The Reverse Sweep

James Pattinson and Big Brother

“One brother gets sent off, the other scores. Amazing” opined Barry Davies as Francois Omam Biyik’s header put unfancied Cameroon ahead against holders Argentina in the opening match of the 1990 World Cup.

Not all siblings who share the international stage also end up enjoying success together. For every Steve and Mark Waugh or Bobby and Jack Charlton there is a Robin and Chris Smith or a Kamran and Umar Akmal (ok they’re both crap).

In the wake of James Pattinson taking a second successive five wicket haul in his second Test, it would seem that he and his brother Darren fall into the latter category.

As we documented in our One Cap Wonder Test XI, the elder sibling Darren was plucked from relative obscurity to represent England in the Headingley Test of 2008 against South Africa.

Darren didn’t actually bowl that badly, but the criticism the selectors received for picking him and the magnitude of the defeat that followed meant that he never got a second chance. Indeed, being essentially a fair dinkum Aussie, opprobrium was heaped on him by his countrymen for playing for the Poms and from English supporters because he was an Australian. We guess that’s what you call a no-win situation.

Younger brother James has fared much better and with Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins also both taking five wicket innings hauls in their debut Tests, it seems that Australia’s climb back off the floor from last winter’s Ashes shame could be quicker than anyone envisaged.

Bowling to a New Zealand batting line-up that is so brittle it may as well be diagnosed with collective osteoporosis has meant James Pattinson’s entry into Test cricket has been a fairly straightforward one, but it looks like he has enough about him to ask questions of India’s star-studded batting line-up in a few weeks time.

Brother Darren doubtless approves.

Where next?

1st Test: Australia vs New Zealand - New Zealand marks out of 10

1st Test: Australia vs New Zealand - Australia marks out of 10

The David Warner Experiment

Cricket zeroes: Channel 9's Commentary Team

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

England are the new Australia

 

As England fans we remember too well at the Reverse Sweep how often the dominant Australian side would snatch Test match victory from the jaws of defeat.

We lost count of the number of times that when they had slipped to three or four down for not very many, Steve Waugh or Adam Gilchrist would put their side back into the ascendency by grinding or blasting a hundred respectively. McGrath, Warne and co would then do the rest.

Happily, England have now developed similar good habits.

At first under the Flower-Strauss axis, England learned how to save Test matches from seemingly impossible situations. The trio of glorious nine-wicket down draws at Cardiff 2009, Centurion 2009 and Newlands 2010 provide ample enough evidence of that.

Now when England have to save a Test they do it with a bit more panache. And you don’t do that more emphatically than England did at Brisbane last November. 517/1 indeed.

England have now moved to the next level. At Trent Bridge and Lord’s last summer, England were in real trouble against Pakistan’s excellent bowling attack.

But they recovered in style. At Trent Bridge, it was Morgan and Collingwood in the 1st innings, and Prior in the 2nd. Whilst at Lord’s, it was that massive stand between Trott and Broad that took the Test and a drawn series away from Pakistan.

Yesterday’s first day at Lord’s provided another example of England’s resolve. First Cook and Bell played the Waugh part  to repair from a precarious 22/3, before Morgan and Prior assumed the Gilchrist role and blasted England into the ascendency by the close of play. England’s bowlers will probably do the rest over the coming days.

A sign of an excellent cricket side is the ability to turn games around in a blink of an eye. England can do that now. As can India – the final Test of the tour to Sri Lanka last summer being just one example – so the forthcoming Test series promises to be a real clash of the titans.

Where next?

Jack Hobbs by Leo McKinstry | Book review

1st Test, Cardiff: England marks out of 10

County Championship XI of the week #9

2nd Test Preview: Lord's - Imperious England target series win

Cricket Heroes: Jack Hobbs

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Tweedledum & Tweedledee made new Australian Cricket Captain & Vice-Captain

 
One of Ricky Ponting’s most admirable traits as Australian cricket captain was that in a time of snore-a-thon press conferences, Ponting seemed to say what he actually thought.

New captain Michael Clarke is a very different animal.

Even if he has any thoughts of his own (and we doubt that), he seems more than happy to utter the nothingness provided to him by the faceless marketing people at Cricket Australia - providing of course that anything about himself is in the third person. Anyone that survives a Clarke press conference without falling asleep deserves a knighthood.

Clarke hardly exudes positivity either, so the fact that the man with the worst body language in the team – Shane Watson – has been made vice-captain must be a concern for Australian cricket fans.

Every time Watson runs out a colleague, is given out, hit for a boundary or has an appeal turned down by the umpire he pretty much bursts into tears and looks inconsolable.

That isn’t what the Australian cricket team needs.

The team is at rock bottom at the moment and what it needs is a tough Allan Border or Steve Waugh type character to shake them up, encourage the youngsters, instil character and unity, and ultimately lead them out of the mire.

Instead they have Tweedledum and Tweedledee – two preening metrosexuals who look like they will go crying to Mummy at the first sign of trouble.  

Clarke and Watson would appear to be more concerned with moisturisers, tattoos and their own private ‘who can be the most boring at press conferences’ competition than having the requisite skills to lead the Australian cricket team out of the abyss.

It is almost like putting C3PO and Jar Jar Binks in charge of the Millennium Falcon.

It's a good bet that England will be keeping the Ashes for some time yet.

