The Reverse Sweep

Our best XI of the 2011 World Cup

 
As the celebrations in India doubtless continue, it is time to select our Reverse Sweep World Cup 2011 XI based on performances over the six years weeks of the tournament:

Virender Sehwag (380 runs at 47.50, 1 100, 1 50, SR 122.58)

He may not have scored as many as others, but the impact of his runs was the most dramatic. In our view, Sehwag’s whirlwind cameo in the semi-final in the end proved the difference between the sides.

Tillakaratne Dilshan (500 runs at 62.50, 2 100s, 2 50s, SR 90.74; 8 wickets at 15.75 ER 4.06)

The tournament’s leading run scorer takes his place as the apprentice in our opening partnership to Sehwag’s sorcerer. Dilshan’s bowling was more than useful too – just ask Andrew Strauss – and he ended up with only one fewer wicket and a better economy rate than Harbhajan Singh.

Sachin Tendulkar (482 runs at 53.55, 2 100s, 2 50s, SR 91.98)

Is it sacrilegious to push the Little Master down the order to accommodate our choice of opening partnership? Maybe, but Tendulkar is clearly good enough to bat anywhere and is the ultimate team man. His longevity is astounding.

Kumar Sangakkara (465 runs at 93.00, 1 100, 3 50s, SR 83.78)

King Kumar was serenity personified throughout the tournament and he captains our side (although it was a wrench to leave out Dhoni). Is there a more underrated batsman in world cricket?

Mahela Jayawardene (304 runs at 50.66, 2 100s, 1 50, SR 100.00)

His impeccable hundred in the final leapfrogged Jayawardene above AB De Villiers in our XI. A great strike rate and but for the prolific Sri Lankan top three restricting his time at the crease, would have scored more runs in the tournament.

Yuvraj Singh (362 runs at 90.50, 1 100, 4 50s, SR 90.50; 15 wickets at 25.13, ER 5.02)

Lazarus. A cricketer reborn. And a decent pick as the player of the tournament. Yuvraj left his annus horribilis of 2010 behind to take the World Cup by the scruff of the neck. Without his masterful composure in the quarter-final against Australia, India would have suffered an ignominious exit. Also proved to be more than the pie chucker he was famously tagged by Kevin Pietersen.

Shahid Afridi (21 wickets at 12.85, ER 3.62; 84 runs at 12.00)

His batting was dire, but his excitable captaincy and devastating leg breaks galvanised Pakistan and propelled them to the semi-finals. He may not have added to his wicket tally in Mohali, but his incredible haul and impressive economy rate mean his selection for this side was automatic.

Dale Steyn (12 wickets at 16.00, ER 4.15)

This lionheart deserved better than to be part of a fragile side that reverted to type in the quarter-final against New Zealand. Others may have opted for Brett Lee, Umar Gul, Tim Southee or Kemar Roach who all had impressive tournaments, but none of these could have turned the game around against India as Steyn did in their group game.

Zaheer Khan (21 wickets at 18.76, ER 4.83)

Tied with Afridi as the tournament’s leading wicket taker and initially carried the Indian attack on his shoulders until his influence had a more positive effect on those around him in the knockout stages. Equally as dangerous at the start, middle and end of an innings and a master of reverse swinging the white ball.

Lasith Malinga (13 wickets at 20.76, ER 5.54)

Malinga was expensive at times, but was always a threat with that unplayable yorker and subtle changes of speed. So close to being the hero in the final when snaring Sehwag and Tendulkar, and always likely to get you a wicket.

Muttiah Muralitharan (15 wickets at 19.40, ER 4.09)

The final proved a match too far for Murali’s battered and bruised body, but even on one leg Murali still had a stunningly influential World Cup and the departing hero just pips Imran Tahir and Ray Price for the final spot in our XI.

Where next?

Who writes Muttiah Muralitharan's scripts?

The renaissance of Yuvraj Singh

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

Bruce Springsteen was born to run, MS Dhoni was born to lead

Read all our 2011 World Cup posts here

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Cricket XIs: World Cup Golden Oldie XI

 
After the first six days of the World Cup, we couldn’t help noticing at The Reverse Sweep that a number of players are – how should we put it – knocking on a bit.

The number of thirty-something’s on show certainly seems significant and even if no–one can quite match the feat of Jack Hobbs, by playing international cricket beyond their 50th birthday, there are a number who will be qualifying for their bus pass in the not so distant future.

