Six Great Ashes moments
Julian Guyer
The Ashes have produced many notable moments since their inception
more than a century ago.
Below are six of the most memorable:
1948 - Bradman out for nought.
The greatest batsman cricket has known, Australia hero Don Bradman
had rewritten the record books during the 1930s with remorseless
efficiency and came to his final Test innings before retirement needing
just four runs for a career average of 100. But instead he was bowled
for a second-ball nought by leg-spinner Eric Hollies.
No-one though before or since has come close to Bradman's mark of
99.94.
1956 - Laker's 19 wickets
Jim Laker's haul of 19 wickets for 90 runs in the fourth Test against
Australia at Old Trafford has never been bettered by any other bowler in
the history of Test cricket.
Many Australians who were there remain convinced for ever more that
the pitch had been 'doctored' to assist Laker's off-spin.
But even if the conditions were in his favour, Laker's feat - which
saw him take all 10 Australian wickets in the second innings - was a
remarkable feat.
It was made all the more so by the fact his Surrey colleague and
left-arm spinner Tony Lock, who took the only other wicket to fall, was
all the time trying to get batsmen out from the other end.
1972 - Massie's Match
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.
1977 - Boycott's hundreth hundred
Contrary and awkward and beloved by thousands of his fellow
Yorkshiremen who saw in him the player they themselves might have become
if only they had his dedication, Geoffrey Boycott was one of England's
best opening batsmen.
But he went into self-imposed exile from Test cricket in 1974, unable
to stand being overlooked for the England captaincy in favour of Mike
Denness. However, he eventually returned to England duty in 1977 and at
his Headingley home ground, in front of his adoring fans, scored his
100th first-class hundred when a textbook on-drive off Greg Chappell
went for four.
1981 - Botham's five for one
So immense was England all-rounder Ian Botham's impact on this series
it became known as 'Botham's 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.
Warne was on his way to becoming one of the all-time greats and
England in particular were in thrall to the Victorian.
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.
It was proof that the 'spirit of cricket' was more than just a trite
phrase and the gesture made Flintoff a national hero in two nations.
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