i can see the next two tests having serious weather disruption and possibly been drawn - either way if Smith is there i can see him posting a high score in each one
has a test series ever been played this late into September?
usually the last weekend in august iirc would be typical fifth test territory ( think mark butcher in 2001 that we referenced earlier)
The third test was a draw - England were banging down the door looking for the win but the Aussies held on on the last wicket I think
The last Sunday afternoon test finish I can recall that was remotely like today’s was the fourth test at Trent Bridge in '05 - Kerry were trouncing Cork in an All-Ireland football semi-final that day and I recall an article the following day by a journalist whose identity I can’t recall describing how the whole of the press pack were following the cricket more than the football
Though there was an inevitability to England winning that test which wasnt there today at all
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yes did Brett Lee see that one out - you are right there
England then won the fourth test before a brilliant drawn fifth test match where the umpires went out and removed the stumps to signify england had regained the ashes
Mark Nicholls was sublime on C4 in 2005
An absolute tour de force - he was the television equivilant of Henry Blofeld
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That fifth test at the Oval in 2005 was played the weekend of All Ireland Hurling Final. It finished on the Monday. There was a good bit of time lost in the Friday and Saturday to rain.
Mark Nicholls describing the bowling of shane warne is one of life’s pleasures actually.
Warne… one of my favourite sportsmen
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The final test in '05 finished on September 11th - I’m sure it was weather affected on at least a couple of the middle days
It’s a pity it isn’t a six test series anymore, sponsored by Cornhill Insurance
'89 was the first Ashes series I followed and Steve Waugh was my favourite player - I didn’t really understand the intricacies of the game then - I didn’t understand lbw and couldn’t understand why one batsman couldn’t carry on on their own at the end of an innings or why a match would be drawn if it didn’t get finished within five days
That summer myself and my brother played games of cricket in my granny’s garage using a hurling bat, a tennis ball and small pieces of wood as stumps
The outfield was about two yards
In later years in Dublin, we graduated to going outdoors and using pillars on the end of front garden walls as stumps instead, in the grand tradition of Dublin yougsters using tar lines on concrete roads as tennis court lines
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That’s a wonderful post sid
In late September 2005 I was on a college related field trip to Mallorca
There was a lad whose first name was Andrew on the trip whose face and general demeanour and behaviour were loosely reminiscent of Andrew Flintoff
Every night there was a free bar at the hotel and I continually drunkenly referred to him as Freddie Flintoff
The nickname stuck and he was henceforth forever known as “Freddie” by everybody - well, at least by me, and for at least a week
I don’t think anybody else on the trip had actually been watching the Ashes
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Alec Stewart just referencing Steve Waugh and the famous Boxing Day test at the MCG in 1998. Waugh didn’t believe in batting with the tail. He believed that any test player who came out to the crease to bat was of test batting standard or should rise to it and had no problem exposing the tail to a full over. Stokes was masterful today in how he hogged the strike once the 9th wicket went down and picking up a single off the last or second last delivery of most overs.
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Stokes’s innings management made his accomplishment all the more impressive
He started slowly but realised Leach couldn’t be protected forever and really attacked when he knew he had to
It was an incredible innings. I referenced yesterday how the 1 run he scored off his first 35 deliveries was proper test cricket, just 2 off his first 60, to slowly up the pace, put the Buttler run out (which was his fault) out of his head and then accelerate against a wilting Australia attack.
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Highlights on Sky Cricket now
Only turned on the last hour as i thought it was a done deal. Outstanding stuff. Up there with the world cup final. Best tension building sport
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Second test at Edgbaston in 2005. Australia needed about 100-105 when the 8th wicket went down, still needed close to 60 when the 9th wicket when down and lost by 2 runs when Michael Kasprowicz gloved a Harmison bouncer to Geraint Jones.
Australia have been involved in a few of these over the years and have usually come out on the wrong side. In the Boxing Day test in the 1982/83 Ashes, Australia needed about 75 when the 9th wicket went down. Allan Border and Jeff Thomson put on around 70 before Thomson was out and England won by 3 runs.
Against the Windies in the 4th test at Adelaide in 1993, Australia were chasing 186 for an unassailable 2-0 lead and a first test series win over the Windies since the mid 70’s. They were 102/8 when Justin Langer (on debut) was out and 144/9. Got to 184/9 before Courntey Walsh picked up the wicket of Craig McDermott for a 1 run win. to level the series 1-1. Windies crushed them in Perth at the WACA in the deciding test with Curtly Ambrose giving probably his greatest ever display.
Australia lost by 1 wicket to the Windies at the Kensington Oval in 1999 just after Brian Lara had been sacked as captain. Lara produced probably his greatest ever knock of 153 not out. Windies needed about 65 runs when the 8th wicket fell. Lara had to bat with Curtly Ambrose for most of it, who also delivered probably his greatest ever knock of 12.
That was some innings by Lara but wasn’t even his best of that series let alone ever. His 200 in Sabina Park the previous test was shot making under pressure of the highest quality.
Rahkeem Cornwall making his test debut for the Windies against India in the second test at Sabina Park. Spin bowler. One of the finest physical specimens I’ve seen on a sports field in a long time.
India 136/3
Jimmy Anderson will play no further part in this Ashes series after a recurrence of his calf history.
Who is the portly chap fielding at first slip for the Windies?
I alluded to him a few posts back. Rahkeem Cornwall. He’s 6ft 6 and weighs in at 22 stone.
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