South Africa v Australia 1935-36

Victory by an innings and six runs came to Australia as the result of another superior display of all-round cricket. Some rain fell and bad light stopped play early both on Friday and Saturday, but during the variable conditions Australia gained a lead of 17 for the loss of two wickets. Nourse and Viljoen played the slow bowling well and the total reached 183 before South Africa's fifth wicket fell, but the second half of the side produced only 39 runs. Fingleton and Brown opened Australia's innings by making 162 together and Fingleton was not dismissed until the third morning. Mitchell supplied further evidence of the value of spin bowling and, thanks mainly to his batting, South Africa cleared off all but 37 of their arrears while losing three wickets before lunch on the last day. Then, when they seemed likely to avoid defeat, their batting broke down so completely before Grimmett and O'Reilly, that only 31 more runs were scored. Directly on resuming Grimmett got Viljoen leg-before and no one else gave Mitchell any help. Five of these seven wickets were Grimmett's following the interval and five of the last six men were caught by Richardson. In the match Grimmett took thirteen wickets for 173 runs. His flight and leg break always worried the home batsmen, notably on the opening day when South Africa failed to benefit by Wade winning the toss.