Laver (59) bringing them up to a respectable 289. The MCC opened steadily, but the fireworks came from captain Denis Compton (142) and veteran Cyril Washbrook (112) who added 200 runs for the fourth wicket. Gilbert Parkhouse made 44 and Compton declared for 382/7 on their overnight score. Bedser (2/29) accounted for both the openers and the rest of the team fell to the leg-spin of Eric Hollies (4/7) and slow left-arm wrist-spin of Compton himself (3/39) and they were out for 103 in the rain. The weather cleared up in time for the MCC to make the 10 runs for a clear ten wicket victory. After the match Compton remarked "What a pity that they don't play Tests in Tasmania". South Australia Country vs MCC Brian Statham and Roy Tattersall had just arrived from snowbound Lancashire and were thrown into this minor game to get their first cricket since September. They each took a wicket, but the honours belonged to the previously underperforming Bob Berry who returned figures of 6/36 as the South Australian team were shot out for 84. The real shock occurred when a blonde fast bowler called Lou Curtis – ironically from Berri, South Australia – took 5 wickets before stumps after David Sheppard (37) and Reg Simpson (30) added 60 for the first wicket. He continued the next day and took 9/60 despite Denis Compton making 40 and Freddie Brown a punchy 77 to take the MCC to 234 and a lead of 150. This proved to be enough as the Country XI were out for 124, the wickets shared around the team. Tim Wall the South Australian state selector invited Curtis to the Adelaide Oval for a state trial, but he refused as he had to return to his wheat farm. "The cricket season", he explained "is the busiest time on the farm, especially with the harvesting. I don't intend to leave my brothers to it and go and play cricket". South Australia vs MCC The Adelaide Oval is usually a flat, lifeless wicket where the fastest bowlers could rarely get the ball to rise above knee level and looked fit for a thousand runs. Freddie Brown won the toss and sent Len Hutton and Cyril Washbrook out the bat. The Yorkshireman was back at 31/1 and said that the wicket was turning so much that they would be lucky to make 250. He