The Ashes have had many memorable moments and these are so well documented that they’ve become folklore.
Think Bodyline, Steve Waugh’s four off the last ball of the day to bring up his ton at the SCG, David Lloyd’s box being shattered into pieces and Steve Harmison’s shocking first ball that led to a 5-0 whitewash.
Of course, there’s also the greatest series of them all in 2005 that had 1000 moments within that series. But what about the more obscure, underrated and unfortunate moments?
Richie Benaud says farewell
Richie Benaud (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Speaking of 2005. That’s where I want to start this trip down memory lane and a moment that was underrated because of just how incredible that series was.
With so much going on you’ve probably forgotten that 2005 was the final time Richie Benaud commentated an Ashes series in England (He continued for a few more years in Australia).
Richie was of course just as well known in England as he was in Australia.
When an Australian summer finished he would take a few months rest and then fly over to England to broadcast the English summer.
Richie was of the belief that cricket belonged on free to air television and so when it was announced that Channel 4 was losing the rights, Benaud chose to end his four decade English commentary stint.
The 2005 series was his swansong and what a way for the great man to go out!
His final piece of commentary at The Oval was Glenn McGrath producing a rip-snorting delivery to dismiss Kevin Pietersen for 158. It was the series winning innings and it needed something special to remove him.
After the wicket, the players took drinks and then it was announced that Richie had just finished his final stint. Everyone stopped and applauded the commentary box and it was a beautiful moment in a beautiful series.
When Stuart MacGill out-bowled Shane Warne
Former Test spinner Stuart MacGill. (Image: paddynapper CC BY-SA 2.0)
It was well-known that Stuart MacGill replaced the injured Shane Warne for the 1998-99 Ashes series and he did a superb job but most forget that Warne and MacGill did play in the final Test together. Warne was recovering from shoulder surgery and desperately wanted to be back for the Boxing Day Test but he had to wait until the final Test in Sydney to get his chance to resume his incredible career.
The selectors decided to play two spinners which was not uncommon at the SCG but also as a reward to MacGill who had handled the pressure of filling Warne’s shoes.
But imagine the pressure on MacGill bowling alongside the great man? Not only did he step up to the challenge but he produced a man-of-the-match performance.
MacGill was front and back page news with the newspapers revelling in his SCG initials in his name (Stuart Charles Glyndwr for the trivia buffs).
Warne was obviously a little out of form after a long layoff but 12 wickets to 2 was a head-to-head win for MacGill and foreshadowed what was to come with the infamous West Indies Tour where Warne was dumped from the team in the 4th Test. A decision he’s never quite got over. Just ask Steve Waugh.
Tape-gate Hotspot controversy in 2013
Everyone loves a good cricket controversy especially when it involves alleged cheating. Well before sandpaper gate we had bat-tape gate where Roz Kelly broke the story on Nine news that players (mainly England) were allegedly using silicone tape on the edges of their bat to trick the hot spot machine for edges.
The controversy started when hot spot wasn’t showing any mark on the bat despite a clear spike on snicko at Old Trafford.
The laws of cricket allow tape to be used to protect and repair bats and England players were quick to rubbish the claims.
The fact that we haven’t seen any such hot spot controversies since that series show it probably was a storm in a teacup but it certainly got people talking.
Mike Hussey’s career-saving ton in 2009
(Photo by Tom Shaw/Getty Images)
It did seem a bit ridiculous to say Michael Hussey’s career was on the line when the bloke was averaging 52 in Test cricket before the Ashes series but the truth was his average had dwindled from well above 100.
South Africa had worked out Hussey after his meteoric rise and he averaged just 20 across six Tests against the Proteas in the lead up to the Ashes.
The pressure was on and Hussey struggled in English conditions. He scored two fifties in the first four Tests but 155 runs across 6 innings didn’t cut the mustard.
With the Ashes on the line another failure could have ended Hussey’s career. It looked liked it was curtains for Mr Cricket when Stuart Broad trapped him LBW for a duck in the first innings.
