The Bodyline Fix: How Women Saved Cricket
Marion Stell
The Bodyline Fix: How Women Saved Cricket
Marion Stell
‘Not often in sport history do the events of men’s and women’s sport run parallel, adjacent and intertwined in importance. I could not think of another similar example anywhere in the world. Surprisingly, these women were key players in the Bodyline saga. This is their story.’
Over thirty years ago, historian Marion Stell tracked down the women who played in the inaugural international Test cricket series against England in the summer of 1934-1935. Their stories and this extraordinary time in Australian sport are told here for the first time.
After the contentious ‘Bodyline’ mens’ series in 1932-1933, sporting relations between Australia and England were at an all-time low. The long traditions built on fair play and sportsmanship had been shattered and controversy raged in the media. At the same time, a group of talented young women were invited to play for their country. Hailing from all classes and backgrounds, these exceptional players defied social and family expectations to pursue the sport they loved, gaining recognition and celebrity in Test series here and abroad.
Drawing from rare source material, photos and interviews with the original players, The Bodyline Fix shines a long-overdue light on gender, race and class in 1930s Australia. The impact and legacy of these early sportswomen lives on to inspire current generations.
Review
Julia Jackson
If the Federal Government had put a republic referendum to the Australian people at the conclusion of the infamous Ashes Test series of 1932–33, it may well have been successful. Marion Stell’s magnificent new book, The Bodyline Fix, transports readers to the aftermath of this controversial series, when relations between the two teams were fraying, and fans and media roiled with fury at the unsportsmanlike conduct on display. Sensible heads proposed a women’s Test cricket series to prove that notions of fair play were deeply imbued in the women’s cricket clubs and associations that dotted Australia at this time. The inaugural national women’s team, selected for this pioneering Test series in 1934–35 against the ‘old foe’ very quickly brought the exceptional skills and talent of Australian women into sharp focus. Indeed, as the media documented at the time, respect for the women grew exponentially over the initial tour, and carried over into the reciprocal tour of 1937.
Garnered from now decades-old interviews, Stell’s profiles of the cricketers and their experiences make this book thoroughly entertaining to read, and she particularly excels in highlighting the huge obstacles that the Depression brought. Indeed, reading about the teenaged spin queen Peggy Antonio’s exceptional bowling figures (she regularly took fifers – that’s a five-wicket haul) blew my mind.
It’s really disappointing to learn that with the outbreak of the Second World War, these Test series were abandoned, and that the achievements of these women to restore and reframe the Australia vs England cricket narrative were largely forgotten. Stell has done a brilliant job of restoring players such as bowlers Peggy Antonio, Mollie ‘the Demon’ Flaherty, Anne Palmer and Nell McLarty, and batters Ruby Monaghan, Hazel Pritchard and Nancy Clements to their rightful place in cricket history. This is a remarkable book, well worth reading!
Julia Jackson is the assistant shop manager at Readings Carlton.
This item is in-stock at 2 shops and will ship in 3-4 days
Our stock data is updated periodically, and availability may change throughout the day for in-demand items. Please call the relevant shop for the most current stock information. Prices are subject to change without notice.
Sign in or become a Readings Member to add this title to a wishlist.
