There have been striking similarities between the opening Ashes Tests played in 2005 and the opening pair in England this year.
England won the first Test at Cardiff and lost the second at Lord’s in the current series, which stands at one-all. The third Test due to start today at Edgbaston, Birmingham.
In the 2005 series, Australia had won the first Test at Lord’s comfortably by 239 runs but had lost the next one at Birmingham by two runs. It was a Test to remember.
Just as Australia under Ricky Ponting were a bit blasé after the convincing Lord’s victory ten years earlier, Michael Clarke’s team should not take England lightly after thrashing them by 405 runs at Lord’s last week.
Clarke and Ian Bell are the sole survivors of the 2005 Ashes series, Clarke making 335 runs at 37.22 in five Tests with 91 as his top score. How long will these two go on?
When Australia crushed England in the first Test at Lord’s in 2005, it appeared they were going to win the series 5-0. But soon there was a huge transformation.
England won the second Test at Edgbaston to level the series. Glenn McGrath’s accident and Ricky Ponting’s decision to send England in were big factors in that result.
As we Aussies watch the Test tonight on TV, let us go through some stats of Ashes Tests at Edgbaston, Birmingham.
They have played 13 Tests at Birmingham since May 1902, Australia winning three Tests and losing five with five Tests drawn. But Australia is ahead in individual statistics.
Only three batsmen have scored over 250 runs in the Ashes Tests in Birmingham. And all three are Aussies; Mark Waugh 254 runs at 63.50, Mark Taylor 253 at 42.16 and Steve Waugh 252 at 50.40.
The best from England is David Gower, 246 runs at 61.50.
Australia’s Dean Jones has the highest batting average in Birmingham; 157.00.
Shane Warne took 25 wickets at 21.76. The best from England are John Embury and George Hirst, 12 wickets each. Hirst, however, has the best bowling average of 9.25.
Let us go back 113 years when the first Ashes Test started on 29 May 1902. It was Birmingham’s first ever Test and a Test to forget for Australia.
England won the toss and batted, declaring at 9 for 376. They lost the first three wickets for 35 runs, skipper Archibald McLaren run out for 9 and the immortals CB Fry falling for 0 and Ranjitsinhji for 13.
John T Tyldesley hit a stylish 138 but England was still in trouble at 9 for 295. They were rescued by tail-enders Bill Lockwood and Wilfred Rhodes who added 81 unbeaten runs for the last wicket.
On a wet wicket Australia crumbled for a miserable 36 in 85 minutes of horror, the immortal Victor Trumper contributing half the total (18 runs). Four Australian bats made ducks.
This remains their lowest score in Tests. Rain pelted down and the match was abandoned as a draw with Australia two down for 46.
Australia went on to win the five-Test series 2-1, winning by 143 runs at Sheffield and by three runs at Manchester. But England won the final Test at the Oval by one wicket.
It was an exciting see-saw series.
So remember history, Aussies, and don’t lose any intensity today.
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