Chasing what seemed an impossible 546 runs to win the Ashes, Hussey came in at 2 for 90.
He fought valiantly and showed why he can never be written off. While his 121 wasn’t enough for Australia to win the match and the series it saved his career and made sure he wasn’t a scapegoat for the series loss.
Michael Beer and Simon Kerrigan in a spin
(Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Spin bowling is a tough art and making your debut in an Ashes Test is not ideal. Just ask Michael Beer and Simon Kerrigan.
Michael Beer made his debut in the 5th Test against England in the disastrous 2010/11 home series for the Aussies. Beer had the extra pressure and burden of being endorsed by Shane Warne in the lead up.
England proceeded to pile on 644 runs and Beer went for 1 for 112 and any chance Australia had of winning the series evaporated.
Australia couldn’t score enough to make England bat twice so Beer wasn’t given another chance to bowl. He did at least get one more Test opportunity a year later in the West Indies which is more than can be said for England’s Simon Kerrigan
Poor Simon Kerrigan’s Test career lasted eight overs in 2013.
Eight painful overs.
He went at 6.62 runs an over. 0 for 53 as Shane Watson and Steve Smith took him to the cleaners.
Kerrigan is no mug just like Beer. They both proved they are more than handy cricketers at first-class level but it just shows how the Ashes can promise so much but spit you out so quickly.
Jeff Thomson swearing on TV
This is a bit of a niche moment but one that sticks in my memory for being classic Jeff Thomson.
In 2001, Channel Seven picked up the Ashes coverage in England which was a bit of a surprise to most cricket fans. Unlike Channel Nine who had sent their own commentary team over on prior tours, Seven decided to just have a couple of hosts who would then throw to the England commentary team. The hosts on the ground were James Brayshaw and Jeff Thomson. I remember watching a rain delay and you could tell Thommo wasn’t impressed by the English weather.
When Brayshaw throws to the ad break Thommo uses some rather colourful language unaware that he’s still on air. Thankfully, it’s still captured on YouTube. It’s possibly why Thommo hasn’t featured too heavily on any subsequent commentary teams. Unfilted Thommo is the best Thommo though.
What obscure Ashes memories do you remember? Let us know in the comments below.
Adam Mason
Guest
I don’t agree with the glory heaped on Steve Waugh in the 5th test. He got out without adding to his score next day and we lost the test. He didn’t contribute much in the second innings either. We got belted in that game by a demoralised England team.
MJ
Guest
Aussies stuffed up selection for the first test so badly. They left out Geoff Lawson and had an attack of Bruce Reid (played less than 10 tests at that point), Chris Matthews (left armer, played for WA and Tassie, on debut here) and Merv Hughes (1 test to that stage). Think Advanced Hair Matthews was the spinner (Peter Sleep came later that series). It going to win an Asges opener with 3 inexperienced quicks, a dash of S.Waugh and a spinner who did better with the bat in tests.
Rob Peters
Guest
The 5th day of the 5th test of the 86/87 series where Australia triumphed by 55 runs with one over left to bowl ending a dismal test series.
Kalva
Roar Rookie
Seeing YouTube of this now is a reminder of how big a ground the WACA was and the boundary was actually shortened by rope! I went to the SCG on the day Gower scored 98no…played so well but England were dreadful overall.
Clear as mud
Guest
with you on all of this. one of Kim's great lone hand innings. he really deserved the ton. but Brearley did choke it off him. a series of almost tons. Hughes 99, Boycs 99*, Gower 98*, G Chappell 98*, and Gooch 99 (run out by Hughes!)
