The Reverse Sweep

A mention in Wisden? Surely not...

Trying to juggle a busy job, young family, two houses and occasionally updating this blog can at times prove demanding, which means that by yesterday evening we had only managed to reach page 161 of this year’s Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack despite receiving the parcel containing the sacred tome over ten days ago.

This particular article was one we had been especially looking forward to given it was written by one of our fellow bloggers - the excellent and entirely deserving Leg Side Filth aka S A Rennie – being a rather splendid and entertaining review of the year in blogs.

So, we poured ourselves a goblet of a rather excellent 2006 Chateau Grand Pontet and settled down to read. Just as we were thinking that “this is rather good”, we got a pleasant and wholly unexpected surprise.

Near the bottom of the page was a reference to this blog and our little contretemps last summer with Alviro Petersen, which we at this point should add was amicably resolved a couple of days later. Rennie used it as an example of how even mild criticism of an image conscious cricketer on an obscure (and let's be honest fairly insignificant blog) could provoke a response.

It was only a couple of sentences but there we were in Wisden. It might not rank with scoring a hundred for England in a Ashes series decider – Jonathan Trott does that far better (whatever Bob Willis might say) – but for a micro-second at least, it did impress the long suffering Mrs Reverse Sweep.

Where next?

County Championship XI of the week #3

West Indies' losing battle with the IPL

It's not jealously KP, it's pure and simple indifference

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Sir Charles Colville and other cricket unthinkables

He may not have played in the first match of the series yesterday, but Alastair Cook's very presence in the England T20 squad would have been unthinkable just a few short months ago.

This prompted us to look into our crystal ball for our latest piece for All Out Cricket's jolly good website to see what other big cricket stories that may seem wholly implausible now but which may become unlikely reality during the remainder of 2012.

To read what the likes of Chris Gayle, Lalit Modi, Jonathan Trott and our old friend Charles Colville could be getting up to read The Year That Won't Happen (or will it?).

Where next?

Cricket Zeroes: Charles Colville

Are the BCCI about to solve its biggest 'problem'?

BREAKING: Bob Willis attacked; Jonathan Trott arrested

Chris Gayle may be cool, but we're not sure even he can carry this look off...

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Dear Santa... - What have these cricketers requested for Christmas?

It's that time of year again and like the rest of us, the cricket fraternity have been compiling their list of requests for Santa.

Here's what some of them may have asked for this Christmas: 

Daniel Vettori - Protection. With 2011 having seen a number of dictators leaving this mortal coil, along with President Assad of Syria, Dictator Dan is one of only a handful left

Phillip Hughes - It's not exactly been a good year for poor old Phil, so his list to Santa is bulging with wishes such as a request to rescind his decision to opt out of BBL now that he has lost his Test place, a book of the best Worcester hosteleries ahead of his stint with the county and for Chris Martin and Martin Guptill to be sent on a one-way mission to Mars

Ricky Ponting - A time machine so he can relive past glories

Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir - A DVD of The Great Escape and a tunnel making kit

Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard - Lucrative contracts in the new Twenty 20 leagues in Outer Mongolia, Belarus and the Falkland Islands

Stuart Law - A one way ticket from Dhaka to Brisbane

Ijaz Butt - World War III 

Kevin Pietersen and Andy Flower - A bottle of paraffin, some matches and a lorry full of Graeme Swann's autobiography

Jonathan Trott - A Bob Willis voodoo doll

Jesse Ryder, Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith - A KFC bargain bucket per day for life

Shane Warne - Some humility

Kamran Akmal - A new pair of gloves made of industrial strength velcro coupled with a small accident for brother Adnan

Darren Sammy - Catching lessons from Kamran Akmal

Sachin Tendulkar - Something about a 100th hundred. Not quite sure what that is all about

Shane Watson and Zaheer Khan - New bodies in time for the Boxing Day Test.

Where next?