Where next?

Ricky Ponting falls on his sword, but leaves with his head held high

Michael Clarke joins Linkin Park?

Ricky Ponting's "up yours" message to Cricket Australia

Cricket Zeroes: Shane Watson

Read all our 2011 World Cup posts here

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

South Africa choke in the World Cup - Part V

 
Whilst credit should go to New Zealand for ruthlessly exposing the mental fragility and brittleness of the opposition, this had to be the worst choke of all in a World Cup history littered with chokes for South Africa.

To put it bluntly, South Africa couldn’t have self-asphyxiated any better if they had all been wearing suspenders, put oranges in their mouths and tied a belt around their throats.

South Africa has still to win a knockout match in the World Cup.

In 1992, they were plain unlucky.

In 1996 they won their group and were then stunned by the fourth placed team from the other group in the quarter final (sounds familiar?). But in their defence, it took a hundred by Brian Lara at the peak of his powers to defeat them.

Three years later they had two chances to extinguish Australia. Herschelle Gibb’s infamous drop and a superlative hundred from Steve Waugh in the first game and keystone cops running between the wickets by Allan Donald and Lance Klusener in the semi-final saw the Proteas splutter once again.

When they hosted the tournament in 2003, South Africa exited at the group stages after fatally misunderstanding Duckworth Lewis.

And then in 2007, it was old nemesis Australia again in the semi-final and a right royal thrashing.

But even with that chequered history, Friday was something special.

South Africa were on easy street at 108/2 with only 114 needed from 26 overs.

They faced a New Zealand attack of Nathan McCullum, Daniel Vettori, Jacob Oram and Tim Southee; which with all deference to Vettori is hardly the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

Even when Jacques Kallis was out, South Africa should have eased to victory.

But they didn’t.

What unfurled can only be described as mental disintegration. How else can you explain the run out of AB De Villiers?

And that is why the South African cricket team will continue to be tagged as chokers.

Sounds fair enough to us.

Where next?

Lay off England after World Cup proves a bridge too far

Check out our Reverse Sweep XIs

Read all our 2011 World Cup posts here

World Cup Zeroes: Herschelle Gibbs

South Africa: Don't mention the 'C' word...

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

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

World Cup Zeroes: Herschelle Gibbs

 
Herschelle Gibbs was reputedly a good enough footballer as a boy to have a trial with Manchester United before pursuing a career in cricket.

Let’s face it when it comes to brains, Gibbs is more Ashley Cole than Michael Atherton, so perhaps should have stuck to kicking rather than hitting a ball for a living.

He has certainly got into a few scrapes throughout a gaffe ridden career.

Getting sucked in by Hansie Cronje was probably his worst move, but several episodes of drunkenness, indiscipline and his no-holds barred autobiography also come to mind.

But when it comes to the World Cup, Gibbs will forever be remembered for one hubristic error.

South Africa should have won the 1999 World Cup. They were probably the best team in it and could and should have had the immense pleasure of knocking Australia out not once but twice (if indeed that is possible).

If Gibbs had caught Steve Waugh in the Super Six match at Headingley, then the Australians would have been eliminated.

Up to that point, Gibbs had had a good day. A scintillating century in South Africa’s score of 271 seemed to have put the game in his side’s favour.

And when Australia slipped to 48/3, Gibbs could have been forgiven for thinking about the man of the match champagne.

Then came his moment. Waugh on 56 offered Gibbs a simple catch at mid-wicket.

If he had misjudged it and spilled the chance, fair enough – these things happen.

But in a typically over-arrogant moment Gibbs started celebrating before he had the ball fully under control. What a plank. That is unforgiveable.

As Waugh (who went on to make an unbeaten 120) supposedly opined, Gibbs had indeed dropped the World Cup.

If Gibbs had caught the ball before celebrating like a namby-pamby footballer, South Africa would have won the match and probably the tournament – and then the chokers tag would never have been hung around their necks.

If that doesn’t make Gibbs a zero, we don’t know what does.

Where next?

Read about our other cricket heroes and zeroes

Check out our Reverse Sweep XIs

Read all our 2011 World Cup posts here

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Once upon a time in the court of King Ricky...

 
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, Prince Ricky ascended to the throne upon the death of King Stephen. The King is dead, long live the King.

It was akin to Camelot, King Ricky had at his disposal a quorom of fearsome Knights, the like of whom had not been seen since the time of the Round Table. Chief amongst them was Sir Shane – a Knight that was able to conjure up victory from the jaws of defeat such as in the famous skirmish with the English at the Battle of Adelaide in 2006.

Many foes tried to storm the citadel, but all were easily beaten. King Ricky’s Green and Gold expedition force was also all-conquering overseas apart from a surprise defeat to the English in 2005 where Sir Glenn was felled by an arrow in the ankle, Sir Adam was rendered ineffective and the English found a new hero in Freddie of Preston.

But after being newly installed as Prince Regent of England due to the madness of King Vaughan, Freddie’s attempt to storm King Ricky’s castle a year later was met with ignominious defeat and ultimately the pedalo scandal.

King Ricky was now at the peak of his powers as the most dominant ruler in the world – no arrow could pierce his armour and no sword could breach his shield.

