like run feast, but tried to hit Underwood across the line and was bowled for 5.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, Australia – Second Innings
With the sluggish Redpath now setting the pace and England trying to delay the declaration the game drifted, but the opener was out for 105 in 344 minutes when he uncharacteristically hit out at Underwood (2/65) and was caught by the substitute Chris Old. A few runs later Marsh was nearly run out and hurried off to the pavilion as Australia declared at 289/4, leaving England 400 runs to win in 500 minutes.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, England – Second Innings
In his recent book 'Back to the Mark' the fast bowler had written 'I try to hit a batsman in the rib-cage when I bowl a purposeful bouncer and I want it to hurt so much that the batsman doesn't want to face me any more'. How well he had succeeded in Edrich's case! The irony of his pyrrhic victory was that Edrich had not been felled by a bouncer... The English press greeted the incident with headlines such as: 'Licence to Kill! ', 'Lillee should be banned' – '007, James Bond cricket'. The atmosphere on and off the field was emotionally electric. Bodyline was freely discussed. In the background the crowd, lusting for more blood and guts, stirred the embers of controversy chanting for 'Lillee, Lillee'.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, England – Second Innings
The declaration became just before tea, which was taken early again, but storm clouds gathered over the ground and many of the 35,900 crowd left for home. The Umpire made a brief inspection, but declined to resume play due to the gloom and the rain promptly came down a few minutes later. However, the clouds passed over and the ground was cleared up quickly enough for play to resume at five minutes past five.


1974–75 Ashes series, Fourth Test – Sydney, England – Second Innings
Dennis Amiss and David Lloyd survived, making 33/0 by stumps even though they each gave an easy chance, Amiss hitting a full-toss in the still dazed McCosker's midriff, where he fumbled the catch and Walters dropping Lloyd in the slips. England began the last day needing 367 runs in 360 minutes and to everyone's surprise Amiss and Lloyd set about the bowling as if they meant to win. The wicket was now brown, slow and even without any spin and they reached 68/0 off 86 minutes.