All is not doom and gloom. Australia may have lost the Ashes but they can regain pride by winning the Sydney Test and level the series 2-all.
The series has been a roller-coaster for Australia — losing in Adelaide, winning in Perth and then losing the lot in Melbourne. So now it’s Australia’s turn on the SCG.
Also there will be much-awaited debuts; Michael Clarke as captain, and Usman Khawaja and probably Michael Beer as players. I can imagine the spectators chanting, “Uzzy, Uzzy, Uzzy” and “Three cheers for Beer.”
Call it a coincidence but Clarke had made his debut as a player in the Bangalore Test against India in 2004 to replace an injured Ricky Ponting. Clarke had seized that opportunity by scoring a debut century as Australia won by 217 runs.
Will history repeat itself in Sydney?
I have not missed watching a Sydney Test from 1970. Here is my choice of the four best Ashes Tests in Sydney. Today, I shall recall two of my earlier favourites in Part I:
No rain, more Snow (February 1971)
This was the seventh and final Test in the longest rubber in Test history. England won by 62 runs after many dramas and traumas. There was throwing of beer bottles at England’s fielders, a brief walk out by England’s captain and bouncers galore by a “piranha” named John Snow.
There was drama even before the Test commenced as Australian selectors dumped Bill Lawry and handed the captaincy to Ian Chappell. There was crowd disturbance after England’s fast bowler John Snow hit Australian tail-ender Terry Jenner on the head after pelting him with bouncers.
Outraged, the Hill crowd hurled beer cans and one irate spectator manhandled Snow. This prompted England’s captain Ray Illingworth to lead his team off the field, the first “walk off” in Test history and 35 years before the “walk over” by the Pakistanis in the 2006 Oval Test against England. But the England players in 1971 returned soon when the field was cleared of the “missiles” and the controversial Test continued.
Set 223 runs to win, Australia collapsed for 160 to lose the Test and the Ashes
0-2. Snow had dominated the series and to quote cricket author Ray Robinson, “was like a piranha among perch”. Snow captured 31 wickets in the series including a menacing 7-40 in the previous Sydney Test a month ago. This led to a newspaper headline a day before the final day:
“Bleak forecast. No rain, more Snow.”
When Peter “Who” became Peter “Wow” (January, 1987)
England had retained the Ashes in 1986-87 by the time the final Test started in Sydney. Australia’s ultimate humiliation was losing the fourth Test in Melbourne by an innings in three days. Heads had to roll and new blood infused. So in came little-known off-spinner Peter Taylor in the side. “Peter Who?” wondered the daily newspapers. Just as a fortnight ago we had asked “Michael Beer Who?”
Taylor entered the SCG gates determined to justify his selection and was not amused by a big banner in the former Hill area: “Aussie selectors couldn’t pick Bill Lawry’s nose”. Australia was struggling at 7-232 with only three minutes to go on the opening day and the new ball just taken when in came Taylor to bat.
He survived and added 39 runs with Dean Jones (184 not out) the next morning as Australia totalled 343. England replied with 275, Taylor silencing his critics with a 6-78 haul – including the prize scalps of Alan Lamb, David Gower and Ian Botham.
In the second innings, Taylor (42) added 98 runs with Steve Waugh and the visitors were challenged to make 320 in 114 overs. They lost 5-102, man of the match Peter Taylor dismissing Lamb and Botham off successive deliveries. The hat-trick was averted but the Test came alive as skipper Mike Gatting played aggressively and England was 5-230. “Game on,” the commentators exclaimed.
With 90 runs needed in 20 overs and 5 wickets in hand, Waugh affected a breakthrough by dismissing Gatting for 96. Then the spinning Peters (Sleep and Taylor) combined to grab the last four wickets for seven runs in eleven spine-tingling minutes with only one over to spare.
Roarers, part II will follow in a day or two.
James Anderson's record-breaking international cricket career will end this northern summer, following crunch talks with England head coach Brendon McCullum. Anderson announced on Saturday…
Through electric bowling, dashing batting and acrobatic fielding the West Indies made themselves one of the most popular teams throughout history.
After posting 92 with the bat, the RCB star was having an equally brilliant day in the field.
The RCB opener posted a man-of-the-match 92 off 47, as his side defeated Punjab Kings by 60 runs.
The opener scored a man-of-the-match 89 off 30, in the 10-wicket win against Lucknow Super Giants that came off just 9.4 overs.
Nathan Lyon believes Australia would have won the 2023 Ashes series 4-0 if he hadn't broken down with injury. But the veteran spinner says…
