The summer of 1959 marked India’s third Test of their England tour, a tour that challenged the visitors with swinging conditions, disciplined English bowling, and vastly different pitches from those at home. When India reached Trent Bridge, Nottingham for the Test held between 4–8 June 1959, they were searching for stability, confidence, and a foothold in the series.
England, under the leadership of Peter May, fielded a strong and balanced side, with in-form batsmen and a deadly pace trio. India, captained by D. K. Gaekwad, entered with hopes of improving after earlier defeats. The contest, however, unfolded as a tough reminder of India’s struggles in English conditions during the 1950s.
What followed was a clinical English performance, highlighted by a monumental batting display from Ted Dexter, combined with relentless bowling from Fred Trueman and Brian Statham, leading to a heavy Indian defeat by an innings and 59 runs.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | England vs. India – 3rd Test |
| Dates | 4–8 June 1959 |
| Venue | Trent Bridge, Nottingham |
| Toss | England won the toss and elected to bat |
| Result | England won by an innings and 59 runs |
| Match Format | 5-day Test Match |
| Umpires | F. G. Lee & J. C. Warr |
| Series | India’s 1959 Tour of England |
| Significance | England take decisive lead; Dexter’s breakthrough innings |
Team Lineups
| India (Playing XI) | England (Playing XI) |
|---|---|
| D. K. Gaekwad (c) | Peter May (c) |
| Pankaj Roy | Geoff Pullar |
| Nari Contractor | Colin Cowdrey |
| Vijay Manjrekar | Ted Dexter |
| Polly Umrigar | Ken Barrington |
| Ramnath Kenny | Godfrey Evans (wk) |
| Bapu Nadkarni | Brian Statham |
| Subhash Gupte | Fred Trueman |
| A. G. Kripal Singh | Ray Illingworth |
| Gulabrai Ramchand | Jim Laker |
| Naren Tamhane (wk) | Alan Moss |
England 1st Innings – 422 all out
England, on winning the toss, made full use of batting-friendly conditions on Day 1. The innings was built around a superb 70 from Geoff Pullar, elegant strokeplay from Colin Cowdrey (51), and the explosive brilliance of Ted Dexter, whose commanding 180 changed the direction of the match.
Dexter attacked both spin and pace with ease, punishing anything loose and driving fluently through the off side. India’s bowlers fought hard, with Subhash Gupte (4/102) the standout, but England’s total swelled to a massive 422.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Geoff Pullar | 70 | c Tamhane b Ramchand |
| Colin Cowdrey | 51 | c Contractor b Gupte |
| Peter May (c) | 33 | c Tamhane b Nadkarni |
| Ken Barrington | 46 | b Gupte |
| Ted Dexter | 180 | c Manjrekar b Nadkarni |
| Ray Illingworth | 9 | b Gupte |
| Godfrey Evans (wk) | 19 | b Gupte |
| Brian Statham | 0 | b Ramchand |
| Fred Trueman | 3 | run out |
| Jim Laker | 2 | not out |
| Alan Moss | 0 | c Roy b Ramchand |
| Extras | 9 | |
| Total | 422 all out (approx. 145 overs) |
India 1st Innings – 206 all out
India’s reply began on a cautious note. Pankaj Roy (30) and Contractor (36) tried to steady the innings, but the English pace attack, led by Statham (4/70) and Trueman (3/37), extracted swing and seam movement constantly.
Polly Umrigar’s gritty 39 and Vijay Manjrekar’s 36 provided resistance, yet regular wickets ensured India never mounted a threatening partnership. They were bowled out for 206, conceding a huge lead of 216 runs.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Pankaj Roy | 30 | c Evans b Trueman |
| Nari Contractor | 36 | b Statham |
| Vijay Manjrekar | 36 | c Illingworth b Statham |
| Polly Umrigar | 39 | c Pullar b Trueman |
| Ramnath Kenny | 8 | c Evans b Statham |
| Gaekwad (c) | 5 | b Trueman |
| Kripal Singh | 17 | run out |
| Ramchand | 6 | b Illingworth |
| Nadkarni | 12 | b Laker |
| Subhash Gupte | 4 | b Statham |
| Naren Tamhane (wk) | 5* | Not out |
| Total | 206 all out |
India 2nd Innings – 157 all out
Following on, India needed a monumental effort to save the Test. Contractor again looked composed for his 37, and Umrigar added 34, but the relentless English attack continued to dominate.
Trueman and Statham bowled with pace and precision, sharing seven wickets between them. Off-spinner Jim Laker chipped in with crucial breakthroughs. India folded for 157, giving England a victory by an innings and 59 runs.
| Player | Runs | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|
| Pankaj Roy | 14 | lbw b Statham |
| Nari Contractor | 37 | c Evans b Trueman |
| Vijay Manjrekar | 18 | b Laker |
| Polly Umrigar | 34 | c Pullar b Trueman |
| Ramnath Kenny | 11 | b Statham |
| Gaekwad (c) | 7 | c May b Statham |
| Kripal Singh | 5 | b Laker |
| Ramchand | 4 | b Trueman |
| Nadkarni | 8 | c Cowdrey b Statham |
| Subhash Gupte | 6 | b Illingworth |
| Naren Tamhane (wk) | 6* | Not out |
| Total | 157 all out |
England won by an innings and 59 runs
Highlights of the Match
- Ted Dexter’s majestic 180 was the defining innings of the match.
- Subhash Gupte’s 4/102 stood out as India’s best bowling performance.
- England’s pace pairing of Trueman and Statham dismantled India’s batting in both innings.
- Contractor and Umrigar showed glimpses of resilience despite the heavy defeat.
- England’s dominant display further exposed India’s challenges in overseas conditions during the 1950s.