Cape Town, where he took 5/32 after the hosts had been forced to follow on, as Australia completed another easy victory. Lindwall then took match figures of 4/54 as Australia completed a hat-trick of victories at Durban. Lindwall took 3/82 in South Africa's only innings in the Fourth Test at Johannesburg, but was dropped for the Fifth Test, something that surprised cricket commentators. His tour had been intermittently interrupted by groin problems, fibrositis and a stomach disorder, and his 12 wickets at an average of 20.66 at three wickets per match was below his customary rate. Overall, when fit, he was effective, with 50 wickets at 14.58. Lindwall forced his way back into the XI for the First Test of the 1950–51 Ashes series against Freddie Brown's England team. Australia struggled to 228 in its first innings with Lindwall making the second top-score of 41 in supporting Neil Harvey (74) in a rearguard action. Lindwall was not required as Miller and Johnston's medium pace reduced England to 7/68 on a sticky wicket before Brown declared, forcing the Australian to bat on the unfavourable pitch. Australia then declared at 7/32. Lindwall yorked Reg Simpson first ball and Australia seized the initiative, reducing England to 6/30 before bowling them out for 122 to take the match by 70 runs. Lindwall took five wickets in the Second Test in Melbourne, two of which came in the closing stages of the English run-chase. Chasing 178, England lost Brown and Evans in consecutive overs to the second new ball and ended 28 runs short of victory. Australia went on seal the series with an innings victory in the Third Test in Sydney – Lindwall bowled Brown and Bedser before breaking Trevor Bailey's thumb in the first innings to help Australia seize control. In the Fourth Test in Adelaide, Lindwall took 3/51 in England's first innings before scoring a patient 31 in Australia's second innings, helping to set up at target that was 274 runs too much for Brown's men. The Fifth and final Test of the summer was to be the first Test defeat for Lindwall in the first 24 Tests of his career. Despite taking 3/77 in the first innings to complement the four wickets of Miller – the most in an innings by the pair during the series – England took their first win over Australia since 1938. Lindwall had taken 15 wickets