He was controversially dropped from the England team after 57 Tests for taking over seven hours to make 137 against a weak New Zealand attack in 1965. But when quick runs were needed in the Fifth Test at Melbourne in 1965–66 he surprised everyone by smashing a hundred off 122 balls and bringing up the century with a six into the stands. Though he rarely expressed open dissent he used to pull faces if he disagreed with an umpire or thought that the light was too bad or the bouncers too frequent. His grimacing and nervous jump when receiving hostile fast bowling led some to believe that he was afraid, but he stood up to Wes Hall, Chester Watson, Charlie Griffith and Peter Pollock even when injured.