2-0 down already and now India step out in front of 90,000 fans at a ground where they have lost five consecutive Tests, all of them convincingly. Melbourne is traditionally a bowler's wicket where draws are rare. It won't be a case of hoping Vijay, Dhawan, Pujara and Kohli rack up 500+ runs and cling on. India's attack must fire on all cylinders or face another defeat.
Four years ago, scoring became harder and harder each day until Pattinson, Hilfenhaus and Siddle wore down the formidable Indian line-up of Gambhir, Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman and a young Kohli for a second time inside four days. In 2007, the margin was a hefty 337 runs. Phil Jaques and Matthew Hayden almost beat India on their own. Mitchell Johnson's Test career was in its infancy but his second innings 3-21 played a major part alongside Brett Lee and Stuart Clark. A four-man India attack was pretty toothless by contrast, a situation which looks set to be repeated this week in 2014.
Back in time to 2003 and Boxing Day belonged to Virender Sehwag. His 195 gave India a great start but he had poor support. Steve Waugh's side boasted a fantastic side and Hayden (136) and Ricky Ponting (257) flayed Agarkar, Nehra and Zaheer Khan to all parts. Despite the absence of Warne, McGrath and Gillespie, the Aussies restricted Ganguly's men to 286 before Hayden and Ponting knocked off the 95 needed on the final morning.
In 1999, the home team were again favourites. The weather as much as India's attack slowed the green baggies down on dates 1 and 2 but they passed 400. More than could be said for India. Only captain Sachin Tendulkar looked defiant, his 116 providing almost half the side's total. At the other end, debutant Brett Lee and McGrath wreaked havoc. Soon Waugh declared to leave India two days to make 376. Rain threatened to save them but Lee, Fleming and Mark Waugh did more enough to win.
In 1991 Bruce Reid took 6-66 and 6-60 to spark that five-match MCG losing streak. However, six years earlier India had been on topics. Only Allan Border's 163 and the weather staved off an unlikely loss. Back in 1981 Australia were in transition and had list the Ashes the previous summer. Glen Chappell led the side and Border's century set up a large first innings lead. A 165-run opening stand between Chauhan and Gavaskar put India back into the match but Australia needed only 143 to win. Enter Kapil Dev. Bowling second-change, he claimed 5-28 and the opposition was skittled for 83.
Somehow I can't see India repeating the feat this Christmas. A restored Bhuvi Kumar and Ishant Sharma will have to keep Warner and Smith quiet. Twice. India are notoriously poor tourists and an Aussie whitewash looks almost inevitable.
Showing posts with label Steve Waugh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Steve Waugh. Show all posts
Thursday, 25 December 2014
Tuesday, 9 July 2013
Ashes Superteams
With a new Ashes series about to launch, it must also be time to look back and select my England and Australia fantasy teams from the past forty years, based on performances in Tests between the two on these shores.
For the home team, Graham Gooch may have scored the most runs in Ashes series from 1975 onwards but that owes more to longevity (25 matches) than dominance with the bat. Terry Alderman left his mark in the '80s and so my openers are Geoff Boycott and Andrew Strauss. They belong to very different eras, which makes the Yorkshireman's average of 64 in ten matches even more remarkable.
The middle-order comprises David Gower, Kevin Pietersen and Tim Robinson. Gower's 1445 runs at 45 speak for themselves, while KP's impact in recent seasons also earns him a place. Robinson may be a surprise but he averaged just over 50 in the 1985 and 1989 series either opening with Gooch or at number three. He served Nottinghamshire well for two decades but his finest international moments came against the Aussies.
Unusually I've gone for two all-rounders but of course both have their careers defined by their achievements in two Ashes series in particular. Ian Botham went from zero to hero in 1981, especially with the bat but throughout his career it's the 79 wickets at under 27 apiece which stand out. Andrew Flintoff is another whose legendary status owes more to one summer than a decade's service to his country. Strangely, while 2005 saw him bowl superbly alongside Jones, Hoggard et al but across nine Ashes Tests, his batting record of 602 runs at 37.62 eclipses his bowling stats. My wicketkeeper is not Alec Stewart, whose Ashes record is modest, but Alan Knott. Back in the '70s and early '80s, Knotty combined supreme tidiness behind the stumps with an excellent average of 40.82, beefing up the late-order when it mattered.
