Mark Rowe 
Victory Tests 

One minute before 7pm on Tuesday May 22, 1945, a packed Lord’s roared as Australia beat England in the last over of the first Victory Test. A fortnight after victory in Europe, the result did not matter – only the cricket. The five matches between a near full-strength England and Australian servicemen drew huge crowds, yet this story is forgotten today. Using the available sources to the full, The Victory Tests details the tests and what made the dressing rooms tick as the 1945 series brought sporting competition with goodwill.