Then at the point of his greatest triumph, Sir Shane succumbed to his gambling habit, absconded from the castle and was last seen consorting with a failed actress. Sir Justin and Sir Glenn departed at the same time and shortly afterwards, Sir Matthew left to become a full-time cook and Sir Adam hung up his helmet to become a well-paid mercenary.

With his best Knights deserting him at the same time, a bereft King Ricky was suddenly vulnerable. Overseas raiding parties now met with regular defeat on the battlefield and the nototiously brittle Proteas army even managed to breach the walls of King Ricky’s castle, before his forces launched a successful counterattack.

But with the newly powerful English landing on his shore in the autumn of 2010 under the astute leadership of Lord Strauss of Radley and his Chief Adviser – a mysterious wizard only known as Flower, King Ricky knew the game was up. His new Knights were not up to the task. Sir Doug wears a toupee for Christ's sake, Sir Twatto has no staying power and is prone to tears, Sir Mitch is just as likely to slice himself open with his own sword then kill any of the enemy, and as for his heir Prince Michael the less said the better.

King Ricky took a gamble. Sir Nathan had proved a steady if uninspiring successor to Sir Shane. But King Ricky didn’t need steady, he needed the X-Factor. So, he knighted his unimpressive steward as Sir Xavier, and Sir Nathan was sent to the haberdashery to sell his old armour.

But, Sir Xavier had no pedigree and failed to impress in the battles at Brisbane and Adelaide. In the aftermath of the latter tussle, his fool Hilditch suggested that King Ricky have a Beer instead and lo and behold that is exactly what happened.

Things got better temporarily at the Battle of Perth, where Sir Mitch and Sir Cricket excelled but the English decimated his army at the Battle of Melbourne and King Ricky himself was wounded as his castle was ransacked by the rampant English sprinkled with some Proteas insurgents.

Too little, too late it was decided to exile the disgraced Sir Xavier and Sir Nathan was handed a new suit of armour for the forthcoming battle for the Holy Grail. King Ricky and his predecessor have successfully held onto the precious Grail for 12 years, but either King Strauss, King Muppet or King Mahendra all look set to wrest it from his grip over the coming weeks.

All seems lost for King Ricky. He has even taken to humming a tune from the famous English songsmith Sir Christopher of Martin:

“I used to rule the world / Seas would rise when I gave the word / Now in the morning I sleep alone / Sweep the streets I used to own ...”    

The inevitability of final defeat awaits and King Ricky knows that his folly of placing his kingdom in the hands of the untried Sir Xavier has proved to be a mistake of the most deadly proportions.

Prince Michael, it would seem, is already practicing his apologies and planning a new tattoo for his coronation - not that he is going to be King of much.

Where next?

Is this Ponting's cataclysmic epitaph?

Michael Clarke joins Linkin Park

Ashes 2010/11: Australia series marks out of 10

Ashes 2010/11: England series marks out of 10

Shane Watson: Finally the bride 

Check out all our Reverse Sweep heroes and zeroes including amongst others Nathan Hauritz, Justin Langer, Matt Hayden, Brett Lee, Sachin Tendulkar, Andy Flower, Andrew Hilditch and Hedley Verity

Follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

5th Test: Sydney - Preview: England look to give Clarke baptism of fire

 
Mission Australia is almost accomplished. The Ashes have been retained, but the series is not yet won and England will be intent on securing the victory that will earn the 3-1 scoreline that their dominance throughout the series both deserves and demands.

England's stated intention is to become the number one side in the world. There is still someway to go until they are even close to achieving that - winning in India for example - but a series win in Australia would be a good start. Extra incentive could be provided by last year's series in South Africa when England went into the final match of the series in Johannesburg 1-0 up. They were then blown away by Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel and returned home with a creditable share of the spoils rather than a glorious scalp. 

The pitch at the Sydney Cricket Ground traditionally favours spin and swing, so Graeme Swann will look to reprise the leading role he played in the second innings of the crushing win in Adelaide. Swing King James Anderson too will be licking his lips - as will Mitchell Johnson if the radar has returned - at the prospect of embellishing his position as the leading wicket-taker in the series.

For Australia, the match has the appearance of a new chapter with Michael Clarke taking over from the injured Ricky Ponting to become Australia's 43rd Test captain - a position that has the same profile and pressure down under as the manager of the nation's football team does in England. There will be debuts too for Usman Khawaja - the first muslim to play for Australia - and Michael Beer, who will play his 8th first-class match and his first at the SCG.

Likely line-ups

England are likely to be unchanged with Tim Bresnan retaining his place ahead of the rested Steven Finn and Paul Collingwood playing what could prove to be his final test unless he can rediscover his mojo with the bat.

Khawaja will likely replace Ponting at number three - although it would be a real statement of intent for Clarke to take this pivotal role, whilst Beer will replace the injured Ryan Harris. Doug Bollinger will likely be 12th man, giving Ben Hilfenhaus another opportunity to get amongst the wickets. 

Look out for...

Michael Clarke has had just as a poor series with the bat as his erstwhile captain with just 148 runs at 21.14, and his previous silky technique seems to have deserted him. Indeed, his stats in his last 8 Tests are 322 runs at 21.46. So will the extra pressure of the captaincy provide renewal or further pain?  

Graeme Swann has had a solid rather than spectacular series. Poor in Brisbane and Perth, but impressive in Adelaide and Melbourne. The SCG pitch should suit him, so a match-winning performance here would be no real surprise.  