Chasing Sachin by Adam Carroll-Smith | Book Review

Jack Hobbs by Leo McKinstry | Book review

Check out some of our Cricket XIs: They also played cricket, Rugger Buggers, Cricketing Criminals , A team of cricketers that died young, The Worst Australia Ashes XI of the last 30 years, The Worst England Ashes XI of the last 30 years

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

10 reasons why Ian Botham may have worn sunglasses at the premiere of 'From the Ashes'

 

It's certainly been quite a week for cricket film premieres. Following swiftly on the heels of 'Fire in Babylon', the shindig for 'From the Ashes' - a documentary about the infamous 1981 Ashes series - saw the likes of Ian Botham, David Gower and Bob Willis swanning along the red carpet and posing for the cameras.

But in every picture we've seen of the event - such as the one above - Botham is wearing shades despite the premiere being in the evening and sunglasses plainly not being the most suitable attire for a trip to the cinema.

Here are ten possible reasons why Beefy chose to don the shades: 

1. His old nemesis Ian Chappell caught Botham by surprise in the car park as he was arriving and landed a couple on him
2. Beefy's just a shy retiring sort of chap, who doesn't like the limelight. No really!
3. Shh! He's on an undercover mission from MI5 to assassinate Charles Colville. Don't blow his cover!
4. Botham's eyes still haven't been put back in place after popping out of their sockets on seeing Pippa Middleton at the recent Royal Wedding
5. He's doubling up as Bob Willis's bodyguard after unsubstantiated rumours that the merciless Jonathan Trott was going to take his revenge for the verbal attacks Willis made during the World Cup
6. They're his special Knight of the Realm shades given to Botham personally by the Queen
7. The real Botham wasn't available, so his Madame Tussauds waxwork was used as a last minute replacement
8. He'd been out on the tiles with Gower and a couple of quiet ones turned into a marathon binge session
9. He's auditioning for the title role in the next Terminator film, or and perhaps most plausibly;
10. Despite having been a magnificent cricketer, at the end of day he's a bit of a nob

Where next?

Botham's Ashes

See Ian Botham stink the place out in Sky's new Ashes advert

All-time England Ashes XI - All-rounder

First Andy Gray, and now is Ian Botham getting the boot from Sky?

Cricket Heroes: Bob Willis, David Gower and Cricket Zeroes: Charles Colville

Follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

BREAKING: Bob Willis attacked; Jonathan Trott arrested

 
Word reaches The Reverse Sweep this morning that former England captain and caustic Sky Sports pundit has been attacked and severely beaten up.

Apparently Willis was attacked as he made his way into the Sky Sports studio to work on a preview of tomorrow’s World Cup final between India and Sri Lanka.

The even more stunning development is that Willis’ alleged attacker is none other than England batsman Jonathan Trott, who has already been taken into custody by police.

The speculation is that Trott flipped after hearing some of the criticism levelled at him by Willis during the World Cup with the former England fast bowler being especially vehement about Trott’s innings against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

An eye-witness said that after Trott had punched Willis to the ground and laid the boot in, he jeered at the stricken Willis that his boxing skills were not too bad for a schoolboy.

The Reverse Sweep understands that there will be a joint press conference later with the police and the ECB. Watch this space for further developments...

Where next?

Cricket heroes: Bob Willis

Jonathan Trott proves us wrong for the 4th and final time

Read all our 2011 World Cup posts here

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Lay off England after World Cup proves a bridge too far

Two days later and England’s thumping defeat against Sri Lanka in the World Cup quarter final doesn’t feel any better.

Defeat by ten wickets with 63 balls still remaining is about as comprehensive as it gets.

Whilst England’s batsmen looked like they were batting on treacle, Dilshan and Tharanga never looked in any trouble as they cruised to victory.

The recriminations are in full swing. Whispers about Strauss’ future as ODI captain and the wholesale replacement of others abound.

The painful truth is that England simply weren’t good enough. They blundered through the group stages and failed to put in even one commanding performance.

But whilst the likes of Willis, Botham and Boycott will no doubt baulk at the idea, England never had a chance of success at this World Cup because of the ridiculous poisoned chalice of a schedule they were handed this winter.

Sure, England lacked match-winners and key players like Anderson underperformed, but these guys were dead on their feet.

