Courageous opener stood firm when chips were down Weâre sorry, this service is currently unavailable. Please try again later. Dismiss February 4, 2021 â 1.44pm Save Normal text size COLIN McDONALD 1928 - 2021 Australiaâs consistent opening batsman Colin McDonald, who died last month aged 92, is remembered most for his sole resistance against Englandâs off-spinner Jim Laker in the July 1956 Old Trafford Test. McDonald had top-scored with 32 and 89 as Laker with incredibly mesmerising match figures of 19 wickets for 90 runs had routed Australia. Australian and Victorian opener Colin McDonald gets among the runs at Bendigo on Dec 5, 1955. Credit:Fairfax Not so well remembered is McDonaldâs equally remarkable top scores of 53 and 34 in the Kanpur Test of December 1959 against Indiaâs unorthodox off-spinner Jasu Patel who had captured 14 for 124. I had only listened to the commentary of the 1956 Old Trafford Test on radio but was lucky to witness McDonaldâs heroics in the Kanpur spin-athon. He again gave Australia a solid start in the Bombay (now Mumbai) Test a week later but was eclipsed by a 207-run stand between centurions Neil Harvey and Norman OâNeill.