There are moments in life that stand out simply because what hitherto had been background clutter, had now crystallised and made perfect sense.
Childhood contains a number of these seminal moments as gradually you understand the world around you. If these awakenings result in life-long loves then they take on extra significance and fondness, like meeting a life partner.
This week the Ashes series starts, but for me it marks 25 years since my cricket enlightenment – the magical 1988-89 international cricket season – and my silver wedding anniversary to the game.
It does not rank as one of the most memorable seasons in cricket history, either of itself or in comparison to other classic series, but it remains magical for me for the reasons above.
All of a sudden there was an all consuming passion that lasted all summer, so take this as a love letter to the 1988-89 cricket season and the way it infected me forever.
It probably started auspiciously – somebody brought a cricket bat to school and we started playing. As a seven year old that had just come out of an all-consuming footy season, it suddenly seemed natural.
Then Scanlens cricket card boxes popped up on milk bar counters where the footy card boxes had previously been, so I naturally started collecting and the Australian player names and faces connected.
The photos of the West Indies players showed something super-human to a seven year old – a then unknown to Australian fans Curtly Ambrose in delivery stride looked 10 foot tall.
The first Test went by at the Gabba. My passing interest gathered that we’d lost and the West Indies were miles ahead of us, though Steve Waugh had shown some steel in the face of it all.
The second Test in Perth was a turning point. On the back of a Viv Richards assault, the West Indies had blasted us around the park.
In what seemed to be a very unfair fight to a child’s eyes, Waugh and Graeme Wood staged an unlikely fightback via a 200-run partnership that gave some hope.
Later on the Sunday afternoon the unfair fight came back into view when Geoff Lawson was felled by a bouncer. Waiting for dinner, I was transfixed by the screen.
As dinner was served the West Indies innings started in the most hostile circumstances and my first vivid recollection of a ball in Test cricket came about.
The screen flashed that Merv Hughes was on a hat-trick and I jubilantly celebrated as he trapped Greenidge in front, the hostility on Merv’s face both scary and thrilling. That was the moment.
As Christmas approached there were one-day games I watched – Allan Border taking a one handed caught and bowled off Gus Logie at the SCG, David Boon spearheading a brave but ultimately losing cause.
The one-day games were a bit more interesting with their colourful new uniforms with names on the back. Everything was easy to understand – the West Indies were the undisputed champions of all cricket and we were the underdogs.
Christmas came and Australia got belted in the third Test in Melbourne – the Boxing Day Test that was actually the Christmas Eve Test. I remember reading the paper afterwards about the bruising suffered by Ian Healy to places I’d never read in newspapers before.
The series had been lost but all I cared about was how impossible it seemed to even get close to this team. Switching back to one dayers, it at least seemed a slightly easier task.
The annual summer holiday at the beach had taken on a new dimension.
The older kids around were listening to INXS and playing cricket – it seemed like this was what summer was all about. Curtly Ambrose had become an object of fear, respect and begrudging idolisation.
Then it happened. I woke one morning to pick up The Sun and it had a photo of the aftermath of the famous Steve Waugh running at the sightscreen catch.
It had taken almost two months and it was only a one dayer, but we’d beaten the West Indies in a game of cricket.
Not only that, but Mervmania had taken hold with the Southern Stand exercise routine, and Simon O’Donnell had returned to the team after cancer. There was more to this.
I bought a copy of Australian Cricket magazine and read it from cover to cover , then read it again and again. I’d now fallen into the rich mine of information, statistics and literature that was attached to the game.
We beat the West Indies again, then we beat them in the first game of the one-day finals as I listened on the radio in bed. The finals weren’t won, but there was a certain belief and hope, and as I discovered, more Test matches.
As the dying days of the endless summer holiday came around, AB of all people spun Australia to a Test victory at the SCG as The Sun screamed “Dustbowl”.
Boonie had been moved to three and scored a ton. There was real jubilation – ‘dead rubber’ meant nothing to me, and so it seemed to anyone else.
