Six Great Ashes moments

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 remarkable.

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.

SYDNEY, Friday (AFP)