 Jardine then ordered his team to move to bodyline positions immediately after Woodfull 's injury . Jardine wrote that Larwood had asked for the field , while Larwood said that it was Jardine 's decision . The capacity Saturday afternoon crowd viewed this as hitting a man when he was down . Journalist – <unk> Dick <unk> wrote that Jardine 's actions were seen as " an <unk> crime in Australian eyes and certainly no part of cricket " . Mass <unk> and <unk> occurred after almost every ball . <unk> noted that " [ <unk> George ] <unk> believes that had what followed occurred in Melbourne the crowd would have leapt the fence and <unk> the English captain , Larwood , and possibly the entire side " . Some English players later expressed fears that a large @-@ scale riot could break out and that the police would not be able to stop the <unk> home crowd , who were worried that Woodfull or Bradman could be killed , from attacking them . 
