Test selection

Ogilvie made his Test debut in Brisbane and was dismissed cheaply in his first innings, but shared a partnership of 97 with captain Bob Simpson in the second, rescuing Australia from 3–7. These runs proved crucial in Australia's eventual win.^[7]

His performance in the second Test was nearly identical – a low score in the first innings, but a painstaking 47 in the second, helping take Australia from 2–33 to 3-172 and set up a two-wicket victory.^[8][9]

These performances encouraged the selectors to persevere with Ogilvie for the next two tests. However he failed twice in the third Test^[10] and was made twelfth man for the fourth test, before being dropped for the fifth. Indian spinner Bishen Bedi claimed his wicket six out of eight innings.

West Indian tour

Ogilvie continued to score well in the Sheffield Shield and ultimately ended up making 1215 runs at an average of 50.62 for the season.^[11] However, he was not originally chosen for the tour of the West Indies, causing protest from Queensland cricketing circles. He was eventually picked as a backup player when Kim Hughes fell ill and Peter Toohey was injured.^[12]

He scored 47 against Guyana^[13] and played in the third test, where he failed twice,^[14] and was not picked for the fourth test. However, a half century as opener in a tour game against Jamaica^[15][16] saw him back in the team for the last test, where he almost repeated a familiar pattern – low score in the first innings, 40-odd in the second innings helping set up a victory – but the game was called off early because of a crowd riot.^[17]