Favourite Ashes Memory

[Furball]

All that said, we shouldn't get too misty-eyed: there were of course some less savoury moments that summer:
- Jones throwing the ball at Hayden (not that I was too upset)
- English fielders not checking that Ponting was ok at Lord's
- Ponting giving Vaughan a verbal volley when he came out to bat at Lord's
- Ponting's rants after being run out by Damien Martyn at Trent Bridge

Duncan Fletcher's response to that was brilliant.

"What do you expect when you hit the ball straight to the fielder at cover and take a single?"

 

[Craig]

The series had gone by then remember - I don't think Gilchrist would have declared when he did otherwise (Waugh probably wouldn't have declared at all). But a memorable day all the same, ditto Headley's match in the '98-99 series (can't remember where it was) and Gough's hat-trick of course.

Has anyone mentioned the Ball of the Century yet?

MCG.

Youtube - Gough's hattrick

 

[howardj]

Another one of mine is back in 1994 when I got dropped off at the Gabba by my folks for the Ashes Test. I bought David Gower's autobiog for him to sign (he was doing commentary). And who do you think we parked near when I got dropped off at the Seven-Eleven? None other than the man himself -in the flesh! He was my favourite cricketer at the time, and for a young tacker to have a little chat with him and get him to make his signature out to me was a huge buzz.

 

[Burgey]

Showing the "highlights" of Edgbaston 0D on Fox now. What a ****ing joke. You can see the mint-infested drool running down Simon Jones chin.

Funny what you forget though - Ponting was a monty for a ton in the 1st dig til he got out sweeping to bloody Giles. It's like one of those bad telemovies where the gumby kid comes on, sinks a winning 3 pointer for the high school team and gets the cheerleader.

Dire.

 

[inbox24]

lowlights

24 and 5/6 hours to go.

 

[zaremba]

Showing the "highlights" of Edgbaston 0D on Fox now. What a ****ing joke. You can see the mint-infested drool running down Simon Jones chin.

I saw the "Inside Ashes" programme on Channel 4 last night, composed of unseen footage of the series.

And I thought of you, Burgey, as I saw Shane Warne tucking a packet of Extra Strong Mints back into his sock while fielding at slip.

Personally, I've not the slightest doubt that Shane Warne, who's never been known to push the limits of sporting behaviour in any way at all, would have been whiter-than-white and would have scrupulously avoided using his mint-infused saliva to work on the ball, but there are those who would be less charitable.

 

[Burgey]

I saw the "Inside Ashes" programme on Channel 4 last night, composed of unseen footage of the series.

And I thought of you, Burgey, as I saw Shane Warne tucking a packet of Extra Strong Mints back into his sock while fielding at slip.

Personally, I've not the slightest doubt that Shane Warne, who's never been known to push the limits of sporting behaviour in any way at all, would have been whiter-than-white and would have scrupulously avoided using his mint-infused saliva to work on the ball, but there are those who would be less charitable.

Everyone knows Warney was polishing his own balls in anticipation of that night's rendevous.

Paragon of virtue our Warne, on the field at least. Clapped Pietersen at The Oval, saluted Jaques Rudolph in Perth, and so on. Never pushed the boundarues at all on the field .

And that footage you speak of was clearly doctored. They cut away from Warney and superimposed Vaughan's leg, Your Honour.

 

[zaremba]

Everyone knows Warney was polishing his own balls in anticipation of that night's rendevous.

Paragon of virtue our Warne, on the field at least. Clapped Pietersen at The Oval, saluted Jaques Rudolph in Perth, and so on. Never pushed the boundarues at all on the field .

And that footage you speak of was clearly doctored. They cut away from Warney and superimposed Vaughan's leg, Your Honour.

Guilty! Transportation is too good for him. I hereby sentence him to sharing a commentary box with Ian Bloody Botham for the summer.

 

[Burgey]

Guilty! Transportation is too good for him. I hereby sentence him to sharing a commentary box with Ian Bloody Botham for the summer.

Truly cruel and inhumane punishment.
6 months in Gitmo would be better.

 

[Richard]

Freddie's ton at Trent Bridge, what an innings. He hasn't batted that well since really, but that was something special.

Bearing in mind his own limitations I'd say he batted even better on a couple of occasions in India 8 months later TBH, but it's possible to argue either way.

