Eddie Paynter needs to be hospitalized for tonsillitis during the Brisbane test match. This was because it was the early 1930s and while Andrew Fleming had discovered penicillin, it wasn’t widely available to the public yet, as the British government considered it a military secret.
Bradman scores centuries to Bodyline fields in the second and fourth tests, because the pitches were made “flat” as in, the ball isn’t going to bounce as much and will reach the batsman at a comfortable height where he can hit it. And since the “leg theory” calls for a packed close in field, any shot that gets the ball past them is one that fetches loads of runs.
Fridge Horror
For all the body blows the Australian batsmen took from Bodyline, without wearing any protective gear, they were lucky to escape with minor injuries. Oldfield suffered a fractured skull. In more recent years, Indian skipper Nari Contractor had to retire from the game after being struck on the head by a short pitched bouncer note This event was what forced administrators to allow the use of helmets for batsmen and close in fielders , another Indian cricketer Raman Lamba died after being struck in the chest while fielding in a first class match in Bangladesh, and in 2014, Australian first class cricketer Phillip Hughes died from being struck on the neck while batting in full protective gear.
