Bodyline- It's Just Not Cricket (2002)

Genres: Sport, Documentary, History, Media, News Origin: Australia Certificate: M Languages: English Running Time: 59 min

synopsis

The full story of the most sensational Test cricket series: Australia v England 1932-33 For anyone who has the remotest interest in cricket, the 1932-33 Ashes Test Series between England and Australia is a fascinating and bloody affair. It also switched supposed roles as the English, desperate to win the Ashes and beat Don Bradman, resorted to unsportsmanlike tactics to win. The uncouth colonials, as the lords at Lord's thought them, actually showed the peers that there was a greater love for the game and for sport from those Down Under, than those snouts in England. The tactics that almost led to a major political split between the two nations were called either fast-leg theory (an English euphemism) or Bodyline, by which the England fast bowlers bounced the crap out of our gallant lads while a mob of close-in fielders waited to take the leg-side catches. Anyway, the lead-up to the series is almost as interesting as the matches themselves and in this fantastic doco you'll find out how much anger the England tactics caused. In Adelaide they had mounted police ready to break up a near-riot! And it should be mentioned that while Douglas Jardine, England captain and all-round rotter, copped a lot of flak for his part in the series there is more than enough evidence uncovered in Bodyline - It's Just Not Cricket! to show he was only following orders from the MCC. There are a host of people interviewed over the series - including the son of Australian captain Bill Woodfull and daughters of Jardine, Larwood and Bill Voce. And you get to find out who the culprit from the Australian dressing room was who spilled the beans to the press on the famous quote from Woodfull: "There are two teams out there, one is playing cricket. The other is making no attempt to do so!" This is a fantastic doco and the big problem with it is that it is far too short. It only goes 59 minutes and they go faster than a Harold Larwood bumper! The transfer is excellent and the sound is a very clear stereo.