learn. The editor predicted, correctly, that Statham would be a personality in English cricket for many more years to come. 1954–55 in Australia and New Zealand Statham was selected by MCC to tour Australia and New Zealand in 1954–55. In the foreword to his book about this tour, Frank Tyson talked about Len Hutton placing almost all his faith in Tyson and Statham, whom Tyson described as a tireless, skilful into-the-wind bowler. The tour was all about fast bowling and it was all because of fast-paced pitches, which Tyson and Statham could exploit to the full. From the start, Hutton put the opposition in to bat when he won the toss. Statham said the tour boasted the fastest and bounciest pitches he ever bowled on, especially the one at the WACA Ground in Perth. The tour was the last one to be undertaken by sea voyage only and the team were away from England from September until April. The first match, in which Statham and Tyson both played, was a one-day stopover in Ceylon on 30 September. The matches in Australia were played from 11 October until 3 March, and in New Zealand from 5 to 28 March. A total of 28 matches were played including seven Tests and fourteen other first-class matches. Statham played in all seven Tests (five in Australia and two in New Zealand) and in thirteen first-class matches altogether. He took 54 first-class wickets (30 in Tests) and this was the highest tour tally in his entire career. Statistically, his best performances were the six for 23 which he took at Perth against Western Australia and his five for 60 at Melbourne in the third Test. Hutton's tactics went awry in the first Test at The Gabba in Brisbane where the pitch was not as fast as expected and England's fielders somehow contrived to drop twelve catches, half of them off Statham's bowling. As a result, Australia amassed 601 for eight declared and went on to win by an innings and 154 runs. Although Statham finished with two for 123, one of his rare centuries conceded, the Australian and English media all agreed that his bowling was top-class. In terms of his contribution to the England team, it is widely agreed that Statham's most outstanding performance was in the second innings of the second Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground when Tyson bowled at frightening speed