We’d beaten the unbeatable. Never mind the helpful SCG pitch.
To the fifth Test in Adelaide and the summer’s close. School was back and I was back at Little Athletics, having latched onto it off the back of the 1988 Olympics.
But the day the fifth Test was being played sealed my fate, as I wanted to get home to watch the cricket.
Dean Jones and Merv Hughes shared a rollicking late partnership that finally put Australia in a dominant position. Deano made 216 and Merv hit an almighty six to bring up 50 on the last ball before tea.
The match ended in a draw, but the season finished with an Australian team playing in the same postcode as the Windies.
I was hooked.
The triumphant 1989 Ashes tour followed, franking everything the summer had triggered in me. And it’s been with me ever since.
I’ve never stopped playing, I’ve never stopped watching. It’s taken countless hours of my life, it’s paid my way to live abroad, it’s paid my wage at times, it’s broken my heart consistently, it’s given me my greatest highs.
It all traces back to 25 years ago and the longest summer.
Carroll
Guest
I can recall many a summer in a big brown tent down the beach, learning about cricket. Sitting On the edge of the fold out couch and our beach chairs eating shapes. Then piling out during lunch/tea break to have a hit ourselves. My love of cricket came from two brothers a couple years my senior and their wonderful enthusiasm for not only the Australian team but teams the world round.
Steve
Guest
- Steve Waugh's (almost) coming of age ... he'd do it properly a few months later in England - the ridiculously good fielding of super sub Roger Harper and bat pad Gus Logie - Windies looked a class above in every single facet early, Aussies gradually reduced the gap - Patrick Patterson's injury early at the Gabba giving Aussie audience an earlier look at the future legend Curtly Ambrose - Ian Healy copping a few in the jatz-crackers from Courtney Walsh - The Deloittes batting ratings - The celebration of Viv Richards' 100th Test at the Gabba and Allan Border's 100th at the MCG - Viv celebrated his 100th by taking his 100th catch and leading his side to a landslide win; AB scored a duck in his 100th as his battered and bruised team copped a pounding - Left-armer Chris Matthews' wildly inaccurate bowling at the Gabba - Chris Matthews and Craig McDermott plundering some quick lower order runs - The Windies quartet barely bowling a single bowl even close to a driveable length, yorkers aside - AB peppered with short stuff all series, then spinning the Aussies to victory in Sydney with 11 wickets - Desmond Haynes stroking big runs in both formats - he never batted better than this tour - Viv Richards, albeit past his prime, treating Tony Dodemaide (Tests) and Greg Matthews (ODI) like park bowlers, both men soon banished from the team - Dean Jones 12th man to start the series after a horror tour of Pakistan, slowly found some form and finished with 216 in Adelaide - Deano's epic partnership with Merv Hughes in Adelaide Test, Merv progressing from McGrath-like with the bat to (almost) a bowling all-rounder - Roger Harper bowled a shocker that bounced twice to David Boon in the SCG Test - Viv's captaincy swung wildly from incredibly attacking and intimidating, too super-mega-ultra-defensive (SCG) - Greenidge & Haynes opening partnership, plundered the Aussies at the Gabba, and then Pakistan here in Adelaide for 169 off 159 balls in the first ODI - Pakistan seemingly using 56 players throughout the B&H WSC, but unearthing two gems in Wasim Akram (who would go on and become a legend) and 16-y-o- moustachioed Aaqib Javed (not quite a legend) - Imran Khan fading with the ball but just getting better and better with the bat, glass grill ... Javed Miandad Mr Consistent, white helmet - Imran's first ball in the WSC about 9 inches outside off stump, left alone by Greenidge, called for wide - set the tone for the Pakistanis - Viv's super-hitting in the rain-affected Third Final of the WSC - this man would have killed T20 cricket - Geez runs looked like hard work for Geoff Marsh - Terry Alderman's run of golden ducks in the ODI's (batting with a black grill) - "Old" Malcolm Marshall turning up the heat when he needed