<P> Fingleton nearly failed to make the trip . His newspaper editor Eric Baume ordered to write a column attacking the Australian Board of Control for vetoing players from going on a private tour of India, threatening to sack him if he refused--criticism of the board typically resulted in exclusion from selection . Fingleton was reluctant to comply, and was reprieved when the editor - in - chief overruled Baume . </P> <P> Fingleton scored 66 for the Australians in an innings victory over Western Australia before sailing for South Africa . It was to be the start of a very productive campaign . In the three matches leading up to the Tests, against Natal, Western Province and Transvaal respectively, Fingleton scored 121, 53, 99 and seven not out . Australia won the latter match by ten wickets and the others by an innings . In the match by Natal, Fingleton and Brown both made centuries and combined in a double century stand . </P> <P> After almost three years in the wilderness, Fingleton returned to the Test arena in the First Test at Durban . After making two in the first innings, he was unbeaten on 36 when Australia reached their second innings target with nine wickets in hand . During the first innings, a 140 km / h gale hit the ground, uprooting trees and forcing balls that were heading into the wind to do U-turns . He followed this with 62--the innings top - score--and 40 in the Second Test at Johannesburg . After taking a 93 - run first innings lead, Australia needed a Test record of 399 in the second innings to win on a turning wicket, and after the early demise of Brown, Fingleton joined McCabe in a 177 - run partnership that pushed the score to 1 / 194 . Such was the dominance of McCabe that he scored more than 80% of the runs during this partnership . Australia needed only 125 with half the day remaining and eight wickets in hand when poor visibility ended play . McCabe had flayed the attack and reached 189 not out when the South Africans had the match called off, claiming that the fieldsmen were endangered by the batsman's vigorous hitting . </P> <P> Fingleton finished the series with centuries in each of the last three Tests, all in consecutive innings; 112 at Cape Town, 108 at Johannesburg and 118 in Durban . In the Third Test, Fingleton and Brown set a new Australian Test record opening stand of 233, which laid the foundation for a total of 8 / 362 declared and an innings victory . It was Australia's first double - century opening stand in Test cricket, and remains a national record for the first wicket against South Africa . On a rain - affected wicket, Fingleton reached his maiden Test century in only 180 minutes before wickets began falling steadily . </P>

Who was dropped from his side in may after a national-record 164 test appearances