The only team bucking the trend is Bangladesh, whose oldest player is spinner Abdur Razzak at 28. Anyway here is our XI of Golden Oldies, which with the oldest wicketkeeper in the tournament being Brad Haddin at a sprightly 33, sees Ricky Ponting wearing the gloves – yes, we were feeling sadistic when we picked this team:

 John Davison (age today 40 years, 292 days)

Where best to start then with the oldest man in the tournament and the only one the wrong side of 40? Davison scored a World Cup hundred off only 67 balls against West Indies in 2003, and would still probably be playing in the next tournament if it wasn’t for the dastardly ICC deciding to bar the minnows. The rotters.

Sachin Tendulkar (37 years, 307 days)

Like a particularly excellent vintage of Chateau Lafitte, the Little Master keeps getting better and better with age. He already has 445 ODI caps and 46 hundreds, but will this World Cup be his last foray in the ODI arena?

Ricky Ponting (36 years, 68 days)

Unlike Tendulkar, if Ponting was a wine he would be well and truly corked such have his powers diminished over the last two years. As the runs have dried up, the frequency of temper tantrums have increased. Television sets across India, beware of Mr Angry.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul (36 years, 193 days)

Chanderpaul is one of those players who seem to have been around for ever. Maybe it is because all of those tedious nudge and nurdle innings have blended into one long nightmare. Indeed, Chanderpaul has been around so long, he may even have had a cabin in Noah’s Ark.

Misbah-ul-Haq (36 years, 273 days)

It seems strange that a batsman of Misbah’s ability has only played 64 ODI, but he has been in and out of the Pakistan side more times than an overused jack from his box. The younger Pakistan batsmen could learn from Misbah’s resilience and calmness under pressure.

Steve Tikolo (39 years, 245 days)

The veteran of five World Cups is widely regarded as one of the best batsmen never to play Test cricket. Judging by his performances against New Zealand and Pakistan in this tournament however, it would seem that Tikolo’s powers have gone in the opposite direction to his girth. Makes Jesse Ryder look slim.

Trent Johnston (36 years, 302 days)

Ireland’s adopted Aussie challenges Scott Styris (another who is the wrong side of 35) as the ugliest man in the tournament. In fact there is something positively Transylvanian about the features of the dogged all-rounder. Given that vampires are immortal, perhaps Johnston is actually much older than his reported 36 years?

Andre Botha (35 years, 166 days)

Ireland’s other golden oldie and adopted South African (well England are doing it, so why not Ireland too?) will always be remembered for his magnificent two for five from eight overs in the shock victory over Pakistan in the 2007 World Cup.

Brett Lee (34 years, 109 days)

We were actually surprised when we saw that Lee was only 34 - making him the youngster in this side. However, given that he still manages to bowl consistently over 90mph, Lee’s body is closer to that of a creaking septuagenarian. Even so, Lee was still too good for England in the recent ODI series and gave Australia the attack leader it sorely lacked during the Ashes series. Just don’t let him sing.

Shoaib Akhtar (35 years, 196 days)

Has anyone ever sweated as much as Shoaib? Maybe it is a side-effect of genital warts or even the alleged liposuction operation he had (which surely he should claim a refund for?). No one can fault his effort though, even if it is restricted to two over spells at most these days.   

Muttiah Muralitharan (38 years, 314 days)

The World Cup will be Murali’s last hurrah as an international cricketer and no doubt he’ll smile his way through the whole tournament. Will he bow out with a second World Cup winner’s medal? A billion Indians hope not.

Where next?

An XI of players likely to bid a fond farewell to ODI after the World Cup

Our XI to shine at the World Cup

The real reason why Ricky Ponting smashed that television

Read all our World Cup posts here

Check out our other Reverse Sweep XIs

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

XIs: An au revoir to ODI cricket after the World Cup XI

 
Come the end of the World Cup, a number of leading players are likely to announce their retirement from ODIs. The following names with one notable exception make quite an XI – good enough perhaps to win the tournament if they could participate as an Invitation XI:

Sachin Tendulkar

The greatest ODI batsman of all-time, along with Viv Richards. Having severely curtailed the number of ODIs he participated in during 2010, the Little Master is likely to bow out of the format after the World Cup. Will he retire having led India to glory in the final in Mumbai? And will he score the three centuries he needs to reach 100 international hundreds?

