hit by a Lillee bouncer in Brisbane and again by Alan Smith in the nets and was 'absent hurt' in the match against Western Australia, but had now recovered and kept his place. Peter Lever had a side strain and Mike Hendrick a fever and they were replaced by Chris Old and Geoff Arnold. More surprisingly Derek Underwood was replaced by the veteran Fred Titmus. Underwood had bowled some excellent balls in the First Test, but the WACA was a fast, true pitch with little turn and Titmus's ability to flight the ball was seen as an advantage, and his all-round ability would strengthen the fragile batting line up. The task of the Australian selectors was easier as they kept the same XI from Brisbane, but exchanged the twelfth man Kerry O'Keeffe for the off-spinner Ashley Mallett. Like Titmus Mallett was able to flight the ball, so Terry Jenner was made twelfth man and Mallett played. Ian Chappell won the toss and took the extraordinary decision to field, believing that the England batsmen were still demoralised from their experience at Brisbane and that a dose of fast bowling on the quickest pitch in Australia might break them. Also there was some moisture in the air which would help his swing bowlers. Only twice had a captain put the opposition into bat and won in Australia, Johnny Douglas in the Fourth Test of the 1911–12 Ashes series and Richie Benaud in the Fifth Test of the 1958–59 Ashes series, both at the MCG. England – First Innings "Mr Thomson, I believe? How good to meet you." Colin Cowdrey "That's not going to help you fatso, piss off." Jeff Thomson Initially it looked like Ian Chappell's plan to put England in to bat had backfired. Though Jeff Thomson made the ball bounce over Brian Luckhurst's head on several occasions, the Kent batsmen was 'smitten hip and thigh' and had a bone broken in his hand, but he and David Lloyd saw off the new ball and added 44 for the first wicket. Luckhurst now decided to make some runs and was caught in the gully by Ashley Mallett trying to drive Max Walker (2/49). Colin Cowdrey now walked to the crease to an ovation from the 16,000 crowd at the WACA, but not from Thomson when he arrived at the crease. He showed that he has lost none of his timing and