Once again today in our Ashes 100-1 countdown as we reach number 89, David Siddall of World Cricket Watch delivers the post. Today, David looks at the weird and wonderful world of Ashes predictions. No one will be surprised to read that Glenn McGrath features heavily!
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The Ashes edges nearer by the day. And this time around it appears the series is just too close to call. Both Australia and England’s susceptible batting lineups have been exposed by an extremely talented Pakistani bowling outfit. Australia are light years away from being the same side that dominated world cricket for close to two decades. England might be a side on the up, but question marks still remain about whether they can turn it on down under. As things stand we shouldn’t write off either side. It might just come back to bite us as history indicates…
The Case of the English Media
That’s exactly what happened in the 1989 Ashes series in England. Australia went into the series as massive underdogs. But they weren’t just considered underdogs as the English media proceeded to label the tourists as ‘possibly the worst ever side to tour England’. Some claim indeed! What resulted was one of the most one-sided test series to ever take place. Australia thumped England 4-0 and left the English and their media with a severe case of egg on face. The extent of the one-sidedness was illustrated by the Australians using just 12 players compared with the 29 who got a run out for England.
It was to be the start of Australia’s Ashes domination which would continue right up until the infamous series back at the home of cricket in 2005.
The Curious Case of Glenn McGrath
There is nothing that Glenn McGrath likes to do more in life than predicting the outcome of The Ashes. He’s certainly not scared of sticking his nose out to when others sit on the fence. In fact, whatever the situation you can rest assured that “Pigeon” will go for a 5-0 victory for the Aussies.
In 2005 that’s exactly what he did and his prediction came unstuck as England won the series 2-1 in exhilarating fashion. Fast forward to 2007 and you might have thought McGrath would be less confident to predict yet another 5-0 result in favour of the Australians. But Glenn has never lacked courage in his conviction and 5-0 is exactly what he went for. Yet this time around the prediction was vindicated as a spineless England capitulated from ball one as Steve Harmison set the tone for things to come with his delivery to second slip.
Australia recorded their first Ashes whitewash since the 1920s in emphatic fashion. Somehow McGrath just knew. Come the 2010 Ashes, England will no doubt discover once more just how difficult it is to come and take on the Aussies in their own backyard. But surely a whitewash has to be out the question….
Predicting the Ashes in 2010…
When pushed for an answer, the Australian captain, Ricky Ponting, remarked how a 5-0 whitewash is possible. You couldn’t help but feel that he didn’t say it with that same McGrath conviction from yesteryear. Despite the whitewash being billed as an outside bet, it is clear from the betting markets that Australia start as clear favourites. To compound why, it is no coincidence that the side with home advantage has won the last four Ashes series.
Which way will this series go? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. Here’s how the bookies have it…
Australia to win 5-0 = $21
Australia to win The Ashes = $1.75
England to win The Ashes= $3
Drawn Series= $6
Dare to dream?
An England Whitewash= $34
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