with the bat. When he started his innings at the beginning of the second day, England had scored 190 for seven wickets in reply to New Zealand's 224. He scored 98 in the 150-minute first session, and went on to score 122; with Les Ames, he added 246 for the eighth wicket. This was a record partnership in Test matches for the eighth wicket until 1996, and an England record for that wicket until 2010. England scored 454, but New Zealand replied with 469 and the match was drawn on the third and final day. This was Allen's only innings of the series. After a gap of three weeks with no cricket, Allen took six wickets in his first match back. Meanwhile, Larwood was ruled out of the England team after an injury in a car crash; Allen played in the second Test and took five for 14 in New Zealand's first innings. England won that game, and the next was drawn after rain washed out the first two days; Allen neither batted nor bowled. In the series, he took eight wickets at an average of 16.12. He ended the season with 401 first-class runs at 30.84 and 40 wickets at 18.77. Allen played less frequently in 1932, even though he wanted to secure a place in the MCC team to tour Australia during the 1932–33 season. He played four times for Middlesex and played in two Test trial games, but did not play in the season's only Test match. His most important game of the season was the Gentlemen v Players match, in which many of those involved were potential selections for the touring team; he took eight wickets in the game, and after the second trial was named in the MCC team. The press reaction to his inclusion was mixed, and there were several who criticised the selectors. He was low in the national batting and bowling averages; critics pointed out his infrequent appearances in first-class cricket and questioned his stamina for a long tour. Having been named in the team, Allen did not play again in the season. In eight first-class matches, he scored 113 runs at 11.30 and took 25 wickets at 25.36. Bodyline series The MCC tour of Australia during the 1932–33 season was highly controversial owing to the England team's use of what came to be known as Bodyline bowling. The tactic involved bowling