Andrew Strauss

The England captain is 34 and has never looked entirely at ease in this format despite the attacking approach he has adopted since returning to the side in the Caribbean in 2009. The end of the tournament could be a good time to bow out, handing the reins to Alastair Cook and enabling Strauss to concentrate on the task of making England the number one test side in the World.

Ricky Ponting

The Australian captain’s gradual decline with the bat gathered spun out of control during the Ashes and this World Cup could well prove to be his last appearance in the Australian canary yellow shirt. If he manages to lead his side to an unlikely fourth successive triumph (and the third for Ponting as skipper) then he will have repaired some of the damage to his reputation caused by his woeful performances in the Ashes.

Jacques Kallis

Kallis is a big unit and despite his new head of hair, the years are catching up with him and injuries are becoming more frequent. Like the three illustrious names above him in this XI, Kallis too may decide that giving up the 50 over format will help prolong his test career, whilst also helping him earn the IPL megabucks.

Paul Collingwood

His poor return with the bat during the Ashes precipitated a premature retirement from Test cricket and unless he can recapture his form during the World Cup, England’s Ginger Ninja may decide to hang up his ODI cap after the competition too. Durham may be seeing even more of its favourite son in the forthcoming season.

Shahid Afridi

With the unpredictable Afridi anything is possible. So don’t rule out Boom Boom dropping a bombshell after the tournament and announcing his retirement from all cricket to take up a slot on Strictly Come Dancing. He is fond of a pirouette after all.

Kamran Akmal

If the butter-fingered keeper continues to spill chances behind the stumps and disappoint with the bat, he is likely to be ‘retired’ by an irate Ijaz Butt. That would be one life ban that no Pakistani supporter would complain about.

Brett Lee

It would come as no great surprise if Lee’s body gave up the ghost at the end of the competition. One wonders if he is in India just to promote his fledgling singing career. Could yet become the new James Blunt – as if we needed another one.

Shoaib Akhtar

A bowler who looks knackered after bowling just two overs on the spin, can’t last much longer, surely? A career in Bollywood awaits providing that the genital warts don’t return of course.

Zaheer Khan

It is a miracle that Zaheer has managed to come into this tournament fit and surely he will choose to concentrate on Test cricket and IPL riches after the World Cup. India should wrap him up in cotton wool, because without him the Test attack looks threadbare to say the least.

Muttiah Muralitharan

We know for certain that this will be the last time we see Murali in international cricket. Can he inspire Sri Lanka to repeat the glory of 1996?

Where next?

Check out our other Reverse Sweep XIs

World Cup Team previews: Part 1 - India: Glory or effigies?

World Cup Team Previews: Part 2 - South Africa: Don't mention the 'C' word...

World Cup Team Previews: Part 3 - Bangladesh: Shock & Awe

World Cup Team Previews: Part 4 - West Indies: Calypso or Collapso?

World Cup Team Previews: Part 5 - England: How far can resilience take them?

World Cup Team Previews: Part 6 - Ireland/Canada/Kenya/Netherlands: Last chance for the minnows?

World Cup Team Previews: Part 7 - Zimbabwe - An army of spin

World Cup Team Previews: Part 8 - Australia: Four in a row?

World Cup Team Previews: Part 9 - Pakistan: Tigers or Pussies?

World Cup Team previews: Part 10 - Sri Lanka: Will lightning strike twice?

Our XI to shine at the World Cup

Check out all our Reverse Sweep heroes and zeroes including Brett Lee, Sachin Tendulkar, Paul Collingwood, Kamran Akmal and Muttiah Muralitharan

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

World Cup Team Previews: Australia - Four in a row?

 
After Australia’s woeful capitulation in the Ashes, there wouldn’t have been many backing them to win their fourth successive World Cup. But a 6-1 triumph over England in the ODI series that followed may have changed some minds. Australia certainly have renewed confidence and with Ponting back at the helm and a unique strategy based on four fast bowlers an unprecedented four-peat could be on.

Strengths

Their fearsome bowling attack will blow the lesser teams away to ensure a straightforward progress through to the knockout stages. With the exception of Clarke, all of Australia’s batsmen have the ability to hit over the top and score rapidly. Recent history is on their side too.

