Seven magical moments of Ashes!
Over a century old tradition and countless moments to be cherished in a cricket series that is often labelled as the mother of all. I have jotted down SEVEN top moments that are most memorable and hope you agree. Here you go:
Sir dismissed for a DUCK!
It was the year 1948 and Sir Don Bradman was playing in his last Ashes, needing a mere 4 runs to sit on an average of 100. Out he walked into the middle, in pursuit for the magical three-figure average in his career. But The Almighty had other plans and the legend was bowled for a second-ball duck by leggie Eric Hollies.
Thus, that record remains vacant till date. Oops, no batsman before or since has come close to Bradman’s mark of 99.94 too.
Jim Laker’s 19 wickets (YES! In a single match)….read on..
The year was 1956 and England’s Jim Laker managed to pull out something that has never been witnessed yet and was equalled only by an Indian against Pakistan at the Feroz Shah Kotla (in 1999, Anil Kumble) — of bagging all the 10 wickets in an innings.
Laker bagged a match haul of 19 wickets (including a perfect ten) for 90 runs in the fourth Test of the Ashes, a record that has never been bettered by any mere mortal under the sun.
The Aussies blamed the pitch (as always) and pointed out that the pitch could have been tampered to the Pom’s advantage.
The pitches have been ‘doctored’ many times since, but the record remains till date! Any takers?
Many Australians who were there remain convinced for ever more that the pitch had been ‘doctored’ to assist Laker’s off-spin.
Massie — the maverick!!
In the 1972 Ashes, Bob Massie, the medium pacer from Western Australia got a debut match haul of 16 for 137 to have a dream debut.
Western Australia swing bowler Bob Massie’s haul of 16 for 137 would have been astounding at any time. That he took so many wickets on his Test debut, and at Lord’s, ‘the home of cricket’, to boot, made it almost the stuff of schoolboy dreams.
A succession of England’s best batsmen were left utterly bewildered by Massie’s late swing, whether from over or around the wicket.
Unsurprisingly the game was dubbed ‘Massie’s Match’ but sadly for the bowler himself he fell as fast as he rose and played just five more Tests.
Geoffrey’s 100th ton
Geoffrey returned back into action for the 1977 Ashes after a self-imposed exile and at his home ground in Headingley scored his 100th first class ton, when he on-drove off Greg Chappell for a boundary.
Ian’s five for one
It was Botham all the way in 1981 Ashes. His innings of 149 not out at Headingley and 118 at Old Trafford were both, in their different ways, thrilling efforts.
But in between those two centuries, Botham produced a stunning bowling display in the fourth Test at Edgbaston. Australia, set just 151 for victory , were in command before swing bowler Botham took five wickets for just one run in 28 balls to seal an astounding 29-run win.
1993 – Warne’s ball of the century
Rarely can one delivery have resonated for so long as Shane Warne’s first ball in Ashes cricket.
Mike Gatting, one of England’s better players of spin, was at the crease when Warne produced a spitefully sharply dipping and turning leg-break which pitched outside leg-stump and clipped the off-bail.
2005 – Flintoff’s sportsmanship
While the rest of the England team euphorically celebrated a nailbiting two-run win at Edgbaston that saw them level an Ashes series they’d eventually win 2-1, Flintoff took time out to drop down to his haunches and offer some consoling words to not out batsman Brett Lee, who’d so nearly won the match for the Aussies.
