Ponsford's 266 at The Oval — Last Test, 1934

Ponsford had been overshadowed by Bradman through the early 1930s but had also been at the receiving end of Bodyline; he was hit on the back, ribs and head across 1932-33. He came back into the side for 1934 and was, alongside Bradman, the dominant batter of the series.

Australia 1-1 after Headingley. Bradman won the toss at the Oval and chose to bat. Bill Brown out for 7. Ponsford joined Bradman at 21.

Australia, 1-1 after Headingley, came to The Oval needing the win. Bradman won the toss and batted. Bill Brown fell early; Ponsford and Bradman came together at 1 for 21 and stayed there for nearly seven and a half hours. They added 451 for the second wicket — a world Test record that would stand until Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara's 624 (third wicket) in 2006. Their second-wicket record stood until 1991, broken only by Mudassar Nazar and Javed Miandad's 451 against India.

Ponsford was caught Ames bowled Allen for 266 — a square-cut top-edge that flew to the keeper after seven and a quarter hours of accumulation. Bradman 244, Ponsford 266; Australia eventually 701, the highest Test total of the series. England 321 and 145; Australia won by 562 runs and the Ashes were retained.

Ponsford, 34, who had also retired briefly during the Bodyline series after taking blows on the body, announced his retirement at the close of the tour. He left as the only batter to have scored two first-class quadruple centuries (437 and 429), with a Test average of 48.22 and a series in which he had averaged 94.83. His partnership with Bradman remains, in Australian cricket lore, the pre-war template for a great pair.

“He had as much patience as Bradman and even straighter strokes.”

“I had said all I needed to say with the bat.”

Ponsford retired from international and first-class cricket at the end of the 1934 tour, aged 34. He worked for the State Electricity Commission of Victoria for the next 41 years. Bradman remained in Test cricket for another 14 years; the two never batted together at Test level again.