Weaknesses

Can Lee and Tait stay fit for the whole competition? And will pace work on the slow sub-continental pitches against the likes of the Indian and Sri Lankan batsmen? The spinner Krejza doesn’t inspire confidence and the absence of Mike Hussey deprives Australia of the best finisher in the game.

Main man

As much as it pains us to say it, Shane Watson's  effective if inelegant hitting at the top of the order is likely to bring him plenty of runs here. His ability to take the pace off the ball should earn him a share of the wickets too.

Look out for…

The square-leg umpire taking evasive action as Mitchell Johnson’s radar goes awry again.

Prediction

Serene progress through the group in 2nd place, before England earn quick revenge for the 6-1 thrashing by beating Ponting’s men in the quarter-final.

Where next?

World Cup Team previews: Part 1 - India: Glory or effigies?

World Cup Team Previews: Part 2 - South Africa: Don't mention the 'C' word...

World Cup Team Previews: Part 3 - Bangladesh: Shock & Awe

World Cup Team Previews: Part 4 - West Indies: Calypso or Collapso?

World Cup Team Previews: Part 5 - England: How far can resilience take them?

World Cup Team Previews: Part 6 - Ireland/Canada/Kenya/Netherlands: Last chance for the minnows?

World Cup Team Previews: Part 7 - Zimbabwe: An Army of Spin

Our XI to shine at the World Cup

Check out all our Reverse Sweep heroes and zeroes including Shane Watson, Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Rubbing Australia & Shane Watson's nose in the dirt once more

 
Kicking a man when he’s down is a pretty low thing to do. Except that is, when it is the Australian cricket team, and even more so when that man is Shane Watson.

We don’t care much for Twenty 20 here at the Reverse Sweep, but all the same it was wonderful to see England being particularly cruel before beating Australia once again today in Adelaide.

Twice they tricked Australia into thinking they were going to win. Firstly, when it looked like theywere going to set an imposing total before the runs dried up in the last six overs. Then, even though England’s batsmen kept generously giving their wickets away, debutant Chris Woakes saw England over the line from the last ball with just one wicket to spare. So near, yet so far for Australia.

Now that is cruel. Especially as it was obvious how doubly determined Australia were. You only had to see the OTT reaction from Brett Lee when he caught Tim Bresnan to see that. This is a man with 310 Test wickets and 324 ODI wickets to his name but holding on to a catch to get rid of the fat Yorkshire lad in an inconsequential T20 match obviously meant so much more.

If lulling Australia into thinking they were going to win then dashing their hopes at the last was cruel then overshadowing Watson’s performance with bat and ball was positively malicious.

The man who continually hits fifties but not hundreds and bowls medium pace trundlers in Test cricket seemed to have found the perfect format for his 'talents', but once again Evil England quashed the vain one’s hopes of being a hero. Now that is positively funny.

Where next?

Heroes: Brett Lee

Zeroes: Shane Watson

Read all the latest from our Ashes 2010/11 coverage

Check out all our Reverse Sweep heroes and zeroes 

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

The Boundary View: Records & filth at The Gabba - Brisbane, Day Five

 
Do you want to be a Record Breaker?

Records tumbled as Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott mercilessly ground Australia into the dust on day five at The Gabba. Cook's 235 not out is now the highest individual score in Gabba Tests beating Bradman's 226 against South Africa in 1931. The unbroken 329 stand is the highest for England in Australia and is also the highest for any wicket at The Gabba: beating Mike Hussey and Brad Haddin's effort on Saturday - doesn't that seem a long time ago now? Indeed it is only the second time that two 300+ run stands have occurred in the same test - the other was Pakistan vs India in Lahore in 2006. And Trott now has 300+ stands in successive tests following his 332 partnership with Stuart Broad against Pakistan at Lord's. Dedication indeed.

Can we play you every week?

The Barmy Army struck up this familiar refrain as the game edged towards the inevitable draw. Trott would probably concur having now hit two second innings hundreds in his two Ashes tests to date. And both have come at vital times - his 119 on debut helped England win the Oval decider in 2009 and unbeaten 135 today confirmed that England had saved the Test. Trott now averages 59 in Test cricket - we bet even he cannot believe that.

