Editing Brian Close (section)

===More controversy===

During this period Close was called up for his seventh Test in 1961, against Australia.<ref>{{cite web|title=4th Test: England v Australia at Manchester, 27 July-1 August 1961|publisher=Cricinfo|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1960S/1961/AUS_IN_ENG/AUS_ENG_T4_27JUL-01AUG1961.html|access-date=28 May 2008}}</ref> This match, which at one point England appeared certain to win, turned to disaster, with Close bearing the main blame for England's defeat.

England were chasing a total of 256 runs to win the match, with just under four hours left to play. Scoring rapidly, they reached 150 for 1 wicket. Then [[Ted Dexter]] and [[Peter May (cricketer)|Peter May]] got out in quick succession to Benaud, who was pitching his [[leg spin|leg breaks]] into the rough outside the right-handers' leg stump. This brought Close to the crease. May, the captain, was instructing his players to go for the runs and secure the victory. Close accordingly took a calculated risk, and chose to hit out. He took one [[six (cricket)|six]] off Benaud, but to the tenth ball he faced he played another unorthodox shot which [[Norm O'Neill|Norman O'Neill]] caught above his head with two hands. Purists were outraged, and as England collapsed to 201 all out and a 54 run defeat, Close took most of the blame, with some commentators saying that he should never play for England again.<ref name="CA Profile"/>