by Former Australian test cricketer dies
March 13, 1997
Web posted at: 11:00 a.m. EST (1600 GMT)
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Former Australian test batsman
Leo O'Brien -- one of only two survivors of the famous Bodyline
series against England in 1932-33 -- died Thursday at the age of
89.
Sir Donald Bradman is now the only Australian survivor of the
series.
O'Brien made his debut in the second test of the 1932-33 series
against the Englishmen in Melbourne.
A left-handed batsman and right-arm bowler, O'Brien was run out
for 10 in the first innings of the Melbourne test and was bowled by
paceman Harold Larwood, the scourge of the Australian batsmen,
for 11 in the second innings.
Australia won the match by 111 runs, but O'Brien was dropped
until the fifth test of the series in Sydney, where he scored 61 in the
first innings -- the highest score of his test career.
England won the match by eight wickets to clinch the controversial
series 4-1.
O'Brien played in a total of five tests, scoring 211 runs at an
average of 26.38. He never bowled at test level.
No cause of death was immediately available.