On 10 June 1930 the Australians, under the captaincy of Bill Woodfull, speedily finished off their three-day game against Cambridge University. Bradman scored only 32, yet it was his most successful match as a bowler. He took three wickets in each innings with legbreaks – and only 30 more in the whole of his first-class career.
The tourists, without Bradman, proceeded by train from Cambridge to Bath, to be driven south for an hour to Downside. The school magazine does not tell us exactly how this invitation was extended but there was a longstanding link in that a Downside monk had become the first Catholic Archbishop of Sydney.
The Raven, Downside’s annual magazine, reports that the Australians were driven straight to the school buildings to frustrate “the efforts of some press photographers. They then proceeded to the Allan, where they had a bathe with members of the School, after which light refreshments were served in the Lecture Room, which had been transformed from a cold and austere school room into a luxurious lounge.”
“The Australians rose for a late breakfast after which Mr Woodfull asked the Headmaster to give the school a holiday for the rest of the day.” During this visit everybody seems to have presented everyone else with cigarette cases: on this occasion the Head of the School gave gold and silver cases to Woodfull (who went on to become the headmaster of Melbourne High School).
“In reply the Australian captain said that he was very grateful for the present and for being invited to Downside for a rest and change of air, of which they were very much in need after the strain of hotel life and constant publicity.” These Australians and McCullum’s England squad have this much in common: the desire to get away and wind down just before an Ashes series.
Hereupon Australia’s finest batsmen (apart from Bradman) went to the Cricket Field and took it in turns to bat in the middle against the school’s 1st XI bowlers. The chaps were supplemented by Evelyn Hill, who had taken 33 wickets for Somerset, and Devon’s captain, who never played first-class cricket, but still: even in Bradman’s absence, these lads had to bowl against several batsmen whose first-class batting averages rank among the highest of all time.