Whoever agreed to a schedule that saw some players spend just three days at home between arriving back from Australia and embarking to the holding camp in Dubai for the World Cup needs to be summarily sacked.

Lest it not be forgotten, England won an Ashes series down under for the first time in 24 years this winter. The successful campaign was meticulously planned and ruthlessly executed.

But not unsurprisingly, these efforts had a physical, mental and emotional strain on the players.

Fatigue leads to injuries and England’s one day squad doesn’t have the strength in depth to cope with the absence of the likes of Broad, Pietersen and Shahzad.

Of those that remained, Anderson was a virtual imposter such was the emptiness of his tank and the likes of Bell, Prior and Swann all fell significantly from the peaks they reached during the Ashes series.

Perhaps with hindsight, England’s first choice players should have flown home for a much needed break immediately after the Ashes series finished in Sydney.

Then a second-string ODI squad could have battled for the final World Cup squad places in the utterly pointless seven match series with Australia.

But contracts between the cricket boards of Australia and England doubtless prevented that.

The schedule is not an excuse for England’s failure, but it is a reason. England aren’t good enough at ODI cricket either – especially in a World Cup in sub-continental conditions, which negated their main strengths further.

But before casting stones at Strauss, Flower and co, do remember that the main prize this winter – the urn – has been secured and whilst yet another World Cup campaign has ended in disappointment, it was always going to be a bridge too far.  

Where next?

Check out our Reverse Sweep XIs

Read all our 2011 World Cup posts here

Heroes: Bob Willis

An XI of unlikely World Cup heroes and a not so heroic 12th man

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

What have we learned so far from the Cricket World Cup?

 
Finally, it is over. The Hundred Years War lasted for less time than the group stages of the World Cup; or so it seemed anyway.

But what have we learned so far?

• No-one seems to want to win the tournament – there is no outstanding side and several mediocre ones
• South Africa look the best balanced team and appear to be marginal favourites – but can they win their first knockout match ever in a World Cup? Or will the ‘c’ word raise its ugly head again?
• England are the most exciting, entertaining and unpredictable side in the tournament – eat your heart out, Pakistan.
• Shahid Afridi has proved to be a much better captain and galvanising force than anyone could ever have predicted.
• Given the batting collapses against England, South Africa and West Indies, India seem to be feeling the pressure of winning on home turf.
• Love him or loathe him, but Ricky Ponting is probably only one defeat away from retirement.
• Two groups of seven was a very bad idea. Keep the minnows and have four groups of four instead.
• England are the only side left in the competition who are unbeaten against the other quarter-finalists – just don’t mention Ireland and Bangladesh.
• Being the coach driver of the victorious opposition is an extremely hazardous vocation in Bangladesh.
• Don’t bowl filth to Ross Taylor and expect to get away with it.
• Ryan ten Doeschate is the next South African on Andy Flower’s wish list.
• George Dockrell is the next Irishman on Andy Flower’s wish list.
• You wouldn’t want a wounded Kevin Pietersen next to you in the trenches.
• Matt Prior is not a good choice to open the batting.
• James Anderson is knackered.
• Bob Willis and Jonathan Trott are not on each others Christmas Card list
• Asking Graeme Swann to bowl with a wet ball is worse than telling him that his cat is stuck under the floorboards.
• Kamran Akmal really is the worst wicketkeeper in the history of cricket.
• This World Cup is very difficult to predict, but here goes. Pakistan, India, South Africa and England (it would be folly to bet against them at the moment and yes, we know we predicted Sri Lanka would win the World Cup at the outset) to make the semi-finals.

Where next?

Check out our Reverse Sweep XIs

Read all our 2011 World Cup posts here

Heroes: Bob Willis

Zeroes: Kamran Akmal

An XI of unlikely World Cup heroes and a not so heroic 12th man

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

3rd Test: Perth - Preview: Can England wrap up the urn by Christmas?

 
Australia has confirmed its overwhelming cricketing superiority over its former colonial masters in the last two Ashes Tests at Perth, winning at a canter in 2002 and 2006 to gain an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series.