They couldn't catch a cold

If a particularly virulent form of Bird Flu had reached The Gabba in the last two days the Australian Cricket Team would have been immune as they couldn't seem to catch anything. We've never seen such a sloppy performance from an Australian side in the field. Yesterday, we saw Mitchell Johnson drop a sitter, with Peter Siddle and Michael Clarke spilling more difficult chances. Today, Clarke dropped one of the easiest slip chances you will ever see. Even the catch that stuck wasn't given when the third umpire ruled that there was too much doubt to give Cook out to catch that Ponting looked to have just got his fingers under.

Cook the usurper

Not only did Cook usurp Bradman to hit the highest ever Test score at The Gabba, but he also hit the highest individual score by an England batsman since his fellow Essex and England opener hit 333 against India in 1990. Indeed, it was the highest score by an England batsman against Australia since the late and great Ken Barrington scored 256 at Old Trafford in 1964. Cook's match aggregate of 302 runs means that he has now scored more runs in this game than he managed in the whole of the 2006/07 series when he hit just 276 runs.

What a difference four years makes

In 2006 at Adelaide, England were 97 runs ahead with nine wickets intact and still managed to lose. Here they were 88 runs ahead with nine wickets standing at the close last night but didn't even lose a wicket today. That said, the opposition didn't have Warne, McGrath or Lee this time either.

Australia's bowling in disarray

The pitch may have been like the runway at nearby Brisbane Airport, but Australia's bowling was horrendously impotent. Take away a couple of inspired spells from Siddle on the first day and what do you have? Not a lot. The only Australian bowler smiling will be Doug Bollinger, who surely must come in for the hopeless Johnson. Ponting certainly showed his frustration in the way he batted - hitting the ball as hard as he would probably like to hit Johnson et al after this showing.

Player of the day

Cook continued on his merry way to hit the giddy heights of 235 not out - the 6th highest individual score by an Englishman against Australia. So with all due respect to Trott, it's Cook for this accolade.

Zero of the day

Clarke ran him close for dropping such an easy chance, but for the second successive day it has to be Johnson. If anything he bowled even worse than yesterday with a terrible bouncer to Trott that went miles down the leg side for five wides being particularly damning - see also Zeroes: Mitchell Johnson.

Prospects for Adelaide

More of the same - can anyone see either of these sides taking 20 wickets on as good a batting surface as is likely to be encountered at the Adelaide Oval?

Where next?

The Empire Strikes Back - Brisbane, Day Four

The Hussey & Haddin Show - Brisbane, Day Three

Mr Cricket Thwarts England - Brisbane, Day Two

Siddle's Joy of Six - Brisbane, Day One

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: 63 - Some questions to be answered this Australian summer

In our Ashes 100-1 countdown today, Daniel Gray of World Cricket Watch attempts to answer the unanswerable...

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With the 2010/11 cricket season so close I can almost smell it, now seems like a good time to consider the questions likely to be discussed by those in the media with less foresight than WCW in several months time. So before the deafening bugles of the Barmy Army make conversation difficult, let’s get into it.

Will Brett Lee make another comeback, or is it time for him to be put out to the media pasture?

I’ll be the first to say I was excited when Our Brett appeared on the international scene in the 1999 Boxing Day Test against India, taking 5/47 for on debut. The future looked dazzling for the latest golden boy of Australian cricket, and for awhile there, it was high times indeed. For bowlers at least, it is often said cricket is a young man’s game, and the self-proclaimed ‘fastest bowler in the world’ is no spring chicken. Years of battling injuries, combined with more recent battling with his now ex-wife have left this future star firmly in has-been territory. I’m sorry, Brett, but it’s curtains old chap. I’m sure Warney and co will welcome you with open arms to their land of nostalgia.

Will Marcus North be applying for an intervention order to prevent Callum Ferguson from entering the field of all Australian grounds?

The common saying among cynical sports fans today is that it is harder to get into the Australian team than it is to get into it. This may well be true, unless of course you are woefully inconsistent and getting more kudos for your bowling than your run-making. While this is praise the likes of Mitchell Johnson would be happy with, when you occupy the number six position in an ageing batting lineup, it doesn’t cut the mustard. Barring any unfortunate injuries to Signor Ferguson (check your ignition before starting the car…), I predict Marcus will be spending a lot more time with his Western Australian teammates by the third Ashes Test, if he lasts that long.

Which gossip magazine will be the first to feature an interview with Mitchell Johnson’s mum?

