Sid Barnes with the Australian cricket team in England in 1948

Barnes ended the first-class matches with 1,354 runs at a batting average of 56.41 including three centuries, placing him fifth in the aggregates and sixth in the averages among the Australians. Barnes found his best form in the Tests, yielding 329 runs at 82.25, ranking him third in the aggregates and second in the averages. He scored half-centuries in both innings of the First Test at Trent Bridge, before compiling a hard-hitting 141 in the second innings of the Second Test at Lord's, helping to set up victory in both matches. In the Third Test, Barnes was injured and hospitalised after being hit in the ribs by a Dick Pollard pull shot. He returned the next day and attempted to bat, but collapsed again and had to be taken back to hospital for an extended stay, missing two weeks of cricket. After missing the Fourth Test, Barnes returned to score his third half-century for the series as Australia completed a 4–0 win with an innings victory in the Fifth Test.

Aside from his run-scoring, Barnes, who was well known for being eccentric, gained fame throughout the season for his

Barnes went to England in the Australian winter of 1947. In his autobiography, he claimed to have gone as a representative for an alcohol company, although appears to have dealt in commodities that were in short supply due to rationing.[4] Once in England, he was approached by Burnley to play as a professional in Lancashire League cricket, which he did briefly before becoming disinterested and resigning.^[5] Barnes returned to Australia for the 1947–48 season, keen to win a place on the 1948 tour to England. He was worried that having played as a professional in the Lancashire League would damage his chance of further Test cricket, as the Australian authorities frowned on those who played professionally in England. There was also concern that, with his wife now living in Scotland, he would breach the Australian Board of Control's rule that wives were not allowed to travel with players, by being in the same overseas country.^[6]

Brown, Barnes and Morris shared the opening duties against the visiting Indians; their batting averages were 43.00, 52.25 and 42.66 respectively.^[7] With Brown recovered, the Australian selectors dropped Barnes for the first two Tests against the Indians. However, Brown struggled and made only 18 and 11 runs—Australia batted once in both Tests—and was then dropped for Barnes, who made only 12 and 15 in the Third Test. Retained for the Fourth Test, Barnes made 112 in an Australian victory. Morris—whose place was secure^[8]—was rested for the Fifth and final Test to give Brown another chance to show that he was worthy of selection. Barnes made 33 while Brown made 99 run out as Australia completed a 4–0 series win.^[8][9][10] In the end, all three were selected for the England tour,^[8] though Barnes had to give assurances about the amount of contact he would have with his wife—still living in Scotland—before he was confirmed.^[11] As specialist opening batsmen, the trio were competing for the two opening positions in Bradman's first-choice team.^[3]

Barnes brought along half a tonne of baggage on the sea voyage to England, including a lot of food and drink, particularly alcohol, which was scarce due to the war and subject to rationing. There Barnes would sell his goods.^[12] During the journey, the players had to sign autographs on 5,000 sheets of paper with the team list. Barnes had a stamp of his signature made, and paid a young boy drinks to deal with the sheets, but he landed himself in trouble with captain Don Bradman and manager Keith Johnson when the boy stamped the sheets erratically, sometimes not adjacent to Barnes's position on the team list.^[13]

Early tour

Australia traditionally fielded its strongest possible team in the tour opener, which was customarily against

Morris was rested for the following match against Leicestershire, so Barnes partnered Brown at the top of the order. The pair put on 46 before Brown fell. Barnes then put on 111 with Bradman for the second wicket before falling for 78 at 2/157 to a leg before wicket (lbw) decision the tourists regarded as a clear error.^[16] Unhindered, Australia made 448 and won by an innings. Barnes took two catches in the first innings, both from spinners, and bowled four overs without success in the second innings.^[17][18] The Australians proceeded to play Yorkshire at Bradford, on a damp pitch favourable to slower bowling.^[19][17][20] Bradman rested himself and Barnes as Australia came closest to losing a match for the whole tour. The tourists were 6/31 in pursuit of 60 for victory—effectively seven wickets down with one injured player—before scraping home to win by four wickets.^[19][17][21]

Barnes returned for the subsequent fixture against

England and MCC captain Norman Yardley later admitted Barnes's close proximity throughout the season had a psychological effect on his batsmen, although the Australian did miss catches because he was too close to react to the oncoming ball.^[44]

