As the ball looped lazily toward short leg from Jimmy Anderson’s self-preserving fend I had ample time for a 24-year-old flashback.
Just before George Bailey swallowed the Kookaburra I could see Boonie sweeping Nick Cook to backward square for the boundary that regained the Ashes (in the UK for the first time in 55 years).
I had been a part of Australian teams that had lost and had now regained the urn.
It was a spiritually cleansing experience, even for an atheist. The elation on the Old Trafford balcony was measured in megatons.
Exhilaration and relief, in no particular order, followed by mass man-love and copious amounts of alcohol.
The scenes at the WACA weren’t a whole lot different apart from a lower balcony and lack of long-sleeve jumpers.
The first session battle was intense, as the New Zealand-born Ben Stokes batted with maturity and fluidity that his seniors could not find, and the grizzled veteran Prior bunkered down.
Between sips of local ale and salad sandwiches, punters’ talk turned to the odds of an England victory.
Ridiculous of course, but the game is not over until it’s over. The morning skirmishes had seen the ball beat the bat quite a few times but no blood drawn.
Captain Clarke was cool in charge of the anxious troops. The break came as Prior’s concentration lapsed and Johnson’s pace, angle and intent presented golden gloves Haddin with another scalp.
This was the beginning of the end. Nathan Lyon’s support overs bore fruit just as they had in the first two Tests.
The folly of playing a teenager in the spinning role during the winter Ashes may have seemed left-field at the time, but now looks downright bizarre.
There had been general agreement, Down Under at least, that the 0-3 result in the northern summer wasn’t a true reflection of the difference between the two teams.
A quick examination of batting and bowling averages from that series confirms the premise. If you had only the numbers to go on the conclusion may have legitimately been that Australia had won a close encounter.
England may have believed their own propaganda because they needed to lift their game a few notches for the antipodean conditions, but they ended up dropping them.
It was as though a sharp prod to the shallow torso had sent an unbalanced England team crashing over the precipice.
Once falling, they couldn’t regain any ground – every time Australia got on top in these three Tests they didn’t let England get a toenail hold to help them back up.
Mitchell Johnson, fast and accurate yes, accurate, provided the first second and maybe third prods, his support cast added impetus and all the Australian bowlers can have a celebratory refreshment knowing they have contributed significantly to the win.
Johnson’s consistency coupled with his pace has forced England to survive without scoring runs.
Johnson has bowled more maiden overs in three Test than he had in the previous 22.
The attack was high quantity and quality, reminiscent in deed if not mechanics to Dennis Lillee, Jeff Thomson and Max Walker in 1974-75.
Ashley Mallet being the Lyon equivalent and you can compare their aesthetics as well as the stats.
Constant pressure from the bowlers bore regular fruit. The bowling pressure produce false strokes and false strokes produce catches and in this area the fieldsmen never let the bowlers down.
Fielding coach Steve Rixon, a no-nonsense, no excuses, old schooler drove the quality of the catching to almost perfect heights.
Chances created were being converted, while England were grassing many of their hard earned opportunities. The Michael Carberry miss off Brad Haddin at Adelaide was a crucial error.
Haddin made England pay at every turn. His batting has been exceptional and consistent, making up for his team’s early order hiccups in every Test. ‘Recovery’ could be his middle name.
Old-school ‘Boof’ can take a bow.
“Pick the best team every time,” he ranted. It was not rocket science but distinctly old-school, given the scientific plans devised by those who know nothing of cricket.
No bowler rotated, hard work, guts and determination, bowlers getting through pain rather than resting. Well done Ryan Harris bustling in with a sore and swollen, and then drained. knee.
Well done maturing Steve Smith, picked before he was ripe and now just taking the early steps to a highly productive career.
Peter Siddle was Peter Siddle, rolled out to knock over Kevin Pieterson, bowling line and length, off-cutters at pace finding KP’s inside edge, always so far from his pad.
Watto broke partnerships, ala Dougie Walters, and flayed a gasping attack but will need to keep producing if he stays at one down.
The opening partnership from the odd couple works on so many levels. Chris Rogers doesn’t even think about matching David Warner’s dazzling array of sabre strokes, he just forms the other half of the partnership. It takes two to tango.