Previously at Sydney

They've been playing test cricket at the SCG since 1882 and England have a good record at the ground with 21 wins to Australia's 25 with 7 draws.

2007 - Australia won by 10 wickets- Warne, McGrath and Langer's grand finale as Australia walloped a shellshocked England to confirm the first Ashes whitewash since 1920/21.

2003 - England won by 225 runs- In a match perhaps best remembered for Steve Waugh's emotional hundred, England prevented a series whitewash with Mark Butcher's hundred in the first innings and Michael Vaughan's sparkling 183 - his third ton of the series - in the second, helping set Australia a stiff target of 452. Andy Caddick then took seven wickets - ten in the match - in his final test to let England bow out of a tough series on a high.

1999 - Australia won by 98 runs- England went into the final test of the series knowing that a win would enable them to square the series. But despite a hat-trick from Darren Gough on day 1, the luck deserted England when the third umpire controversially adjudged that Michael Slater had not been run out for 35 in Australia's second innings. Slater went on to make a brilliant 123 out of 184 and the target of 287 proved too much for Alec Stewart's side.

1995 - Match drawn - A potentially famous victory for England was ruined by the weather. Michael Atherton, John Crawley and Gough all hit half-centuries as England hit 309 batting first, before they shot out Australia for just 116 - they were 65/8 at one point. Atherton then declared with Graeme Hick two runs short of a hundred, but the weather, hundreds from Mark Taylor and Slater and stern resistance down the order enabled Australia to escape with the draw.

Prediction

In Australia's favour is their imposing recent record at the SCG - 14 wins in their last 16 matches including the remarkable turnaround against Pakistan last year. Indeed, England (in 2003 - see above) are the only opponents to win at the venue during this time.  However, as we've seen during the series, this Australian team is a shadow of its immediate predecessors and if England retain their focus, they should secure a comfortable win to take the series 3-1.

Where next?

Read all the latest from our Ashes 2010/11 coverage

The best and worst Test XIs of 2010

Watch Darren Gough's hat-trick at Sydney in 1999

The 25 Greatest Ashes Tests of them all: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3

1st Test: England marks out of 10, 1st Test: Australia marks out of 10

2nd Test: England marks out of 10, Australia marks out of 10

3rd Test: England marks out of 10, Australia marks out of 10

4th Test: England marks out of 10, Australia marks out of 10

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

4th Test: Melbourne - Preview: Can England reprise glory of 1986?

 
The last time England retained the Ashes down under was in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne in 1986 when they crushed Australia by an innings and 14 runs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. With the debacle at Perth now behind them, Andrew Strauss' side has a second opportunity to retain the urn at the same Melbourne Cricket Ground over the coming days.

In the lead-up to the 4th test there has been much speculation about the late switch to a much greener looking pitch, which has given hope to Australians that Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris will find a similarly helpful, fast and bouncy wicket to the one that suited them so much at Perth. This is probably wishful thinking on behalf of the home side and the usual slow Melbourne pitch is a much more likely proposition.

This means that Australia will have to think hard about the make-up of their side. Do they risk going in again with four specialist quicks and the part-time spin of Steve Smith? Or do they hand Michael Beer a test debut in place of either Peter Siddle or Ben Hilfenhaus? Dropping the former would mean that Australia would lose its chief snarler in what appeared to be a new 'in your face' approach in Perth.

England also have decisions to make as to the make-up of the bowling attack, although Andy Flower confirmed earlier this week that they will stick to their four-man bowler approach in the absence of a world-class all-rounder. This is no surprise especially as Matt Prior isn't in the form to justify an elevation to number six.

Likely line-ups

England are likely to be unchanged although Tim Bresnan or Ajmal Shahzad may come in for Steve Finn if the latter is deemed to need a rest by the England management. other than that the only change could be Ian Bell being promoted to five ahead of Paul Collingwood.

For Australia, Ricky Ponting is almost certain to play despite a broken little finger and surely they won't repeat their error of The Oval 2009 by going in without a specialist spinner? If Beer does get the nod, expect Siddle to be the one carrying the drinks. Australia also has the option of bolstering the batting by playing Ponting's stand-by Usman Khawaja instead of Smith at number six.

Look out for…

We tipped Kevin Pietersen to end his long quest for a century in our preview of the Adelaide Test and despite crashing back down to earth in Perth, we fully expect him to reach three figures here again in Melbourne.

Ricky Ponting is too great a batsman not to stamp his influence on this series and despite his broken digit and poor run of scores, we would be very surprised if he doesn't make a significant score on the biggest of stages.

Finally, Graeme Swann had a quiet game in Perth after his seven wickets in Adelaide, but the surface at the MCG is likely to suit him better and we wouldn't be surprised to see him star in the 2nd innings. Australia may come to regret not picking their best spinner - the in-form Nathan Hauritz instead of the untried Beer.

Previously at Melbourne

Scene of the first ever Test match in 1877, there have been 53 encounters between England and Australia at the cavernous Melbourne Cricket Ground. Australia has the advantage with 27 wins to England’s 19 and perhaps a clue to the outcome of the 2010 edition is that there have only been 7 draws.

