Greg Chappell’s debut in December 1970 was the headline of the first Test ever held at the WACA – a draw between Australia and England.
Today will herald the last Ashes Test at the famous ground, before moving to the state of the art Perth Stadium at Burswood, down the road.
Having been privileged to cover those early days, it’s time for a trip down memory lane, starting with the then elegant 22-year-old Chappell.
He had been 12th man in the first Test, but the WACA began a stellar career in the second Test with 108 on debut, with another century in his last innings, and 22 other three figure scores in between.
But the 108 was not only memorable for its elegance and superb strokeplay with 10 boundaries off 218 deliveries, but the absurdity of the ABC.
With Chappell on 96 and ready to join the elite with a Test ton on debut, the ABC switched to a rural report, returning live after Chappell had passed the century mark.
Understandably, there was a meltdown at the ABC switchboards right across the nation as countless thousands complained about Aunty’s stupidity.
(Photo: Wiki Commons)
I could never understand why that action alone didn’t make Sir Donald Bradman more acceptable to Kerry Packer’s bid seven years later to cover the cricket on Channel Nine.
Packer’s offer of a million dollars was knocked back, precipitating World Series Cricket.
Four years later at the WACA, Doug Walters was the centre of attention in another Ashes clash.
It was the last ball of the day, and Walters hoisted England paceman Bob Willis over midwicket and right out of the ground with one of the biggest sixes I’ve ever seen to record a century in a session.
It was vintage Walters, and Steve Smith would dearly like to have a Kevin Douglas Walters now with his dynamic batting, very handy medium pace bowling where he was renowned for breaking long partnerships, and always brilliant in the field.
The third memory was one with a big difference.
In November 1975, Labor Prime Minister Gough Whitlam was sacked by the Governor General Sir John Kerr in one of the biggest political uproars in Australian history.
Exactly one month later to the day I boarded an Ansett flight for Perth for the second Test against the West Indies, captained by Clive Lloyd.
And who am I seated next to? None other than Gough Whitlam for the five-hour journey.
It was one of the most fascinating plane trips of my career, with the former PM keen to talk cricket, while I was keen to find out more about the dismissal.
The WACA scoreboard at the Cricket World Cup. (Photo: Wiki Commons)
In the end, the scoreline was heavily in Gough Whitlam’s favour, he gave away nothing while I went through both teams with a fine tooth comb.
The only time one of us wasn’t talking, we were eating.
That Test was won by an innings and 87 runs inside four days by the Windies with the launching pad a magnificent 169 from left-handed opener Roy Fredericks, a truly superb innings.
That was the only Test in six the Windies won in that series, but it was during my interview with Clive Lloyd at game’s end that a prediction he made was soon to resonate around the world.
“Lordy, we won’t win this series, but I promise you that within 12 to 18 months, we will not lose a Test for years,” was the prediction.
“And how will you do that?”
“We haven’t the strike power yet, but we will have four genuinely fast bowlers who will terrorise the best batsmen in the world – we will blast away our opposition”.
True to his word, Clive Lloyd’s teams never lost a Test in 27 starts, winning a then record 11 successive Tests in the process.
Just look the firepower he produced over the years – Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Wayne Daniel, Colin Croft, Joel Garner, Malcolm Marshall, Courtney Walsh, Patrick Patterson, Curtley Ambrose, and Ian Bishop.
There’s never been a constant barrage like it.
So the WACA has standout memories for me right from the start.
I’d like to see Steve Smith’s side regain the Ashes over the next five days to fittingly draw the curtain on the WACA.
Brainstrust
Guest
Last Ashes test, well England are on the decline, have they ever been any good at the WACA, only when Australia lost all their pace bowlers to the SOuth Africa tour. YOu would like to imagine the Windies will find another great fast bowler and could play there again. South Africa don't mind the Waca either but they are probably going to be at the new stadium as well. Any team from the subcontinent will always find it very challenging. India will never play at the WACA again either, you would think Bangladesh the most likely to play there and will have trouble there.
GWSINGAPORE
Guest
Gee David. Gough and yourself sitting together. Couldn't have been economy seats.
anon
Roar Pro
Nice trip down memory lane. I'd feel sad about the WACA being taken off the calendar if it still had the unique pitch, but the past 15 years the pitch has been living off its past glories.
sheek
Guest
Thanks David, Wonderful memories. I had dad's powerful AWA radio on the front verandah of our home in Port Moresby. It must have been tracking somewhere between 7-8pm in the east, local time. From our viewpoint up the side of a hill we had a panoramic view of Port Moresby in front of us, in the dying embers of the day. As we looked out onto the bay, the main township was to our left while the sun was sinking off to out right in the south-west. From where we were, we were looking basically out through the channel in the reef towards Australia. I was 14 years old on school hols from boarding school in Sydney. I was beside myself when Chappell got his century. His first 50 was very slow, but once he passed that marker the remainder of his innings was almost in even time. Redpath, who scored a painstaking but magnificent 171, must take credit for shielding Chappell early in his innings while he found his test feet. Yeah, by the time the 6th test played in Sydney rolled around, I was back in Sydney for a new year of schooling but happened to be at the SCG the day Snow was heckled by a fan on the fence, & illingworth temporarily marched his team off. i've never seen so many cans of beer, both empty & full, rain onto the hallowed turf of the SCG! Great days & great memories...
Perry Bridge
Guest
For me - the 'good old days' became the 1980s where often the touring team would play the first test at the WACA - and while Pakistan came horribly undone in 1981 at the hands of Lille, Alderman and Thomson. The next season an obdurate Chris Tavare ensured that England wouldn't be rolled on day 1 - and it was Yardley who worked hard for a 5wkt haul, while Randall ensured the game would end in a draw. As much as a touring team could come undone - the pitch was quick but true. Yardley ended with 8 for the match and Geoff Miller snagged a 4 for for the English. 358 the lowest team total. Pakistan were back in 83 for the 1st of 5 tests this time - and with a limited pace attack found that pitching short was wasteful - Azeem Hafeez snagged a 5/100 but Australia had built a first innings tally sufficient for an innings victory on the back of 11 wkts to Rackemann. The Pakis first effort of 129 was just over double their 1981 capitulation but alas - the bounce was too much to adapt to. But come 1984 and a reminder that such conditions suited the West Indies (of the day) and batting first they piled on a 400+ first innings and then came out and skittled the hosts for just 76. The follow on enforced and an innings win to the tourists. Come 85/86 and NZ were hosted at the Gabba first up. (then SCG and WACA). And this would hold - although come '88/89 the Windies were just as fine at winning at the Gabba first up by 9 wkts. And Perth as the 2nd test proved a winning venue again for the tourists. Back in the day - when the West Indies toured - why not start with the SCG test, the spin friendly pitch that might give Australia a 1-0 lead.