A victory for the team not just in name but in the full flowing eleven, and there were contributions all round.
England were solitary and overwhelmed, they will be looking in their Christmas stockings for quality, quantity, unity and resolve.
Their supporters will be hoping they have been ‘nice’ all year long.
Daniel Hackett
Roar Rookie
Trott has to at least be in the A team if not the first team as well
Daniel Hackett
Roar Rookie
Trecosthick any day of the week before Atherton!
Johnno
Guest
Vengsarker instead of Laxman
Johnno
Guest
1985-2013
Brian
Guest
Not bad I'd have Fleming opening instead of Richardson and Taylor batting at 5 instead of Astle but its marginal, a good team.
Brian
Guest
I thought Dev was before the timeframe. Otherwise easily have him at No 6
Johnno
Guest
What no Kapil Dev. Ahead of Zaheer Khan any day of week. I'd put Dev at 6 anyway, drop Ganguly. Dev is a very good batter, easily can bat at no 6. Ganguly good too, but Dev perfect for No 6 role, and faster scorer than Ganguly.
Johnno
Guest
best NZ team 1985-2013 Mark Richardson John Wright Andrew Jones Martin Crowe Nathan Astle, (even though he average 37 9 hundreds, in 81 tests is still good, Astle was a match winner with much better average vs top aussy teams, 43, compared to steve flemings 29 batting average vs aussies. Fleimings made 11 hundreds average at 40, but played 111 test matches 30 more than Astle). Astle could really tonk and tear teams apart eg vs England double hundred of 168 balls at Eden Park.) Chris Cairns Brendon Mcullum WK (sure is good batting haveing a bloke like Mcullum come in at 7) Richard Hadlee Dan Vettori Shane Bond Danny Morrison 12th Man Jacob Oram/Chris Martin Good team, that i'd back to beat this current aussy team
Vish
Guest
watto cant play spin is not true. he can use feet as well as slog sweep. but 3 will b a crucial spot. needed a test specialist there
Gunner
Guest
Yep, revenge is sweet, but at what cost? The poor sportsmanship shown in the series thus far is bad news for cricket. Yes, a precedent has been set, don't applaud the other sides accomplishments, yes, this will filter down to junior level, yes The Don is spinning in his grave saying "it's not cricket!" All this sledging and taunting is pathetic, don't do it on the field where that's all it is - posturing because obviously no one is going to be allowed to start swinging - Square up after the game in the privacy of the sheds and if you mean what you say and it's as serious as you make it look on the field - sort it out in private. CA needs to get their priorities right in this regard, very disappointing.
colvin
Guest
Johnno, Where's the best New Zealand team?
Praveen
Guest
Hughes is the weakest Plsyer of spin as seen from Ashwin in the test series, I would also go for white at 6 if bailey fails
jameswm
Roar Guru
Watto can't play spin?
jameswm
Roar Guru
Imagine having Imran, Wasim Akram, Waqar and Shoaib Akhtar in the same team.
Luke Smyke
Roar Pro
That is a seriously good side... Youll notice that Anwar Yousef Inzi and the bowlers were all in the same side that toured aus in 1999. Plus Moin and Ijaz who would stake a claim to get into this team.
Brian
Guest
Cullinan and Gibbs or Duminy could both come in whilst De Villiers kept wicket. Best spinner was probably Symcox or Boje. What about India Gavaskar Sehwag Dravid Tendulker Ganguly Laxman Dhoni Kumble Harbhajan Z Khan Srinath
Brian
Guest
The main problem for England is don't turn up for ages. They never turn up for the First Test of a series and nor do they care much about the First Innings. They have lost 7 out of 8 first innings. In Adelaide and Perth their second innings efforts were quite reasonable
Brian
Guest
Not a fan of James Anderson hey
Brian
Guest
If you started watching cricket in November maybe. Otherwise you couldn't seriously have Johnson. Reid, Lee, Hughes, Fleming, McDermott all ahead of Johnson.
TGGOA
Guest
That's a great side, probably need a referee to keep some of those blokes apart in the dressing room.