It amazes me that an organisation with the clout of Cricket Australia can’t seem to prevent the somewhat deranged relatives and friends of its players from talking to New Idea or whoever else opens the checkbook during the season. Serial offended of late has been Vikki Harber, mother of Our Mitch. Here’s a tip for young Mitchell – use some of the bucketloads of cash you’re no doubt pulling from your modelling gigs to placate your Mum. Is it too much to ask? Oh & perhaps consider, I don’t know, SPENDING SOME TIME IN THE NETS RATHER THAN IN FRONT OF A CAMERA. Sorry, I’m ok now.

Will Ricky Ponting break his own record for most clichés in an interview?

With the laughably fawning nature of the Australian sports media offering up Dorothy Dixers left, right and centre, Captain Grumpy Mk II may well be in line to smash this record, which is believed to be currently sitting at 83 for a 5 minute post match chat.

How many keepers will England employ this summer?

Being an English keeper comes with all the confidence of backpacking near Belangelo State Forest. It must be one of the toughest gigs in world sport. With that in mind, I predict that the Poms will use minimum 4 backstops during the 2010/11 season. For mine, I can see Matt Prior, Steve Davies and Craig Kieswetter all getting a run before January. Who is the fourth, you ask? Well, for sheer comic relief, I would love to see Paul Nixon get another Guernsey. The badger of world sport always makes me chuckle, with his complete inability to back up the big game he talks with bat or gloves.

Let’s hope we see all of the above, and maybe a comical Shane Watson injury to cap off another great summer of cricket down under.

Ashes 100-1: 65 - It's time for cricketers to whore anything and everything

Today in our Ashes 100-1 countdown, Daniel Gray who writes for World Cricket Watch delves into the world of cricketers advertising anything and everything in Australia. The results as you may agree, are quite amusing...

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With this weekend’s AFL Grand Final signalling the impending arrival of 2010/11 cricket season, it’s a good time to start preparing mentally for the latest round of ads featuring our Aussie stars. With Andrew Symonds enjoying an extended visit to the pub these days, there is a sad lack of personality among the current side. With Captain Punter and Captain-in-waiting Clarke leading the charge, fans can expect to see players flogging wares with the enthusiasm of a racecaller on ecstasy. World Cricket Watch looks at some of the more memorable cricket ads of recent years:

Ricky Ponting & John ‘Yoda’ Laws

I often wonder who came up with this pairing. Was it pitched as part of a dare? Were the advertising team drinking Valvoline in a meeting when they suddenly thought ‘Ricky Ponting and John Laws? Win!’? These questions aside, was pitching a Star Wars reference at beer swilling audience of cricket fans the best move? Time (and sales figures) will tell, but in the meantime, I have no doubt there is some form of Valvoline signage mounted prominently in the extension on Ricky’s house.

Michael Clarke

Ok, not exactly an ad, but who doesn’t enjoy watching Clarke look like a goose? I found this much more enjoyable than seeing Captain Jr. whoring razors, deodorant, adult nappies or whatever else he’ll no doubt be pitching again this summer.

Mitchell Johnson

Like Nostradamus before them, it seems KFC have an eerie knack of predicting the future. Mitchell Johnson? Who cares?!? Give us fried chicken! Seems to tie in nicely with Mitch’s form since he actually performed well in one Test at the WACA a few years ago.

Brett Lee

I considered including our golden boy pitching Weet Bix or perhaps cavorting with a Bollywood actress here, but like Michael Clarke earlier, this memory made me smile more than any of Brett’s efforts in the advertising world.

A lesson from India

With the Aussies likely to be schooled by India (again) in the upcoming series, I discovered that India can teach our advertising industry a thing or two on how to use cricketers to flog your products. This little gem rates considerably higher on the ‘unintentionally amusing’ index than anything KFC, VB or Warney will reel out this summer.

Brett Lee & Shane Watson - not the new Lennon & McCartney

We came across this the other day. Firstly, Lee and Watson play a horrendous version of Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns N' Roses before Lee talks and Watson grunts about their on tour jamming sessions.

Our dislike of Twatto has only intensified...
 

 

The A-Z of IPL3 - Part 3 of 3

So, to the last part of our IPL3 A-Z, which just to recap summarises our thoughts on our first experience of the IPL. We haven’t watched every game. In fact we haven’t even watched half of them, but we have seen enough to present our take on IPL3 in the form of an A-Z, with A-I two days ago, J-Q yesterday and finally R-Z today.