to ... an incredibly hostile bowler, even near the end of his career - The emergence of Ian Bishop, who looked like he would take 400 wickets before injury intervened - Carl Hooper a major disappointment, Richie Richardson the exact opposite - Richards, Richardson, Hooper helmetless at the crease throughout - Marshall and Ambrose likewise on occasions - Windies shockingly slow over rates - and Viv and Clive Lloyd's 'shoulder-shrugging' response to it (we win in 4 days, what's the big deal) - Peter Taylor's celebratory wicket-taking handshake - Geoff Lawson's broken jaw at the WACA courtesy of Ambrose - Merv Hughes hat trick in Perth ... three wickets, two innings, three overs, one fierce send-off for Greenidge - Merv barely taking a wicket thereafter - MCG 'Bodyline' - jeez Aussie pitches are lifeless these days in comparison - Steve Waugh's catch! - Roger Harper's catch! - Simon O'Donnell's comeback, albeit in a losing cause - Aamer Malik looked like becoming a heck of a cricketer, but never quite made it - Abdul Qadir spinning that twirly action for a few ODI's - The Windies smacking Tauseef Ahmed all over Adelaide Oval - David Boon run out off a no-ball in win over Pakistan (by nine wickets) - Windies winning an ODI by 1 run v Australia, 2 to win off the final ball, McDermott lofted Ambrose to Viv at mid-wicket, Viv celebrating with a jig - Viv and AB's fielding at mid wicket - Curtly's match-winning 5/17 two nights later as Australia lost 7/24 to concede what looked a promising run chase - Greenidge dropping a sitter at slip in one of the ODI's and pounding the turf with his fist repeatedly in response - The commentary team: Richie, Chappelli, Bill, Tony Greig, Tony Cozier, Max Walker, Rod Marsh - Mike Whitney's 7/89 in Adelaide, then perplexing non-selection for the '89 Ashes - The debut in the win in Sydney of future captain Mark Taylor and future selector chief Trevor Hohns - Steve Waugh's bouncer barrage at Viv at the Gabba - The ODI debut of Mark Waugh and his haphazard running between wickets, running out both his captain and his brother - Jeff Dujon's top-order cameos - Steve Waugh's rock back and off-side swat for six off Ambrose in one of the WSC finals - finally bridging the gap - Ambrose and Bishop almost taking the collapsing Windies to a miracle win in the 1st ODI final
Shannon Gill
Roar Rookie
I really would prefer that my writing was not polluted with Kid Rock references
Armchair Expert
Guest
I remember a former umpire (maybe French) later said Waugh's catch behind the sightscreen should of been given not out and 6 runs.
Bob Anderson
Guest
It was 1989, my thoughts were short my hair was long Caught somewhere between a boy and man She was seventeen and she was far from in-between It was summertime in Northern Michigan Splashing through the sand bar Talking by the campfire It's the simple things in life, like when and where We didn't have no internet But man I never will forget The way the moonlight shined upon her hair And we were trying different things We were smoking funny things Making love out by the lake to our favorite song Sipping whiskey out the bottle, not thinking 'bout tomorrow Singing Sweet home Alabama all summer long...
DubbleBubble
Guest
1 year year after mine. My first cricket summer was the 87/88 series. I remember Hadlee was the top wicket taker with 18 with McDermott second with 17. I was in the backyard playing cricket with my sister when my brother told me Mike Whitney had managed to block Hadlees over and therefore we had won the series At the time I did not know what it meant by 'blocking the over'. I thought maybe the umpire had given the option of Hadlee bowling one more over and Whitney refusing. I failed to see how that was a particularly great effort :) The ODI series was also pretty good. Aus/N.Z/ S. L I believe with M.Veletta taking a screamer at cover, Dipak Patel catching McDermott one handed almost over the fence and Dodemaide and Whitney needing 2 from 2 , Whitney stuffing it up and the Kiwis winning. I was shattered when that happened! It was on in Perth so the finish was past our bedtime. Me and my brother were listening to it on the radio and snuck out close to midnight to watch the finish. Good times.