But this time is different, and having survived the Gabbatoir and then extinguished the horrors of Adelaide in 2006, England know a win at the WACA - where they have only won once - would see them retain the Ashes before Christmas.

They may never get a better chance. Australia would appear to be in complete disarray with the selectors doing a passable impersonation of England in the 1990's. Simon Katich's injury means that Phil Hughes comes in to open the innings and Steve Smith replaces the discarded Marcus North in the lower middle order. The seamers may be juggled again, but the biggest surprise of all is the pick of left arm spinner Michael Beer - a man with just six first-class matches to his name.

England have no such problems and James Anderson will hope to make a similarly impressive contribution as Kevin Pietersen when he popped back to England for the birth of his son in the World T20 - even if Bob Willis may not be amused. England have dominated the last seven days of the series and if they can repeat the trick at the WACA then the urn will be theirs and Australia may just capitulate completely.

Likely line-ups

The only selection debate for England is whether to go with Tremlett, Bresnan or Shahzad to replace the injured Broad. Otherwise they will be unchanged.

Australia are pondering over a three or four man seam attack, with Beer making his debut if it is the latter and either Siddle or Hilfenhaus missing out if it is the former. 

Look out for…

Chris Tremlett has not been confirmed as Broad’s replacement yet, but if he plays his fourth test and his first since 2007, he should enjoy the bouncy WACA wicket and a man of the match performance is not out of the question.

It will be a surprise if Mitchell Johnson doesn’t come back into the Australian line-up, with Ponting and his selectors fully aware that the misfiring Johnson is their most likely match-winner on his home ground. He took 8 for 61 on this ground against South Africa in 2008-09, so England’s batsmen may finally be about to find what all the fuss is about.

The Pitch – It would seem that the WACA pitch could return to the lively track of old if curator Cameron Sutherland is to be believed: "We're going to aim for a fair bit of grass on top this year. Certainly, we want a result and we're confident that we'll have a pitch that will produce a result." Could this play into England’s hands given they would appear to have the most settled and potent attack?

Previously at Perth

A look back at the record books shows that England have an abysmal record at Perth, winning only one out of 11 Tests. Australia have won seven and England have been on the receiving end of some fearsome beatings in the last five WACA contests.

2006 – Australia won by 206 runs – Monty Panesar made a belated entry into the series and took five for 92 on day one as Australia were bowled out for 244. England were unable to take advantage though and folded for 215 before Australia racked up the runs second time around with Hussey, Clarke and Gilchrist all making hundreds – the latter off only 57 balls. Cook made a hundred, but England could only reach 350 and the Ashes were gone.

2002 – Australia won by an innings and 48 - England and in particular Alex Tudor were terrorised on a quick Perth wicket by Brett Lee. England could only make 185 and 223 as the game finished on the 3^rd day, which meant that Australia had secured the Ashes again on just the 11^th day of the series

1998 – Australia won by 7 wickets – Another dreadful Perth experience for England as they were shot out for just 112 on the opening day in just 39 overs. Tudor had a better WACA experience than he would have four years later and took four for 89 on debut. Again, England were only able to take the game into the third day.

1978 – England won by 166 runs - England’s only Test win at the WACA came against an Australian team ravaged by World Series Cricket defections. David Gower scored 102 and Rodney Hogg took 10 wickets as Australia fell well short of their victory target of 328.    

Prediction

Despite the curator's promise of a green and bouncy wicket, the WACA has lost much of its hostile reputation in recent years, so England's top six could be set to cash in again. This Englishman may regret his bravado, but we go for England to break their Perth hoodoo to give Strauss the best of early Christmas presents.

Where next?

Michael Beer's shock selection for the WACA explained

Read all the latest from our Ashes 2010/11 coverage

Check out all our Reverse Sweep heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Ashes 100-1: 12 - The 25 Greatest Ashes Tests: Part 3 of 3

 
Today we conclude our mini-series of the 25 greatest Ashes tests of all time (see also Part 1 and Part 2 of the Greatest Ashes Tests ever) with the final nine starting in 1977 and ending in 2009.

