 Selected for the M.C.C. tour of Australia in 1936 – 37 under the captaincy of Gubby Allen , Hammond was again part of the tour selection committee . He was successful with bat and ball , scoring 1 @,@ 206 runs ( average 67 @.@ 00 ) and taking 21 wickets ( average 24 @.@ 57 ) in all first @-@ class matches in Australia ( he played two more in New Zealand at the conclusion of the tour ) . In Tests , Hammond scored 468 runs at an average of 58 @.@ 50 and took 12 wickets at an average of 25 @.@ 08 . His tour began with four consecutive first @-@ class hundreds against the state teams , but Wisden reported that he never recaptured this form during the remainder of the tour , owing to the bowling of Bill O 'Reilly . Hammond could not overcome O 'Reilly 's use of slow leg theory in the later Tests which restricted scoring . England won the first two Tests , although Hammond did not contribute in the first , making a first ball duck . In the second he scored an unbeaten 231 , then took three for 29 with the ball in Australia 's second innings , during a period when the other bowlers lost control . From this point , his contributions fell away , although he believed that the best innings of his life , on one of the most difficult pitches he ever confronted , was his 32 in the third Test . Neville Cardus , who saw it , described it as remarkable . However , his free @-@ scoring 51 in the second innings was not enough to prevent defeat in the face of an unrealistic target . In the fourth Test , Hammond took five for 57 in Australia 's second innings , but his dismissal on the final morning by Fleetwood @-@ Smith ensured that Australia won the match to level the series . One of Hammond 's team @-@ mates opined that Bradman would not have been dismissed as easily in a similar situation . In the decisive final Test , he was restricted by O 'Reilly 's leg theory attack and failed in the first innings . His 56 in the second innings was not enough to prevent Australia 's third win in succession to take the Ashes 3 – 2 . 