 

[Richard]

Mark Butchers knock at Headingly in '01 - showed we could actually beat the crims rather than just take advantage when they took their eyes off the ball

The series had gone by then remember - I don't think Gilchrist would have declared when he did otherwise (Waugh probably wouldn't have declared at all).

Of course he would. Waugh made a captaincy career out of the mantra that you had to risk defeat for victory, and that you only played for a draw once victory was realistically impossible. Gilchrist was just carrying-on that mantra on the occasions he stood-in for him.

What's more, who on Earth was ever going to turn-down the chance of what was in reality a near-certain victory to continue on the road to a five-nil? People forget, given how well Butcher played, that chasing 315 on a dicey deck (which is what Headingley's almost always has been at most stages in its history) is highly implausible. Replay that fifth day on 100 occasions and Australia might well win 100 of them.

That innings is one of the best I've ever seen and it really annoys me when people discredit it by making-out it was a generous declaration.

 

[GIMH]

Bearing in mind his own limitations I'd say he batted even better on a couple of occasions in India 8 months later TBH, but it's possible to argue either way.

Had India in mind when I made the post tbh, reckon Trent Bridge just tops it. Without Freddie's innings we might not have won the Ashes, the pressure was high and he was as cool as you like.

 

[Richard]

Without Freddie there's precious little question the series in India would've been won by India - maybe three-nil, maybe one-nil.

Duncan Fletcher said that draw was even better than the Ashes victory and while it certainly wasn't in terms of how enjoyable it was for players and fans, it might well have been in terms of how much of an achievement it was.

 

[andruid]

Gosh, No manetion of This!!!:

 

[Furball]

Gosh, No manetion of This!!!:

McGrath's spell after tea on the first day at Lord's. Still get hairs on the back of my neck standing up whenever I watch that and hear the ominous clatter of ball hitting stump.

You blind or something?

 

[Postmanpat]

Funny what you forget though - Ponting was a monty for a ton in the 1st dig til he got out sweeping to bloody Giles.

Ponting tried it on again in Brisbane and very luckily, got away with it, on his way to 196.

When Bowden scratched his nose.

 

[Richard]

Gosh, No manetion of This!!!:

Love how that YouTube cut features a Lee short ball and Jones' back-foot drive to bookend the McGrath five deliveries.

 

[oitoitoi]

Gilly going mental at Perth in the last series, simply awesome hitting, the epitome of Australian dominance over the last decade, a reflection of the contest over the years in some ways.

 

[Burgey]

Of course he would. Waugh made a captaincy career out of the mantra that you had to risk defeat for victory, and that you only played for a draw once victory was realistically impossible. Gilchrist was just carrying-on that mantra on the occasions he stood-in for him.

What's more, who on Earth was ever going to turn-down the chance of what was in reality a near-certain victory to continue on the road to a five-nil? People forget, given how well Butcher played, that chasing 315 on a dicey deck (which is what Headingley's almost always has been at most stages in its history) is highly implausible. Replay that fifth day on 100 occasions and Australia might well win 100 of them.

That innings is one of the best I've ever seen and it really annoys me when people discredit it by making-out it was a generous declaration.

This. All round.

 

[Top_Cat]

Of course he would. Waugh made a captaincy career out of the mantra that you had to risk defeat for victory, and that you only played for a draw once victory was realistically impossible. Gilchrist was just carrying-on that mantra on the occasions he stood-in for him.

What's more, who on Earth was ever going to turn-down the chance of what was in reality a near-certain victory to continue on the road to a five-nil? People forget, given how well Butcher played, that chasing 315 on a dicey deck (which is what Headingley's almost always has been at most stages in its history) is highly implausible. Replay that fifth day on 100 occasions and Australia might well win 100 of them.

That innings is one of the best I've ever seen and it really annoys me when people discredit it by making-out it was a generous declaration.

Yes, absolutely agree with that. Butcher's knock was absolutely brilliant. As I think said earlier in the thread, Hussain's support knock was a top innings too. Took the attack to the Aussies when Butcher took a breather and Lee was (finally) getting the ball through past 145km/h. Gilchrist gave them a sniff with that declaration, not the match. The England bats had to play pretty well.