Centenary Test, Melbourne, 12-17 March 1977 - Australia won by 45 runs: Not strictly an Ashes Test as the urn wasn't at stake, but this match staged to commemorate the first-ever Test exactly 100 years earlier was a classic. Australia were shot out for 138 before Lillee turned the table on England with six for 26 as England could only muster 95. Rod Marsh then struck 110 as Australia set England a mammoth 463 for victory. Amazingly they got close and at one point were 346 for four. But when Randall fell for a brilliant 174 the end was nigh and Australia scraped home by 45 runs - the same margin as in that first test 100 years before.

3rd Test, Headingley, 16-21 July 1981 - England won by 18 runs: For the first three days, England were completely outplayed and followed on. It seemed inevitable that Australia were about to go 2-0 up in the series. Then Botham with able support from Dilley and Old smashed 149 not out and Willis roared in with eight for 43 to enable England, who at one point had been 500/1 for the win, to score an amazing victory.

4th Test, Edgbaston, 30 July-2 August 1981 - England won by 29 runs: Lightning struck twice for Australia in the very next match when they looked like winning a low scoring encounter at Edgbaston. Set 151 to win, they eased to 87 for three before Botham produced his second miracle of the summer grabbing five for one in 28 balls to secure a 29-run victory.

4th Test, Melbourne, 26-30 December 1982 - England won by 3 runs: An extremely tight match saw all four innings total between 284 and 294. When Australia were 218 for nine chasing 292 all looked lost for the home side. But Border and Thomson took them to within sight of the finishing line before that man Botham struck inducing an edge from Thomson that Tavare parried into the hands of a grateful Miller.

4th Test, Melbourne, 26-30 December 1998 - England won by 12 runs: England were 2-0 down and the Ashes had already gone coming into the Boxing Day Test. But some unlikely seasonal cheer came their way when Australia collapsed chasing 175 - sliding from 130 for three to 162 all out. Dean Headley had his moment in the sun with six wickets whilst Steve Waugh scored 122 not out and 30 not out.

2nd Test, Edgbaston, 4-7 August 2005 - England won by 2 runs: The best test in history? McGrath and that cricket ball. Ponting wins the toss and inexplicably puts England in. England score over 400 on day one and lead by 99 on 1^stinnings. The Aussies fightback but a last wicket stand of 51 from Flintoff and Simon Jones enables England to set the Aussies 282 to win. A magical over by Flintoff accounts for Langer and Ponting. A magnificent slower ball from Harmison bamboozles Clarke. Lee with Warne and then Kasprowicz take Australia to the precipice of victory before Harmison and Geraint Jones combined to win the day for England. Flintoff consoles Lee. Breathtaking.

4th Test, Trent Bridge, 25-28 August 2005 - England won by 3 wickets: England dominated the match with a century from Flintoff and five wickets for Simon Jones. But in pursuit of only 129 for victory after Australia had followed on, panic set in against an inspired Warne and Lee. Giles and Hoggard were the unlikely heroes that steered England home.

2nd Test, Adelaide, 1-5 December 2006 - Australia won by six wickets: Disaster and ignominious defeat for England and glory for Australia. A double-hundred for Collingwood and 158 from Pietersen saw England declare on 551 for six. Hoggard took seven wickets as Australia conceded a 38 run lead - it should have been more but Giles dropped Ponting and the Australian captain cashed in with 142. With a draw the most likely result, England caved in on the last day to be all out for 129 with an inspirational Warne pulling the strings and Australia cantered to victory and ultimately a 5-0 series win.

5th Test, The Oval, 20-23 August - England won by 197 runs: With the series level at 1-1, the momentum was with Australia after a crushing win at Headingley in the 4th Test. But Strauss won a crucial toss and led from the front with 55 and Bell top-scored with 72 as England scored 332. Then with Australia cruising at 73 for o, Stuart Broad (five for 37) bowled an inspired spell as the tourists were reduced to 111 for seven and finally 160 all out. Jonathan Trott then struck a composed hundred on debut with Strauss hitting his second fifty of the match to help set Australia an unlikely 546 for victory. At 217 for two, England were nervous but Flintoff's run out of Ponting proved to be decisive and the Ashes had been regained.