The MCC match was followed by a draw against

Having overcome food poisoning leading up to the match,

England were eventually out for 441 on the final day, leaving Australia a target of 98. Bradman's men progressed quickly at the start of the chase. Barnes took 13 runs from the opening over by Bedser, including three boundaries,[64] whereas Morris again lacked fluency. However, Barnes continued to score quickly, and 24 runs came from the first four overs.^[64][65] The tourists proceeded steadily to 38 from 32 minutes before Morris fell for nine.^[65] Bradman came to the crease and fell for a duck after 12 minutes in the middle.^[52] This left Australia at 2/48; dark clouds began to close in on the ground, and rain appeared to be a possible saviour for England.^[66] However, it never came; Lindsay Hassett joined Barnes and they took the tourists to the target without further loss after 87 minutes of batting.^[35][66] Barnes gave Jack Young an opportunity for a return catch, but the ball was dropped.^[66] Barnes tied the scores with a swept boundary and ran off the field with a souvenir stump, believing the match was over. He tossed his souvenir back into the playing arena and returned to the field after noticing the reaction of the amused crowd and realising his mistake; Hassett proceeded to hit the winning run. Barnes ended unbeaten on 64 with 11 boundaries; he scored prolifically with his square cut.^[35][52][65] The next morning, he perused all the newspapers, expecting to be heavily rebuked by analysts for reckless batting on the final day, but they instead focused on his captain's failure to score.^[67]

Between Tests, Barnes played in the match against Northamptonshire, which started the day after Trent Bridge. Barnes made 11 and bowled three wicketless overs as Australia cruised to victory by an innings.^[19][17][68] In the second match—a drawn fixture against Yorkshire—before the Second Test, Barnes managed only a duck—bowled at the start of the match by a swinging yorker from Ron Aspinall^[69]—and six.^[19][17][70]

Second Test

Australia opted to field an unchanged lineup for the Second Test at

The next match was against Surrey and started the day after the Test. After 16 days of cricket in 20 calendar days,^[19][17] Barnes was rested as Australia completed a 10-wicket win.^[19][17][89] Barnes returned for the following game against Gloucestershire.^[19][17] The tourists elected to bat first and Barnes—playing many square cuts^[90]—made 44 in an opening partnership of 102 with Morris, who went on to top-score with 290. Australia reached 7/774 declared, its highest score for the tour, laying the groundwork for a victory by an innings and 363 runs.^[17][91] When Australia was fielding, Barnes was not at his characteristic close-range position, but spent much of the time at third man or fine leg near the edge of the playing arena. At times, Barnes wandered about aimlessly between various positions, but Hassett, captaining in place of the resting Bradman, did not attempt to command him.^[92]

Third Test

The teams reassembled at Old Trafford for the Third Test. Australia dropped Brown, who had scored 73 runs at 24.33 in three Test innings in his unfamiliar position in the middle order.^[35][36][37] Yardley won the toss and elected to bat, and England made 363.^[37] Barnes caught his first victim for the Test series, the diminutive debutant opener George Emmett, who was surprised by a rising ball from Ray Lindwall. Emmett took his eyes from the ball and fended with one hand on the horizontally-held bat, while ducking his head down below his arms;^[93] the ball bounced slowly off the pitch and after hitting Emmett's bat, rebounded gently up in the air to Barnes, leaving England at 2/28.^{[37][93][94][95]} Barnes dropped two catches later in the day, but neither cost Australia substantially. Jack Crapp hit Ernie Toshack to Barnes at short leg, who failed to hold the catch. However, Crapp did not capitalise and was out soon after.^[96][97] During the same middle session, Yardley hit Toshack to Barnes, who was again unable to complete the reflex catch. However, Yardley was dismissed shortly after for 22.^[37][98] Tail-ender Dick Pollard came to the crease on the second morning and pulled a ball from Ian Johnson into the left ribs of Barnes, who was standing at short leg, almost on the edge of the cut strip.^[99] According to Fingleton, Barnes "dropped like a fallen tree",^[99] and a minority of spectators loudly celebrated the injury.^[100] Briefly paralysed on his left side,^[100] he had to be carried from the ground by four policemen and taken to hospital for an examination.^[94]