Retirement home

We cannot be the only ones to notice that the IPL at times resembles a rather lucrative retirement home for old and not so needy cricketers. Four of the eight sides are captained by players who have retired from international cricket. Indeed, Gilchrist and Warne have retired from all cricket except the IPL and it shows especially with the former in their somewhat diminished powers. Warne is a classic case. He spends most of his time playing poker, winding up the English and hawking underwear and for six weeks a year he plays cricket. Occasionally, as in the match against Deccan Chargers, he rolls back the years and produces a vintage display but he seems to be mainly in situ for his captaincy and talent spotting than his once formidable leg spin. For other retirement home incumbents see the mongoose wiedling Hayden, Vaas and Brad Hodge amongst others. Some like Damien Martyn are considered too decrepit and are slung out after a game or two.

 

Sachin

He may have missed out in the semi-final last night, but the undoubted batting giant of IPL3 has been the great man himself. His consistency at the top of the order for Mumbai Indians has been remarkable and his previously castigated captaincy has been impressive as his side has waltzed its way serenely to the final. If Sachin was in the Indian squad for the World T20 they would be favourites; without him they are likely to fall short. Genius.

 

Timeouts

Probably the most annoying invention of the IPL is the completely unnecessary 'strategic timeouts'. Not only is it another attempt to Americanise the sport that God would play, but it is clearly just an excuse to have yet more advertising. Cricket does not need timeouts. Please get rid of them, Modi.

 

Unpredictable

Say what you like about the IPL. It may be too glitzy and hyped up with advertising that would shame America and commentary that makes Channel 9 look like Test Match Special, but one thing it isn’t is predictable. The salary cap and player auction process ensures that the sides are more or less evenly matched; unlike the English Premier League for example.  T20 is a great leveller, but Kings XI Punjab apart (and even they dramatically improved towards the end of the season and beat the pacesetting Mumbai), every team still had a chance of reaching the semi-finals in their last match. This leads to exciting and unpredictable cricket and the competition is all the better for it.

 

Villain

In every drama there is a villain of the peace and the IPL is no different. We have already covered the administrators, avarice, advertising and the commentators, but villains exist amongst the player fraternity too. We have already mentioned the slightly deranged Sreesanth, but our vote for the biggest villain amongst the cricketers is his Punjab team mate Yuvraj Singh, who appears to have an ego the size of Jupiter. Yuvraj is not as good as he seems to think he is (although that would be impossible) and if the numerous stories are true, has unsettled KXIP to such an extent that he is allegedly the main reason for their dismal season. Apparently he has been sulking about not having the captaincy, appears disinterested and unfit, and has ruined the karma created by King Kumar. If even some of this is true, Yuvraj needs to buck his ideas up.

Wickets

Yes these do occur occasionally in IPL amidst all the boundaries and DLF maximums. And it seems that the main weapon to get wickets is spin. Look at the leading wicket takers and you will see Pragyan Ojha (20), Harbhajan Singh (17) and Amit Mishra (17) at the top of the table. Several sides have opted to start with spinners with mixed results, but any format of the game where spin appears to hold the key is fine by us. In terms of seam, it appears extreme pace and the ability to bowl yorkers holds the key with Lasith Malinga (15), Zaheer Khan (14) and Dale Steyn (14) riding high.

 

X-Factor

No, not the the idiotic but admittedly lucrative creation of Simon Cowell, but the team with the best sprinkling of the X Factor within its ranks. Whilst most teams seem to load themselves with star batsmen (see Delhi Daredevils and Kolkata Knight Riders), the secret to success (as in any form of cricket) is to ensure that both the batting and bowling departments are equally strong. The team that has done this is by sheer coincidence the standout side of the tournament. I am referring to Mumbai Indians, of course. The X-Factor is spread evenly throughout the line-up with Tendulkar, Tiwary, Duminy and Pollard with the willow, and Harbhajan, Zaheer Khan and Malinga with the ball. Other franchises should take note.