Where next?

Read all the articles of our Ashes 100 day countdown

Botham's Ashes

10 reasons why Andrew Flintoff was a true Ashes great

Dean Headley's one day in the sun  

Ashes 100-1: 35 - All-time England Ashes XI: Quicks

 
As we said yesterday when choosing our all-time Ashes Australian fast bowlers, this category is arguably the toughest of them all. The same statement applies when it comes to selecting England’s three greatest seamers of all-time.

Whether it is express pace, movement or unerring accuracy, England has been blessed with some magnificent bowlers throughout the long history of the Ashes.

Before we get to our shortlist of eight, spare a thought for those who just fell short. These included in chronological order Billy Barnes, Tom Richardson, Maurice Tate, Gubby Allen, Bill Voce, Angus Fraser and Darren Gough. Frank ‘Typhoon’ Tyson also just misses out despite his series-winning performance in 1954-55. Eight Ashes tests and 32 wickets is not considered enough for a true great.

So, onto the eight who do make the shortlist, again in order of appearance. George Lohmann may have plied his trade at a time when bowlers held sway but even so his 77 wickets at 13 in 15 Ashes tests are extraordinary stats. Lohmann was no more than fast-medium, but was unerringly accurate and a master of pace, flight and angle.

The maverick SF Barnes– a master of seam, swing and spin - is arguably the best bowler to ever play the game. He took an incredible 12 five fors in only 20 Ashes tests and 106 wickets at 21.58. When Neville Cardus told Barnes that Bradman rated Bill O’Reilly a better bowler because he commanded every ball developed in Barnes's day -- plus the googly, Barnes remarked "It's quite true, I never bowled the 'googly.'" Then with a glint in his eye, he added, "I never needed it."

Harold Larwood had the misfortune to bowl on the predominantly batsmen-friendly pitches of the 1920s and 1930s. However, when things were more evenly balanced, Larwood was unplayable. His zenith came in 1932/33 when through sheer pace and mind numbing accuracy he took 33 wickets at 19.51 as Douglas Jardine’s side regained the Ashes. Larwood took Bradman’s wicket in four out of eight innings – something his treatment after by the cricket authorities could never take away.

Thanks to World War II, Alec Bedser had to wait until he was 28 to make this test debut. He certainly made up for lost time against Australia and took 104 wickets in 21 Ashes tests at 27.49 with seven five fors. Bedser took Bradman's wicket six times in ten tests with his accurate brand of swing bowling. If that wasn't enough, how about his series winning performance in 1953, when after 19 long years the Ashes were returned to English hands? Bedser took 39 wickets in the series at 17.48, including 14 for 99 at Nottingham 

Our next two candidates came as a contrasting new ball pair. Fred Trueman provided the pace and hostility whilst Brian Statham offered metronomic accuracy that even Glenn McGrath would have been proud of. The curmudgeonly Trueman had the better record against the Australians with 79 wickets at 25.30, whilst Statham’s record read as 69 at 31.

Like Larwood in 1932-33, John Snow was the spearhead with 31 wickets at 22.83 when England regained the Ashes in 1970/71. Accurate with good rhythm and a vicious bouncer, Snow proved a real handful in 20 tests against Australia with 83 wickets at 25.61.

The final and most recent (perhaps an indication of Australia's dominance over the contest since 1989) name on our list is Bob Willis, who over 12 years and 31 tests took more Ashes wickets than any other English bowler after Botham. Willis took 123 at 24.37 with the most famous eight coming on one unforgettable afternoon at Headingley in 1981. 

So, as with Australia we need to pick three with the decision whether all three make the final XI depending on whether we select one spinner or two. Barnes has to be in, which with Statham, Snow, Willis and Lohmann being ruled out in the second cut it is two from Larwood, Bedser and Trueman - a difficult choice.

