Cricket Equipment � The Movies � Bodyline Bowling

The Australian made for TV movie, Bodyline, showed not all players behaved like gentlemen with their cricket equipment � especially when it came to The Ashes.

Dramatic story

No wonder it was turned into one of Australia 's hit TV movies - it was the most momentous sporting event of the century when the British team in 1932 decided to misuse their cricket equipment on their mission to win back The Ashes.

True story

One of the most famous cricketing movies based on real events, it depicts the British cricketers on their mission to exploit the rules and regulations behind the correct use of cricket equipment to try and take down the Australian batsman, Donald Bradman.

Perfect for the movies

Captain of the English team, Douglas Jardine became one of the most hated men in Australia as his tactics � to bowl into the body of the batsman � sparked a public outcry. In what was considered to be the ultimate gentleman's sport, the team used their cricket equipment maliciously in the vain name of glory, making it perfect dramatic material for the world of the movies. Bodyline bowling resulted in many of the Australian team receiving numerous bruises and injuries, with batsman Bert Oldfield sustaining a cracked skull.

Cricket equipment

Douglas 's tactic was to turn harmless cricket equipment into dangerous weapons � using the speed of his bowler, Harold Larwood, to inflict harm on the opposing batters. The controversy culminated to a climax during the third test in Adelaide , and the poor sportsmanship soured relations between Australia and Britain and sent diplomatic shockwaves across the two countries. As the movie shows, this was much more than simply the malicious use of cricket equipment � the effects of using bodyline bowling spread far beyond the cricket field. The tagline for the movie showed how deeply the ruthless handing of cricket equipment affected the two countries, it was: �The day England declared war on Australia .'

TV Movie

Directed by Denny Lawrence in 1984, this made for TV movie was a hit in Australia and the UK . In the movie, Gary Sweet played Bradman and Hugo Weaving played the much despised Jardine who changed how players handled their cricket equipment forever.

The Ashes

The Ashes have always been an emotional series for cricket lovers in Australia and Britain . The small urn contains the ashes of a bail following a mock obituary published by The Sporting Times after England suffered a first home defeat against the Australians. It read: �In affectionate remembrance of English cricket, which died at The Oval on August 29, 1882. The body will be cremated and the Ashes taken to Australia .�

It's no wonder that bodyline bowling was perfect material for the movies � it was a time when cricket equipment turned into weapons of war between the two countries.

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