one run before Brown declared on 351/9 with nearly all the runs coming from Hutton (126) and Reg Simpson (119) adding 170 for the second wicket, Godfrey Evans reaching 38 and nobody else making 20. The game looked doomed to a draw, but the South Australia captain Ridings declared on 185/3 after Dansie had made 64 to give the MCC a sporting chance of making 185 runs in 135 minutes. Hutton was out driving for 1, but Washbrook (63) and Simpson (69) rattled up 131 in just over an hour before Evans hit six successive balls to the boundary to give his team an undeserved 7 wicket win. Victoria vs MCC Lindsay Hassett's Victoria was a tougher proposition, and they would win the Sheffield Shield for the 18th time that season. They also had the much vaunted "mystery spin" of Jack Iverson. Hassett as captain of both Victoria and Australia decided to play him against the England batsmen to see how they responded even though this might reveal his "secret weapon". Freddie Brown injured a finger and vice-captain Denis Compton became the first professional cricketer to captain the MCC for an entire game (Jack Hobbs took over during a match in 1924–25 when Arthur Gilligan was injured). Compton won the toss and made 107 on a good wicket with help from Len Hutton (32), Cyril Washbrook (40) and David Sheppard (28). Iverson was duly brought on and took the tailend wickets of Arthur Macintyre, John Warr and Bob Berry in his 3/85. Hassett noted that the recognised batsmen played him with due reverence and a high amount of concentration, and that he caused them trouble even though he did not threaten to take their wickets. Compton declared on 306/9 and saw the MCC total overtaken by Victoria over the course of the next two days thanks to Ron Howard (139) in his last first-class match with help from Test players Ian Johnson, (36), Doug Ring (70) and Bill Johnston (30) after Trevor Bailey (5/54) cheaply removed Ron Meuleman, Hassett, Neil Harvey, Sam Loxton and Eric Kerr. Their innings was interrupted for a day (7 November) for the Melbourne Cup, proving that "everything stops for the Melbourne Cup", or at least tour matches do. Victoria were all out for 331 on the last day and the MCC were left to bat out a pedestrian match with 79/4. Hassett was presumably satisfied