 

Yusuf, Robbie, Vijay & Pollard

There seem to be two types of batsmen in the IPL. The lovers like Sachin and Kallis caress the ball and aim to provide pleasure for as long as possible. Then there are the shaggers who can't be bothered with the foreplay of playing themselves in and start banging away from ball one. Mostly this leads to a disappointing two pumps and a squirt, but when it comes off it provides ecstasy. It can even last all night as evidenced by M (don't call me Murali) Vijay's innings of 127 off 56 balls in the runfest between Chennai and Rajasthan. Some can do it on a more regular basis like Robin Uthappa, some prefer a quick shag like Kieron Pollard, whilst others can even earn superlatives such as being called the best shag they'd ever had. Witness Shane Warne's exaggerated appreciation of Yusuf Pathan's 37 ball 100 against Mumbai in the early stages of the competition.

 

Zero

The number of wickets taken by Brett Lee in four matches for Punjab this season before his premature exit with another injury. He may be an Australian, but this Pom wishes him well and hopes he is back for the World T20. Lee is definitely one of cricket's good guys, if not one of its best singers as evidenced by this ditty featuring none other than King Kumar Sangakkara. 

Pietersen finally shows the IPL that he can bat

During Bangalore's ultimately successful run chase against Kings XI Punjab last night a surprising statistic was passed when Kevin Pietersen reached 38. Surprisingly, it beat his previous highest score in the IPL.

For someone who walks a fine line between confidence and arrogance with bat in hand that would have been a bit embarrassing. But in part thanks to an awful fielding display by Punjab, Pietersen was able to marshall the Bangalore chase with 66 not out of 44 balls. IPL fans how finally know what KP can do.

Punjab's fielding was so bad that if comprised of Pakistan players, they would probably be accused of match-fixing, heresy or harming the team. To see a team led by King Kumar lacking spirit is a sad sight, as was the disintegration of Brett Lee in the pivotal over of the match.

Although Pietersen and Virat Kohli had kept Bangalore in the hunt chasing down Punjab's 180 for 5, 48 were required off the last four overs. Step forward Robin Uthappa (how has he been left out of the Indian World T20 squad?) and another dose of blitzkrieg batting. Three massive sixes were followed by a horrible ball from Lee that went for five wides and suddenly the game had swung to Bangalore.

For Pietersen, and England for that matter, these are good signs. The old swagger has returned and England's best batsman could prove crucial in the World T20 and Ashes quests that await. KP's place in the pantheon could be there for the taking.

 

Brett 'Binga' Lee hangs up the baggy green

One of the most vivid memories of recent cricket history was when Andrew Flintoff found time amidst the euphoria and hullabaloo of victory to console Brett Lee after England had scraped home by two runs at Edgbaston in 2005.

Flintoff recognised a fellow warrior when he saw one and as throughout his career in the baggy green, Lee had given absolutely everything for his country and nearly shepherded them to another famous victory; one that would have undoubtedly retained the urn for Australia. Lee was to be similarly disappointed after an heroic bowling spell, with Shane Warne operating at the other end, also saw Australia fall just short at Trent Bridge two tests later.

Defeat was a rarity in a test career that started in 1999 with Australia dominant and ended just as his country's crown had slipped with series defeats in India and at home to South Africa in 2008. Lee took 310 wickets in 76 tests, which is good enough but all the more impressive considering he had to share the spoils with McGrath, Gillespie and Warne for most of his career.

It was to Australia's chagrin and England's relief that Lee did not participate in the Ashes last summer, having been injured for the first four tests and then overlooked for the Oval decider. The surface in that final test was perfect for Lee's express pace and penchant for reverse swing, and if he had played the outcome could well have been very different. Certainly, Lee showed in the ODIs that followed the tests, as well as the Champions Trophy in South Africa and the T20 Champions League in India that he could still be a devastating match-winning bowler.

And it is 50 over and T20 cricket that will now be the limit for Lee after he announced his retirement from test cricket earlier today. Like Flintoff, this decision is simply down to injuries taking their toll rather than any ambivalence to test cricket. Lee ruefully explained that "Obviously, there's specialist one-day and Twenty20 bowlers, but for me, Test cricket is where it's at. There's a lot of luck in Twenty 20, a lot of skill and a bit of luck in one-dayers. But Test cricket is a test for the bowlers and a test for the batsmen."

Lee will be missed from test cricket, although this Pom believes it gives England a better chance of retaining the Ashes next winter. Ricky Ponting provided a fitting epitaph when he said of Lee's career "If we all just take a minute and think about what he's put himself through in that 10 or 12 years, running 35 metres to bowl every ball, bowling every ball at close to 150kph, and putting his heart on the line every ball he bowls, this bloke deserves a massive pat on the back."