2006 – Australia won by an innings and 99 – England suffered a Boxing Day hangover as they were bundled out for just 159 with Warne taking his 700^th Test wicket. England struck back by reducing Australia to 84/5 before Hayden and Symonds both reached 150. England then capitulated for a second time for 161 for yet another woeful defeat on the most dispiriting of tours.

2002 – Australia won by five wickets – Justin Langer hit 250 as Australia amassed a powerful 551/6 and then England only managed 20 more runs than Langer made on his own. They did better after following on with Michael Vaughan scoring a sparkling 145 as England at least set Australia a target. They then restored further pride by taking five wickets as Australia stumbled over the winning line.

1998 – England won by 12 runs – A pulsating test match with a dramatic climax. Rain ruined day one but Alec Stewart scored a captain’s hundred as England made 270. Steve Waugh (122) then masterminded runs from the tail as Australia led by 70. And when England could only make 244 in their second innings and Australia reached 130/3 in pursuit of 162 all seemed lost. Step forward Dean Headley – who engineered a spectacular collapse and a famous England win.

1986 – England won by an innings and 14 – Mike Gatting’s side secured the retention of the urn with a crushing victory in the Boxing Day Test. Gladstone Small and Ian Botham took five apiece as Australia could only muster 141. Then Chris Broad’s third successive hundred provided the bedrock of England’s 208 1^st innings lead. Phil Edmonds and John Emburey then spun England to victory.

1982 – England won by 3 runs – The forerunner to Edgbaston 2005. 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.

Prediction

If the weather holds true then the MCG is a result wicket and we fully expect England to win a tight encounter and therefore retain the Ashes with the final test in Sydney still to come.

Where next?

Dear Santa...

Read KP's Ashes Diary exclusively at the Reverse Sweep

Dean Headley's 15 minutes of fame

Read all the latest from our Ashes 2010/11 coverage

The 25 Greatest Ashes Tests of them all: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3

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: 20 - Let's play the Australian Cricket Captain Lottery

 
With just 20 days to go until the Ashes and rumours abound of disention within the Australian camp, Matthew Wood, World Cricket Watch columnist and writer at Balanced Sports, invites everyone to have a go at the Australian captaincy lottery.

The news that the Australian dressing room is split into camps for and against Michael Clarke’s fait-d’accompli ascension to the captaincy is hardly surprising.  Rarely is there a clear-cut situation after a captain departs the international scene, it just happens that Australia’s Golden Age of cricketers were born far enough apart to produce three fantastic individual performers in Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting, who were each the natural successor to the previous captain.

The current Australian cricket team does not resemble those strong teams of the past.  Indeed, it resembles more the squad of a divided central board: a board that plays favourites and is looking only towards short term results.  Clarke has been management’s Golden Hair’d Boy since before his elevation to the captaincy of Australia A in 2003 over more experienced teammates.  True, he’s been about the only certainty to retain his place in the national setup Post-Ponting, but his lack of ability to lead publicly – like the current Aussie skipper – only casts more doubt on his ability to be effective in a role which infamously shoulders nearly as much pressure as the role of Australian Prime Minister.

It was news to me that Marcus North and Callum Ferguson were considered by corners of the dressing room a more worthy Test captain than Clarke.  That Cameron White – he of nearly ten years’ Victorian captaincy – was also named was less surprising.  (We actually posited on the best selections for captain previously -  check out the Great Cricket Debate and the Australia Ashes Squad Profiles posts) But after the last few months it’s emerged that Clarke is no longer unanimously the best choice to captain Australia after Ponting’s abdication.

Are there any more questions as to why?  Watch one of his pressers and you’ll know.  He’s about as transparent as shopfront glass and just as interesting.  It’s not just that though: it’s his lapsed romance with “Australia’s Classiest Lass” Bingle, it’s also his dressing-room confrontation with Simon Katich after a win last year and especially his veiled criticism of IPL-playing teammates in such a “holier-than-thou” manner.  That he’s nearly thirty and still bears the nickname “Pup” speaks volumes about his standing amongst his teammates: nicknames like “Rookie” or “The Kid” tend to disappear as the player assumes more authority but not in this case.

At present, both North and White are flawed selections, however.  This is simply because neither of them are able to justify their place in the Test team through their performances.  If a captain is unable to lead publicly then they must do so via their on-field prowess.

This, particularly, is what makes Clarke’s case compelling – he is now rivalled only by his openers as a Test batsman.  North and White, though both decidedly more affable and having more domestic leadership experience, have been unable to establish themselves in the Test side due to a lack of consistency, skill, opportunity or New South Wales blood.  In order to justify his position as skipper, a captain must deliver on-field and cricket history is rife with examples of leaders picked for their interpersonal or schmoozing skills but lacking the requisite on-field graft: Mike Brearley.  Brian Booth.  Lee Germon.  Mike Denness.  Darren Sammy.  Chris Cowdrey.  It’s no coincidence that three of the aforementioned are English, installed by an MCC board attempting to still the waters of revolution.  The revolution is coming again: this one Free Agency, pioneered by the West Indies, if only this time by necessity and money rather than by any pioneering spirit.

