When cricket almost killed: 83 years ago on this day, Bodyline boiled over

The rumblings of Bodyline – or fast leg theory as the English liked to called it – had already started, but things came to a head 83 years ago on January 14, 1933, on the second day of the third Test of the Ashes at Adelaide.

After England’s first innings ended on 341, Douglas Jardine, their Bombay-born skipper, set out to bring his plans to fruition. Australia’s captain Bill Woodfull opened and within minutes of the Australian innings starting, Harold Larwood, Jardine’s chief wrecker, delivered a sickening blow to under Woodfull's heart with a short rising delivery.

Woodfull bent over in pain for a few moments and bravely resumed batting. The Adelaide crowd, incensed at England’s bowling, made their displeasure known. Things got even more heated when, a few balls later, another rising Larwood delivery knocked the bat out of Woodfull’s hands. The plucky Australian skipper carried on though and was ultimately out bruised and battered for 22 in 89 minutes.

Events reached boiling point when the English manager Pelham Warner visited the Australian dressing room at the tea break to express his sympathies. Woodfull, though, was in no mood to be forgiving and replied with his now famous quote:

I don't want to see you, Mr Warner. There are two teams out there, one is playing cricket. The other is making no attempt to do so.

The tour was in serious danger of being called after English wicket-keeper Bert Oldfield’s skull was fractured the following day from a Larwood delivery. Ill-feeling ran high and it escalated into an diplomatic incident between England and Australia. The tour continued and England won the next two Tests, but the scars of Bodyline remain to this day.