Battle of the Ashes Moments

[GotSpin]

It seems like you spend the entire time you're posting sucking a lemon.

I'm not really that negative.

 

[vcs]

Botham.

 

[Jono]

Waugh. Remember it like it was yesterday.

I'm not really that negative.

You're negative normally, and then just pissy when Australia lose tbh

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Botham

 

[GotSpin]

You're negative normally, and then just pissy when Australia lose tbh

pffttt. I've got no negative bones in my body. Only been like 5 posts complaining

 

[fredfertang]

Well if you thought Lillee and Thommo were bad, put 8 blokes in a ring around the batsman on the leg side and see how bad it would have been.

I think it was just regarded as a gentler time mate. It offended the sensibilities somewhat. Not so much the short stuff (if you've seen any footage of 1930 you'll see how Bradman treated Larwood) but the field placements gave it the feel of turning what was regarded (pretty much anyway) as a genteel sport into a blood sport.

Bradman still averaged 56 against Bodyline - had he not fallen for Bowes sucker punch in the first innings of the second test it might have been business as usual

At least with Bodyline the batsmen knew where the ball would be - surely its more dangerous if the quicks are spraying it around on the stumps and on both sides of the wicket in the manner of, for example, Gregory and McDonald or Lindwall and Miller?

I agree that Bodyline had to be outlawed, but only because of the effect it would have had at the lower levels of the game, - it shouldn't have caused all the whinging it did amongst international batsmen - it wasn't so much the line of the bowling that was the problem as simply that Larwood was a great bowler at his absolute peak

 

[fredfertang]

To return to the battle I am ashamed to confess I was delighted to see Waugh get that ton after all the stick he was getting - every other time he batted I wanted to see the back of the **** as soon as possible

So as examples of Botham making decent Australians bowlers look like village green trundlers are ten a penny I'm in the Steve Waugh camp on this one

 

[Burgey]

Bradman still averaged 56 against Bodyline - had he not fallen for Bowes sucker punch in the first innings of the second test it might have been business as usual

At least with Bodyline the batsmen knew where the ball would be - surely its more dangerous if the quicks are spraying it around on the stumps and on both sides of the wicket in the manner of, for example, Gregory and McDonald or Lindwall and Miller?

I agree that Bodyline had to be outlawed, but only because of the effect it would have had at the lower levels of the game, - it shouldn't have caused all the whinging it did amongst international batsmen - it wasn't so much the line of the bowling that was the problem as simply that Larwood was a great bowler at his absolute peak

Yeah he was fantastic that series, like Lillee and Thommo were in 74-76 and like Snow in 70-71, and that is why it had to be banned. One wonders what might have been had Bradman scored a hundred in that knock, on the back of McCabe's ton in Sydney. Realistically, all Bodyline did to Bradman was to merely redux him to the world's best player.

 

[fredfertang]

Yeah he was fantastic that series, like Lillee and Thommo were in 74-76 and like Snow in 70-71, and that is why it had to be banned. One wonders what might have been had Bradman scored a hundred in that knock, on the back of McCabe's ton in Sydney. Realistically, all Bodyline did to Bradman was to merely redux him to the world's best player.

For me the way Bradman batted against Bodyline is what defines him as a man - as I've said before he could have just watched the short stuff fly past - his reactions were far too quick for Larwood or anyone else to hit him with a cricket ball from 22 yards - the fact that he chose to take outrageous risks to try and score runs rather than play for his average in that series is what impresses me about him more than any of his huge innings on shirtfronts against trundlers

 

[Themer]

Botham.

 

[blahblahblah]

Botham

 

[Jarquis]

(40)Botham hooking Lilee for 6 with his eyes shut 9 vs 9 (30)Steve Waugh's last ball century.

Tied at 9 apiece so I put Beefy through.

 

[Burgey]

(40)Botham hooking Lilee for 6 with his eyes shut 9 vs 9 (30)Steve Waugh's last ball century.

Tied at 9 apiece so I put Beefy through.

This is why I don't respect your cricketing judgment..

 

[GIMH]

Because he picked the better moment?

 

[Jarquis]

Battle #10

(12)Australia comeback at Adelaide
2nd Test: Australia v England at Adelaide, Dec 1-5, 2006 | Cricket Scorecard | Cricinfo.com

32.5
Anderson to Hussey, 1 run, that's it ... Hussey drives through extra cover and punches the air and jumps around as well he might. Australia, seemingly down and out after two days, have recorded a remarkable win. Handshakes all round, and the grinning Australians emerge from the pavilion to meet the hangdog English side at the boundary edge ...

YouTube - Australian V England: Ashes, Game 2, Adelaide 2006

vs

(2)Swann bowling Ponting
3rd Test: England v Australia at Birmingham, Jul 30-Aug 3, 2009 | Cricket Scorecard | Cricinfo.com

14.6 oh what a ball - what a delivery! Tossed up, dragged him forward and sharp spin turns through the gate to hit his stumps! Fantastic over and a brilliant piece of bowling to remove Ponting 52/2

YouTube - Graeme Swann to Ricky Ponting...

 

[Jarquis]

This is why I don't respect your cricketing judgment..

I'll change it to the next person to vote has the decisive vote if you'd prefer?

 

[Themer]

Aussie comeback.

 

[zaremba]

I'll change it to the next person to vote has the decisive vote if you'd prefer?

Don't listen to him, Marcuss. Despite recent talk of possible legislative changes, criminals aren't yet entitled to vote.

 

[Jarquis]

24.6
Flintoff to Clarke, 7 runs, this time Clarke finds the gap to Pietersen's right and Hoggard chases ... he throws to Pietersen who then flings the ball at the striker's stumps ... the ball hits the stumps and from there to the boundary. What on earth was he thinking of ... there was no chance of a run-out

Epitomised the Adelaide Test. So dire.

 

[zaremba]

In this battle, I'm afraid I have to go for the Adelaide disaster.

I remember reading some bilge from Aussie supporters here during the Edgbaston Test to the effect that the Swann delivery wasn't all that great, that it was all down to batsman error, etc. To my mind, it's an absolute corker of a ball and a classic mode of dismissal for an offie: drift the ball wide, create the gate, spin the ball back through it. Poetry. But unfortunately it's nowhere near as seminal an Ashes moment as the crims' comeback at Adelaide.