Australia came out to bat halfway through the middle session on the second day, after England had ended on 363.^[99] Having dropped Brown, Barnes's injury left Australia with only one specialist opener, Morris. Johnson—a bowler—was deployed as Australia's makeshift second opener and fell for one.^[37] On the third morning, Barnes came out to bat upon Keith Miller's dismissal at 4/135, even though he had collapsed from the aftereffects of his injury while practising in the nets. Barnes had refused to stay in hospital and returned to the ground despite his ribs being discoloured from the bruising.^[101] Bradman was not aware of Barnes's collapse in the nets, but had told all rounder Sam Loxton to bat before Barnes to give the bruised opener more rest. Loxton told Barnes of Bradman's wishes, but when Miller was dismissed, Barnes defied team orders and walked out to bat, shaking Pollard's hand at the start of his innings.^[102]

He made a painful single in 25 minutes of batting before it became too much. The bruising severely restricted his mobility and breathing, and he turned down a single after being called through by Loxton, who had come in at the fall of Morris. Soon after, the pair took a single, and Barnes collapsed after completing the run.^[102] Barnes was taken from the ground with the assistance of Bradman among others, and sent back to hospital to recuperate for several days.^[83][94] He took no further part in the match, which ended in a rain-affected draw; Johnson again fell for single figures in the second innings.^[37][94] After the Test, Barnes—still injured—missed the ten-wicket victory over Middlesex at Lord's. The match was Australia's only fixture between Tests.^[19][17]

Fourth Test

The teams headed to Headingley for the Fourth Test, with Barnes still unfit. Australia made two changes for the match.^[37][38] Neil Harvey came in for Barnes,^[103] while Ron Saggers replaced Don Tallon—who had a finger injury—behind the stumps.^[104] Wisden commented that the England batsmen welcomed the freedom brought by the absence of Barnes from the forward short leg position.^[105] Brown was not recalled to open; instead, Hassett was promoted to the top of the order to partner Morris, while the teenager Harvey slotted into the middle-order.^[38] Hassett struggled, making 13 and 17, but Australia nevertheless completed a world record Test run-chase of 3/404 to seal the series with a seven-wicket win.^[38][105]

Barnes returned from injury after two and a half weeks on the sidelines immediately after the Fourth Test.

Barnes was rested as Bradman's men defeated Warwickshire by nine wickets.^{[19][17][110]} He returned as the tourists faced and drew with Lancashire for the second time on tour. Barnes top-scored in the first innings with 67, putting on an opening stand of 123 with Morris as Australia made 321. He continued his productivity with 90 in the second innings, adding 161 for the second-wicket with Bradman. The home side managed to hang on for a draw, seven wickets down in their second innings.^{[19][17][111]} Barnes was then rested for the non-first-class match against Durham, a rain-affected draw that did not reach the second innings. Australia made 282 and had the hosts at 5/73 in reply when rain washed out the match after the first day.^{[19][17][112]}

Fifth Test

Australia headed south to The Oval for the Fifth Test. Barnes resumed his opening position, while Hassett returned to his customary position in the middle order.^{[38][39][113]} England won the toss and elected to bat on a rain-affected pitch.^[113][114] Propelled by Ray Lindwall's 6/20, Australia skittled England for 52 in 42.1 overs on the first afternoon.^[39][113]

In contrast, Australia batted with ease,^[113] as the overcast skies cleared and the sun came out.^[39][115] Morris and Barnes passed England's first innings total by themselves, taking less than an hour to push the Australians into the lead.^[116] O'Reilly felt the Australian openers wanted to prove "the pitch itself had nothing whatever to do with the English batting debacle".^[116] The only chance came when Barnes powerfully square cut Bedser low to point, where Young spilled the catch.^[116] When Young came on to bowl, his finger spin was expected to trouble the batsmen on a rain-affected surface, but he delivered little variation in pace and trajectory and Barnes in particular hit him repeatedly through the off side field.^[116] Australia reached 100 at 17:30, with Barnes on 52 and Morris on 47.^[115] They took the score to 117 before Barnes was caught behind from Eric Hollies for 61, ending a 126-minute stand.^[39] Barnes stumbled forward to a fast-turning leg break that caught his outside edge. He had overbalanced and would have been stumped if he had failed to make contact with the ball.^[116] Australia finished at 389 on the second day and bowled out the hosts for 188 in the second innings, sealing victory by an innings and 149 runs to complete a 4–0 series win.^[39]

Later tour matches

Seven matches remained on Bradman's quest to go through a tour of England undefeated.

