enhanced by their performance and were welcomed as heroes. Rugby league was strong in Queensland's largest inland town and the genial John Bapty, who covered both rugby and cricket in the Yorkshire Evening Post, gave a speech of thanks after a dinner was given for the Lancastrians and Yorkshiremen in the team. The MCC belted 428/6 off 54.5 overs against light-hearted bowling with David Sheppard (72), Reg Simpson (98), Gilbert Parkhouse (57), acting captain Denis Compton (92) and wicket-keeper Godfrey Evans (94) helping themselves, but Brian Close going for a duck. Compton declared in the afternoon and the Queensland Country XI were 88/3 by stumps and 220 all out the next day with captain Tom Allen hitting 2 sixes and 10 fours in his top-scoring 83 as Doug Wright (5/52) and Eric Hollies (3/33) served up old-fashioned leg-spin. Rather that enforce the follow on and going for a win Compton good-naturedly put on another batting display and the MCC hit 297/7 off the remaining 37 overs of the day. Sheppard made 42, Parkhouse 58 and even the stonewaller Trevor Bailey gave the bowling the long handle with 68 not out, but Close bagged a pair. Southern New South Wales vs MCC The team flew to the Australian Capital Territory for another two-day game in Canberra. This proved to be not as enjoyable as the last, the opposition was made up of old sweats rather than young hopefuls and few turned up to watch. The pitch was less friendly too and the MCC, batting first, struggled to 180 with Cyril Washbrook making 49 batting at number 6, Trevor Bailey 43 not out at number 8 and a medium paced bowler by the name of Robinson from Wagga Wagga making his name by taking 5/40. This time the MCC managed to gain a first innings lead of 16 as Bailey took 4/39 and Doug Wright 3/43 with another Wagga Wagga man called Hedditch making 52 not out. Time was running out and after Len Hutton made 54 David Sheppard and Brian Close smashed an unbeaten third wicket partnership of 179, being fed long hops and full tosses so that they could make their centuries before stumps. The prime minister of Australia, Robert Menzies, "a keen cricket enthusiast and a supporter of the game at all times, asked the team round to Parliament House at Canberra". Unlike other the government functions in Australia,