There always remains the ability to grow into the public leadership role as Alan Border did.  Border, a notoriously private man off the field, grew taciturn at even implied criticism yet was able to turn his media discomfort into an advantage as he created a whole new persona for himself as “Captain Grumpy”.  The problem with Clarke is that he’s had international leadership experience now for the best part of five years and has yet to grow into this role.  He hasn’t shown a maturity of personality that’s come with this experience, just a realisation that his performances have to justify his exalted status and as such he withdrawn into himself both on the field and off.  Rather than grow and expand his focus outward, Clarke has retracted with his eyes firmly on himself.  It’s not selfish, because I’m certain he sees himself as leading via performance rather than by inspiration.

And that’s not to say that one must choose to lead by performance or by inspiration.  Both Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh were able to do so successfully.  So were Clive Lloyd and Sir Viv Richards – in fact, all the great captains were able to combine the two elements.  Border grew into leading both ways.  It’s just one tends to, by their own experience, develop – value, even – one style more than the other.

Ponting’s imminent pasturing is not the real reason to sweat on a new captain.  The skipper has shown no signs of wanting to retire nor would it make any sense for him to play on under a new captain, so if Australia wants him, then get him as captain.  The greater concern is that unlike their famous “We love the Underdog” mentality, the turmoil surrounding the national team corresponds with dramatically falling interest levels in cricket in Australia.  The current squad doesn’t need an heir apparent, it needs stability to come from anywhere: performances, selections, the future.  A captain with the ability to combine performance and attitude will emerge in time, but perhaps not in time enough to still Australia’s slide into cricketing no-man’s-land…

Who would be your choice for captain?

Ashes 100-1: 49 - All-time Australian Ashes XI: 4 and 5

 
Whereas selecting the batsman to fill the number three role in an all-time Australian Ashes XI (see story here) was an extremely facile task, picking who is going to follow Bradman at four and five is a nigh on impossible exercise.

The longlist includes a plethora of great Australian batsmen in Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Greg Chappell, Neil Harvey, Clem Hill, Mark Waugh, Stan McCabe, Ricky Ponting and Charlie Macartney. Indeed, one could argue that you could put the above names in a hat and select any two of these to join the already selected Trumper, Morris and Bradman, and you would have an immensely strong batting line-up.

But for the purposes of this exercise we do need to pick two. So we will start by discarding Hill and Mark Waugh immediately - not because they weren't good players, but unlike the others they probably fell into the 'very good' rather than 'great' category. As Jimmy Ormond once famously retorted, Mark Waugh wasn't even the best cricketer in his own family.

So that leaves us with seven. Harvey's record against England (2416 runs at 38.34) was markedly worse than his overall test record (he averaged over 48) and as it is an Ashes XI we are selecting then fine player as he was that means he misses out.

Six left, which means four must miss out. But which four? Macartney (1640 Ashes runs at 43.15) was reputedly a devastating batsman who regularly demoralised English bowlers and achieved the notable feat of scoring a test hundred before lunch at Headingley in 1921. McCabe (1931 at 48.27) played two of the greatest Ashes innings ever at Sydney (187 not out) in the opening test of the Bodyline series and then 232 not out at Trent Bridge in 1938. The latter prompted Bradman to remark "If I could play an innings like that, I'd be a proud man". That's a pretty good reference.

Moving on to more recent times, Chappell (2154 at 43.95 with eight hundreds) and Ponting (2363 at 48.22 and also with eight hundreds) are formidable batsmen and like Macartney and McCabe have excellent records against England. All would be in contention for an all-time Australian XI, but when it comes to the Ashes it is the two remaining batsmen that stand out from the pack.

After Bradman, Border (3222 at 55.22) and Waugh (3173 at 58.75) are Australia's highest run scorers against England. Both offer similar gritty and determined styles, which admittedly is a reason for perhaps only picking one of them. But first Border is left handed so complements Waugh, and secondly a battle with the English is what brought the best out of both of them.

After being the losing captain in 1985 and 1986/87, you can bet your bottom dollar that Border would rather die than lose to the Poms again. And Waugh is built from similar granite, has ten Ashes hundreds - behind only Bradman and Hobbs - and was a thorn in England's side for such a long period that it is impossible to leave him out. Who can forget him coming back from injury at The Oval in 2001 and on one leg making yet another hundred? So after a lot of pondering it is Border and Waugh that get the vote.

Where next?

10 reasons why The Don is the greatest Ashes cricketer of them all

The World Test XI of the noughties

All-time Australian Ashes XI - The Openers

Ashes 100-1: 95 - Nervous nineties

In our Ashes 100-1 feature today, we focus on those batsmen who have fallen most times during the nervous nineties in Ashes encounters.

Up until the beginning of the current Oval test, 87 batsmen (see full list here) have fallen one or more times in the dreaded nineties with the great Australian batsmen Clem Hill topping the list with five scores between 90 and 99. Hill even managed to fall for 98 and 97 in the same match at Adelaide in 1902 having also hit 99 at Melbourne in the same series. Thankfully for Hill he did manage four centuries against England during his test career and as the Adelaide test was won, no doubt that stemmed his disappointment.

Steve Waugh has four scores in the nineties to add to his ten hundreds in Ashes contests, including two not outs when he ran out of partners at Perth in 1995 (when his brother acting as a runner for Craig McDermott ran himself out) to finish on 99 not out and Melbourne in the same series.

The only other cricketer other than Hill to have hit two nineties in the same Ashes match was Frank Woolley, who made 95 and 93 at Lord's in 1921.