Botham is already in as the all-rounder and with Barnes providing his veritable box of delights we need to have at least one express paceman. Was there anyone faster than Larwood before the West Indian quicks of the 1970s emerged? Probably not, so Larwood gets in ahead of Trueman, which no doubt will see our names struck off the Christmas Card list of all Yorkshiremen. That is because we also (just) prefer Bedser to Fred on this occasion.

Where next?

All-time England Ashes XI: The Openers, Number 3, 4 and 5, All-rounder, Wicketkeeper

Heroes: Bob Willis

Archie Jackson: The 'Other' Bradman

 

Ashes 100-1: 81 - Botham's Ashes

In many respects, Australia could consider themselves very unlucky to lose the 1981 Ashes. They had the outstanding batsman of the series in Allan Border, who hit two centuries and was the only player from either side (who played more than two tests in the rubber) to have a batting average over 40 (Border's was 59.22).

Australia also had the two leading wicket takers in Terry Alderman (42 at 21.26) and Dennis Lillee (39 at 22.30). Having won the first test at Trent Bridge and then seen off Ian Botham's troubled reign as England skipper at Lord's (where Botham bagged a pair in a draw), Australia looked set to go two-nil up at Headingley, but Botham and Bob Willis had different ideas.

When England's seventh second innings wicket fell, they were still 92 runs away from avoiding an innings defeat. Indeed they were such outsiders that in these more innocent times, Lillee and Rod Marsh took odds of 500/1 to bet on an England win. But Botham had been unburdened by the loss of the captaincy and decided that if England were to lose they would go out all guns blazing. Graham Dilley (56 off 75) and Chris Old (29 off 31) provided the support as Botham (149 off 148), smashed England into a 129 run lead.

Now it was Willis' turn. Having been deprived of the new ball by the shrewd England captain Mike Brearley (whose man-management of Botham was impeccable) and with his place in the side at risk, Willis bowled with controlled fury and menace to inspire an Australian collapse from 56 for 1 to 111 all out and take career best figures of eight for 43. Incredibly, England had won by 18 runs and like many awe struck young schoolboys watching at the time, the Reverse Sweep's addiction to the sport and the Ashes in particular had been sealed.

Botham went on to deprive Australia again in the next test at Edgbaston, where his spell of five for one from 28 balls stole the match for England by 29 runs after the Australians had looked like winning a low scoring encounter. Then in the following test at Old Trafford, Botham sealed the Ashes for England with a stupendous 118 from 102 balls with six massive sixes. A draw at the Oval meant England triumphed 3-1, which no doubt left the Australians asked "how did that happen?" 

Botham's stats for the series were 399 runs at 36.27 and 34 wickets at 20.58, which meant he was England's leading run scorer and wicket taker. He also took 12 catches. Botham went on to achieve many other notable feats and was to terrorise the Australians on numerous other occasions, but 1981 was his zenith and sparked an interest in cricket in football obsessed England that was not to be repeated until 2005.

Heroes: Bob Willis

The sight of Robert George Dylan Willis tearing into the crease with his gangly frame, crazy curly locks and distinctive delivery action brings back many happy memories of our childhood.

No more so when on that famous Tuesday at Headingley in 1981 he ripped through Australia to take eight for 43 as England completed their most amazing test match victory. It must have rankled with Willis that nearly all the plaudits went to Ian Botham, but if it did he has kept his own counsel since.

Even as an impressionable young boy we could see that Willis gave absolutely everything when he bowled and given the constant pain he played through as a result of operations on both knees in 1975 that is exactly what he did.

Perhaps that is why he is our favourite Sky commentator, where his acid tongue and caustic wit shine like a beacon from the mostly bland comments of his colleagues. It is an absolute travesty that Willis has been consigned to the studio with that muppet Charles Colville. Willis deserves better and should be part of the top commentary team alongside Mike Atherton.

Our favourite Willis moment in the commentary box has to be when he was venting his anger about the players being allowed to come off for bad light. When Colville tried to argue that it was too dangerous, Willis acidly opined "show me the bodies". Classic Willis.

Bob Willis, demon fast bowler with 325 test wickets at 25.20, hero of Headingley 1981, caustic commentator and a Reverse Sweep hero.