Kalva
Roar Rookie
1979-80 series is my favorite- yes, I know it wasn't for the Ashes but it should have been. Kim Hughes's 99 was the highlight of the series as Ian Chappell had said before the summer that he wouldn't have him in the top 6 for Australia and he scored vs WI and then England to show him. I still use that series as an example to prove to everyone that Mike Brearley was no great shakes as captain- he was powerless in that series just like he was in the 1979 WC Final both as captain and batsman. Other great memory is the first day of the 1st Test at Perth in 1982-83 where David Gower played a sublime innings of 72 and then got out playing a stupid shot....he was total class that whole summer and won the car as a result...Kim Hughes was the best for Australia. Great summer of cricket.
Kalva
Roar Rookie
I was there that day too...I was 10 years old and we were in the Bradman Stand and remember Hughes getting out first ball after lunch. Australia should have won that match as well. Think Darling scored his highest score that day.
Clear as mud
Guest
Yes. But after the relative chaos of Eastwood, Francis, Watson, woodcock and WEdwards, it felt nice to have an opener succes straight away (the instability caused by Lawry’s dropping, there’s a story - obviously Stacky and Sheahan Bowing out together exacerbated it).
DJM
Roar Rookie
Funny thing with McCosker. At the start of 74/5 he was close to being dropped by NSW. In a game against WA in Sydney he was dropped in slips, an easy catch, off Lillee when he was about 2. He went on to get a century in each innings and two months later he was playing for Australia. I think it was Laird who dropped the catch. If he’d caught it, might have been him in the test team.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
NSW opener J R Moroney's only Ashes Test 50/51 was disaster. Having scored a century in each innings vs Sth Africa he was the main man. He fronted up at Brissie and promptly got a duck. Aus all out 228. Then it rained. A deadset sticky, Eng declared at 7-68. Australia were worse and declared at 7-32, our hero falling for another 0. England were at one stage 6-30 but managed 122 ( L Hutton 62 no ). Poor old Jack was dropped and this was his only Ashes Test. Not sure how many test peeps can claim a 100 in each innings and a pair but I think he was the first.
Clear as mud
Guest
and of course a self inflicted run out first over of an Ashes. en route to 6-36. and a hogg revival. the whole summer really captured in that first couple of hours
JGK
Roar Guru
Annoyingly, that was one of the only SCG test I missed in the last 30 odd years.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I hate typing then you are off on some holiday or pair of shoes l can't afford. Advertising doesn't work on me because l pay for rent and food and I steal petrol :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
Rellum
Roar Guru
I believe Tavare could play shots he just didn't at Test level. His highest list A score was 160 odd.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Forget Thommo swearing, the real disgusting part of that clip is Brayshaw saying "35/3"
All day Roseville all day
Roar Guru
1998/99, the SCG, Day 1 Australia 322 all out at stumps Mark Waugh (121) and Steve Waugh (96) came together at 3-52 and added 190 Darren Gough took a hat-trick in the penultimate over, as Aus lost 5-3 to end its innings Attendance was a sellout 42,124, the biggest crowd in Sydney since 1976 Mark Taylor won (or more accurately, Alec Stewart lost) his fifth toss of the series Aus effectively played 3 spinners in Warne, MacGill and also Colin Miller Taylor was named Australian of the Year that morning Only Test cricket can provide days like those
Redcap
Roar Guru
Another slightly weird memory from 98-99 was sitting at the Stanlely St end of the Gabba on the final afternoon, with Australia trying to get the final few wickets while simultaneously watching a massive thunderstorm rolling in from the south-west and speculating about whether we could bowl them out before the storm hit. No such luck. It was a hell of a storm - there was almost nowhere to hide from it inside the Gabba.
Clear as mud
Guest
yeah we were down on the pickets in front of the Sheridan and I can still feel the stunned silence when Redders got tangled to get hit wicket - to an offie! McCosker just looked franked and ready to go 400 we made with no tons. love a scorecard like that
Clear as mud
Guest
yes the English are more prone to that, he, and Close, and Washbrook makes me pine for Watto putting up his hand and volunteering to open. Shane, Shane, don't go...
Benjamin Conkey
Editor
Thanks JGK. Fixed it above. Hard to spell out code when you can't actually put in the code.