part of the Association, but it was a great pity that they had overlooked Hutton's outstanding performance. Bill O'Reilly Australia beat England in the Fourth Test at Adelaide by 274 runs to take a 4–0 lead in the series. It was Australia's 26 consecutive Test without defeat, its 14 without defeat against England and it was England's seventh Test defeat in succession. After the tightly contested First and Second Tests and the crippling injuries in the Third Test this was Australia's most conclusive victory in the series. Fifth Test – Melbourne Preliminaries The tide has turned but it is not yet high tide for England. There must be few people who did not welcome England's victory in the Fifth Test because it broke the monotonous string of Australian victories and sympathy was entirely with Freddie Brown and his men for the gallant performances they had put up throughout the tour. Bill O'Reilly Going into the final Test England dropped the luckless John Warr in favour of Trevor Bailey and Freddie Brown has recovered enough for him to retain his place as captain. The Australian selectors declined to use the game to test some new players and kept their team except to drop Ken Archer in favour of debutant Graeme Hole. Jim Burke was promoted to open the innings with Arthur Morris, even though he had failed as Morris' opening partner for New South Wales and had found success only as a middle order batsman. The players returned to Melbourne – scene of the Second Test – as in those days Sydney and Melbourne alternated having two Tests in the Ashes series. Ian Johnson played even though he had a foot infection, and was spared from bowling too much by Hassett. There had been thunderstorms in the week before the Test, and the outfield and bowler's run ups were soft. Lindsay Hassett won the toss as a matter of course and Australia batted first. Australia – First Innings Iverson, last man in, arrived on the scene with his old battle-axe bat. This bat, which must be one of the strangest ever to make an appearance in a Test match, is bolstered up with a solid slab of leather bound firmly round the blade. It has the colour of a very old violin. Its handle is so pliable that it can be twisted in all directions. It must have seen its best