The list of batsmen who have made two or more scores of 90 in the Ashes is below:

Player	90's	NO	Scores
C Hill (Aus)	5	0	96 (Sydney 1897), 99 (Melbourne 1902), 98 & 97 (Adelaide 1902), 98 (Adelaide 1912)
SR Waugh (Aus)	4	2	99* (Perth 1995), 96 (Sydney 1999), 94* (Melbourne 1994), 92 (Manchester 1989)
DC Boon (Aus)	4	1	94 (Lord's 1989), 94* (Melbourne 1990), 97 (Sydney 1991), 93 (Manchester 1993)
PBH May (Eng)	3	0	91 (Melbourne 1954), 92 (Sydney 1959), 95 (Manchester 1961)
ER Dexter (Eng)	2	0	99 (Brisbane 1962), 93 (Melbourne 1962)
WM Lawry (Aus)	2	0	98 (Brisbane 1962), 94 (The Oval 1964)
FE Woolley (Eng)	2	0	95, 93 (Lord's 1921)
AW Greig (Eng)	2	0	96 (Lord's 1975), 91 (Lord's 1977)
EH Hendren (Eng)	2	0	92 (Adelaide 1925), 95 (Melbourne 1929)
GHS Trott (Aus)	2	0	92 (The Oval, 1893), 95 (Melbourne 1894)
TJE Andrews (Aus)	2	0	94 (The Oval 1921), 92 (Leeds 1921)
MC Cowdrey (Eng)	2	1	93 (Leeds, 1961), 93* (The Oval 1964)
AC Bannerman (Aus)	2	0	94 (Sydney 1883), 91 (Sydney 1892)
MJ Clarke (Aus)	2	0	91 (Lord's 2005), 93 (Leeds 2009)
RW Marsh (Aus)	2	1	92* (Melbourne 1971), 91 (Manchester 1972)
TW Hayward (Eng)	2	0	90 (Adelaide 1902), 91 (Sydney 1903)

  

Ashes 100-1: 98 Deano's match

Today we reach number 98 in our Ashes 100-1 countdown and appropriately we go back to Melbourne in 1998 and a former England fast bowler's one day in the sun and an alcoholic infused haze for the Reverse Sweep.

1998 was the year that I spent a memorable time travelling across Australia. I had been in Cairns when a thunderstorm saved England in the 1st test at Brisbane. I then suffered being mercifully ribbed by our Aussie ranger in Kakadu National Park as England were thrashed at the WACA before passing through Coober Pedy as Australia retained the Ashes with another win in Adelaide.

So it was by Christmas that my brother and I reached Melbourne and tickets were purchased for the Boxing Day test at the MCG. We weren't confident, but as English cricket fans we were used to being thrashed by the Aussies and at least we would get to enjoy cricket at one of the best sporting theatres in the world.

And we expected to get a tan into the bargain. Christmas Day had been spent on St Kilda's beach in glorious sunshine and 37 degree heat. So when we made our way to the MCG the morning after we expected more of the same. Big mistake. The temperature had dropped 20 degrees and it rained for most of the day. No cricket and no sun meant the only thing we left with were goose pimples.

Fortunately, the rest of the test match was a classic (see scorecard). England batted first and Alec Stewart hit a captain's knock of 107 as his side compiled a first innings of 270. In reply, Australia struggled to 252 for eight before that snake in the grass Steve Waugh batted with the tail for the umpteenth time against England to hit an unbeaten 122 and carry the Aussies to 340.

When Mike Atherton duly bagged a pair, the game looked up for England, but half centuries from Stewart, Nasser Hussain and Graeme Hick saw England set the Aussies 175 to win. Knowing Australia's poor record at chasing smallish totals and also their propensity for losing a match once they had secured the series, optimism was rife amongst the Barmy Army supporters we were sitting with. No doubt the regular flow of cold but tasteless Australian beer was fuelling our confidence.

However, optimism had dimmed somewhat when Australia reached 103 for two before Mark Ramprakash pulled off a remarkable catch to get rid of Justin Langer. That seemed to put some doubt into Australian minds and soon after Mark Waugh, Darren Lehmann, Ian Healy and Damien Fleming all fell in quick succession - all to Dean Headley who for one day at least played the part of a world-class fast bowler.

But the thorn in England's side Steve Waugh was still there and shepherding number nine (and debutant) Matt Nicholson to the winning target. With only 14 runs to get and three wickets still remaining, most of our hopes had gone. Then Headley (six for 60) struck again to have Nicholson caught behind by Warren Hegg before Darren Gough cleaned up Stuart McGill and Glenn McGrath in the blink of an eye.

England had incredibly won by 12 runs and we had witnessed a great test match with a pulsating conclusion. When we left we ground we were knackered, pretty drunk but elated - the game had finished after 7.30. The night stretched on long into the early hours as we drank numerous toasts to Stewart, Gough and Ramps, but most of all Headley. What a shame that injury and form consigned him to be one of cricket's one hit wonders.  

Ashes 100-1: 99 One run short

As we wrote yesterday, we are now within 100 days of the start of the first Ashes test at Brisbane on 25th November. As the anticipation continues to mount our new Ashes 100-1 feature will see a daily post that provides an Ashes related statistic, observation, memory or maybe even a witticism on the greatest contest in cricket.