Marcus Halberstram
Guest
this article could have been written by me. Very nostalgic. With the exception that I remember watching the Steve Waugh 'behind the side screen catch' on TV (from the commentary I was willing to believe it was the greatest thing ever) rather than reading about it (I doubt I read newspapers then), and I seem to remember that I listened to Merv's three over hat trick on the radio rather than watching it. Good read.
Johnno
Guest
Greg Matthews getting carted by Viv all over the SCG in the ODI world series matches.
nachos supreme
Guest
also the year Heals made the keepers spot his own.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
This is true Sheek. No mere mortal should face them but the risk factor facing the mighty and vicious West Indian fast bowlers was so much greater back then. I miss that. Blessed with batting talent as well, I even miss that. I couldn't wait for them to fall but now I can't wait for the to return. The English fast bowlers get little respect from these parts but since 2005 they have carried the fast bowling torch, along with the SAffers who we do like, so anyone who gets runs against them should be proud.
sheek
Roar Guru
Ahhhh, 1988. I was 32 years young. Oh, to be 32 again! If I remember correctly, 1988/89 WSC was the season of two remarkable incidents, one outstandingly athletic, the other humorous. Was this the season in which Steve Waugh ran 50 metres & behind the white-screen to take a sky-high miscue? I think this was also the first time the crowd mimicked Merv Hughes as he went through his pre-bowling stretches. What a great side that 1988/89 Windies team was - Greenidge, Haynes, Richardson, Logie, Richards (c), Hooper, Dujon (k), Marshall, Ambrose, Walsh, Patterson, Harper (12th). One of the saddest things in cricket today is the demise of the once great West Indies test team. back then it seemed as if they would dominate forever.
Rob McLean
Guest
Loved that summer - I had just turned 12. I remember Mike Whitney's great figures in Adelaide and then not getting selected for the following Ashes tour. I remember Joe Scuderi (maybe I'm alone). A local certainty to get selected - his place went to Greg Campbell (probably), a player mostly forgotten albeit that he is Ricky Ponting's uncle. And then...there was the Ashes in England. Against the WI there was something brewing (and not with Billy Bragg, forgive my musical reference, apropos of nothing) but against England we took the bull by the horns. Cricket was the discussion point at school throughout that winter. I hope it continues to be today. I hope that kids race home from school to catch the last session of the first day's play from the Gabba like I did, anticipation bubbling (no matter how bad we were playing). I'm not sure that they do, though. I still race home from work for the same reason. Kids, join me on the couch - the Baggy Green's back. It was an exciting time - we were walking out of the valley of the shadow of death (at least that's how it must have felt to AB) and on the rise. For me, it was the journey to the top that was so much fun through 1988 to 1994. Gold moments.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
The series that made Australian cricket for the next decade and a half. The West Indies were terrifying and relentless. Some great performances as you pointed out. Allan Border walked on water, attending Sydney test was the best. Malcolm Marshall at Sydney was terrific. Steve Waugh's 90s, were epic. Better than all 32 100s and just behind his 63 in Port of Spain. His attack on Viv Richards at Perth was the ultimate in audacity.
Wobbly
Guest
Thanks for reliving that summer with such passion. Now the lesson for Australian selectors: 1. Pick players with strong fighting character 2. Stick with them as the crucible of defeat will turn them into hungrier winners.
Bogga
Guest
Perhaps we remember the late 80's as the time when cricket was still alive with real colour (not uniforms), rather than the fabricated 2020? Players are mostly colourless, professionals sure, but there was something about players back then that they just don't have now. The same goes for AFL and Rugby. There's no room for unprofessional behaviour or violence, but maybe an honest answer every now and then in an interview wouldn't go astray.