The tour ended with two non-first-class matches against Scotland. Barnes made five as Australia scored 236 in the first match. He then bowled nine overs—including seven maidens—and conceded nine runs as Australia won by an innings. Barnes was rested for the second match, which also ended in an innings victory.^{[19][17][124][125]}

Role

Barnes played in four of the five Tests as a right-handed opening batsman, partnering the left-handed Morris, although he batted at No. 6 in the Third Test due to his rib injury.^{[35][36][37][38][39]} Three opening batsmen were taken on the tour, Brown being the third. During the tour matches, which were usually played consecutively with one or no days between fixtures,^[17] Bradman rotated the trio, generally to rest one from the match while the other two opened.^N-[2] Notable exceptions occurred in the first two Tests, the opening match against Worcestershire and the warm-up match against the MCC. In those matches, Australia fielded its first-choice team and as a result, Brown played out of position in the middle order while Morris and Barnes opened.^{[15][35][36][40]} An occasional leg spin bowler, Barnes delivered only 65.4 overs during the first-class matches, five of which were in Tests. He took two wickets, both outside the Test arena.^[126][127]

Barnes ended the first-class tour with 1,354 runs at 56.41 including three centuries, placing him fifth in the aggregates and sixth in the averages among the tourists. Barnes's form peaked in the Tests, scoring 329 runs at 82.25; among the Australians he ranked third in the aggregates and second in the averages.^[126][127]

An eccentric and strong-willed character who was not afraid to go against convention,

However, Barnes received criticism for this approach,[128] including from Fingleton, who fielded there during his playing career.^[41] A letter was published in English newspapers, questioning Bradman on whether Barnes's position was legitimate—the writer thought Barnes's close proximity yielded an unfair advantage over the batsmen. Bradman later touted Barnes as the best fieldsman he had seen in the position, while England skipper Yardley admitted Barnes had worried the home team's players. Fingleton said that if the position was unfair, then it was the umpires' duty to take action. He further said the batsmen should have tried to deter Barnes from standing so close by aiming shots at him, deeming the Australian to be "of great value in a nuisance capacity throughout the tour".^[44] After several near-misses,^[41] he was finally hit in the Third Test and missed two weeks of cricket,^[105] but he was not injured again after his resumption.^[129] Barnes took 19 catches for the season, although only one came in the Tests.^[126][127]

Aftermath

Barnes used the opportunity of travelling around England to pursue his business interests, cutting many deals.

At the beginning of the 1951–52 season, Barnes returned to the New South Wales team in a bid to regain his Test position, and performed well. He was chosen by the selectors but the board disallowed his selection for conduct reasons rather than ability. The media figured this out and publicised it, and Barnes was overlooked for the whole season.[134] Speculation abounded as to the nature of his supposed misdeeds. These included jumping the turnstile at a ground when he forgot his player's pass, insulting the royal family, theft from team-mates, drunkenness, stealing a car,^[136] parking his car in someone else's space, or that Barnes had lampooned the board in the narration accompanying the home movies he made of the 1948 tour.^[137][138] In later years, a file of unknown authorship was found; it accused Barnes of allowing young spectators to enter the playing arena to field the ball instead of doing so himself, and of denigrating umpires by making gestures implying they were blind.^[130]

The Board had a secret dossier documenting Barnes's behaviour and they doctored the minutes of the meeting at which they discussed his selection. The matter came to a head when a letter attributed to man named Jacob Raith was published in the paper, criticising Barnes's character, and praising the board, which prompted Barnes to sue with the intention of prising out an explanation for his omission.^[139] Cricket administrators were called to testify about the matter and more details became public.^[134] According to cricket historian Gideon Haigh, "it was effectively the Board, not Raith, in the dock".^[140]

Keith Johnson, the team manager during the 1948 tour, became the centre of attention. He wrote and had always claimed that the touring party had been completely harmonious and loyal.^[130] A series of administrators came forward to say Barnes had misbehaved on the 1948 tour, even though Johnson's official report had made no mention of any problems.^[141][142] There were also positive reports. Aubrey Oxlade, the chairman of the board,^[140] said the batsman's indiscretions were "childish things" and "not serious at all".^[140] Frank Cush, another board member who had supported Barnes's inclusion, replied "none at all" when asked if there were any legitimate reasons for excluding Barnes.^[142] Selector Chappie Dwyer said "I have a very high opinion of him as a cricketer ... and I have no objection to him as a man".^[142]

Johnson was called as a witness,

General notes