Today with 99 days to go we look at the unfortunate batsmen in Ashes history who have fallen one run short of what must be the ultimate for an English or Australian batsmen - an Ashes hundred.

Of the 11 99's, most have been made by notable cricketers such as Clem Hill, Keith Miller and Ted Dexter rather than relative unknowns. English supporters will be gratified to see not one but two Waugh brothers in the list. Indeed, Steve was left stranded on 99 not out at Perth in 1995 when his brother, acting as runner for the injured number 11 Craig McDermott, was run out attempting a suicidal single. 

Whilst that brings a smile to our faces at the Reverse Sweep, we have less good memories of Mike Atherton being run out at Lord's attempting a third run that was never there to try and reach his hundred. Will anyone join this list in the forthcoming series? If so, we hope that it is Shane Watson.

Player	Runs	Mins	BF	SR	Ground	Start date
SR Waugh (Aus)	99*	288	183	54.09	Perth	03-Feb-95
C Hill (Aus)	99	191	-	-	Melbourne	01-Jan-02
CG Macartney (Aus)	99	135	-	-	Lord's	24-Jun-12
AG Chipperfield (Aus)	99	200	208	47.59	Nottingham	08-Jun-34
E Paynter (Eng)	99	182	188	52.65	Lord's	24-Jun-38
KR Miller (Aus)	99	207	-	-	Adelaide	02-Feb-51
ER Dexter (Eng)	99	169	-	-	Brisbane	30-Nov-62
RM Cowper (Aus)	99	203	183	54.09	Melbourne	30-Dec-65
R Edwards (Aus)	99	201	132	75	Lord's	31-Jul-75
ME Waugh (Aus)	99	224	162	61.11	Lord's	17-Jun-93
MA Atherton (Eng)	99	240	215	46.04	Lord's	17-Jun-93

Ashes 100-1: 100 Most hundreds

Believe it or not but today marks the 100 day countdown to the start of the first Ashes test at Brisbane on 25th November. We're quite excited by that at the Reverse Sweep, so today also sees the launch of our new Ashes 100-1 feature.

Every day between now and the eve of the Gabba test, there will be an Ashes related post that provides a statistic, observation, memory or maybe even a witticism on the greatest contest in cricket.

As today is day number 100, it seems appropriate that this post is dedicated to the list of batsmen who have scored the most hundreds in Ashes contests. 31 batsmen have scored at least five centuries in tests between Australia and England and not surprisingly, several illustrious cricketers are included within their number. The list is headed of course, by one D.G.Bradman:

Player	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50
DG Bradman (Aus)	37	63	7	5028	334	89.78	19	12
JB Hobbs (Eng)	41	71	4	3636	187	54.26	12	15
SR Waugh (Aus)	45	72	18	3173	177*	58.75	10	14
DI Gower (Eng)	38	69	3	3037	215	46.01	9	11
WR Hammond (Eng)	33	58	3	2852	251	51.85	9	7
GS Chappell (Aus)	30	55	6	2154	144	43.95	8	10
AR Morris (Aus)	24	43	2	2080	206	50.73	8	8
RT Ponting (Aus)	31	50	1	2363	196	48.22	8	8
H Sutcliffe (Eng)	27	46	5	2741	194	66.85	8	16
AR Border (Aus)	42	73	15	3222	200*	55.55	7	19
JH Edrich (Eng)	32	57	3	2644	175	48.96	7	13
WM Lawry (Aus)	29	51	5	2233	166	48.54	7	13
M Leyland (Eng)	20	34	4	1705	187	56.83	7	3
MJ Slater (Aus)	20	37	0	1669	176	45.10	7	4
DC Boon (Aus)	30	55	7	2041	164*	42.52	6	8
G Boycott (Eng)	34	63	7	2579	191	46.05	6	12
RN Harvey (Aus)	37	68	5	2416	167	38.34	6	12
MA Taylor (Aus)	33	61	2	2496	219	42.30	6	15
VT Trumper (Aus)	40	74	5	2263	185*	32.79	6	9
ME Waugh (Aus)	29	51	7	2204	140	50.09	6	11
WM Woodfull (Aus)	25	41	3	1675	155	44.07	6	8
KF Barrington (Eng)	23	39	6	2111	256	63.96	5	13
DCS Compton (Eng)	28	51	8	1842	184	42.83	5	9
MC Cowdrey (Eng)	43	75	4	2433	113	34.26	5	11
ML Hayden (Aus)	20	35	3	1461	197	45.65	5	2
L Hutton (Eng)	27	49	6	2428	364	56.46	5	14
Hon.FS Jackson (Eng)	20	33	4	1415	144*	48.79	5	6
JL Langer (Aus)	21	38	5	1658	250	50.24	5	5
CG Macartney (Aus)	26	42	4	1640	170	43.15	5	7
AC MacLaren (Eng)	35	61	4	1931	140	33.87	5	8
WH Ponsford (Aus)	20	35	2	1558	266	47.21	5	5

If Ricky Ponting scores at least one hundred in the series, he will join a truly historic group of six players who have scored nine or more Ashes centuries: the greatest batsmen ever, England's two best batsmen of all-time and arguably their most stylish plus one of the most competitive cricketers there has ever been. That's quite a group - a bit like Lennon, Strummer, Hendrix, Moon and Morrison taking to the main stage at Heaven's equivalent of Glastonbury.