Opening the bowling with Botham (1981 vintage) has to be Bob Willis, who also starred in that summer as well as others. His average in 11 games is a mighty 21.42, including four 'five-fours'. Simon Jones played only in the 2005 contest but his 18 wickets at 21 are too impressive to ignore, and so there's no room for Gough, Caddick, Dilley, Hoggard or Anderson, although I wouldn't mind betting the latter will come into the reckoning in 2013. My spin option is John Emburey. The Middlesex offie contributed 43 wickets back in the '80s.
I found selecting the Aussie XI much easier, although I had to leave out skippers past and present Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke. Not because they have been rubbish in England, but owing to superior performances from the embarrassment of batting riches Australia have enjoyed in the past thirty years or so.
Mark Taylor (1584 runs in 18 Tests) and 1970s star Rick McCosker open the innings, followed by another ex-captain Allan Border. His 2,082 runs at more than 65 apiece are spread across 25 Tests, bridging the last Aussie fallow period in the early '80s and the world-leading age which emerged a decade later. Dean Jones was in prolific form in 1989 but the Waugh twins were even sharper thorns in English sides for many years. Mark averaged almost 50 but Steve's record is second to none: seven centuries, an average approaching 75 and a deserved reputation for brilliant leadership. He is my captain just ahead of Border, and he and his brother can share 'filler' roles with the ball, too.
Ian Healy beats Adam Gilchrist and Rod Marsh to the gloves but thye four frontline bowlers are automatic choices. Shane Warne claimed an amazing 129 Ashes wickets in England alone and it is easy to forget how good he was for the losing side in 2005. His partner in crime Glenn McGrath stands second in terms of wickets (87 in 14 Tests) and also for his average. Anything under 20 at this level is incredible but Mac's 19.34 is narrowly outshone by Terry Alderman's 19.33. In 1981 and 1989, the Perth swing and seam merchant weaved magic on English pitches, taking at least 40 wickets in both series, still a record. The line-up would not be complete without Dennis Lillee. He may not have been as fast as in the 1972 series (outside the scope of this exercise) but in 1981 he was still a master of his craft and was unlucky to finish on the losing side, as Warney did in 2005.
If I had to pick a combined Ashes superteam, I reckon only Boycott, Knott and Botham would represent England but let's hope Boycs and Beefy wouldn't have to bat together....
England: Boycott, Strauss (*), Robinson, Gower, Pietersen, Botham, Flintoff, Knott (+), Emburey, Jones, Willis.
Australia: Taylor, McCosker, Border, M Waugh, Jones, S Waugh(*), Healy(+), Warne, Alderman, Lillee, McGrath
And after the forthcoming clash, might these sides need adjusting? Time will tell, but more likely to be Cook, Prior, Root or Anderson than Hughes, Watson, Starc or Lyon, methinks!
For the home team, Graham Gooch may have scored the most runs in Ashes series from 1975 onwards but that owes more to longevity (25 matches) than dominance with the bat. Terry Alderman left his mark in the '80s and so my openers are Geoff Boycott and Andrew Strauss. They belong to very different eras, which makes the Yorkshireman's average of 64 in ten matches even more remarkable.
The middle-order comprises David Gower, Kevin Pietersen and Tim Robinson. Gower's 1445 runs at 45 speak for themselves, while KP's impact in recent seasons also earns him a place. Robinson may be a surprise but he averaged just over 50 in the 1985 and 1989 series either opening with Gooch or at number three. He served Nottinghamshire well for two decades but his finest international moments came against the Aussies.
Unusually I've gone for two all-rounders but of course both have their careers defined by their achievements in two Ashes series in particular. Ian Botham went from zero to hero in 1981, especially with the bat but throughout his career it's the 79 wickets at under 27 apiece which stand out. Andrew Flintoff is another whose legendary status owes more to one summer than a decade's service to his country. Strangely, while 2005 saw him bowl superbly alongside Jones, Hoggard et al but across nine Ashes Tests, his batting record of 602 runs at 37.62 eclipses his bowling stats. My wicketkeeper is not Alec Stewart, whose Ashes record is modest, but Alan Knott. Back in the '70s and early '80s, Knotty combined supreme tidiness behind the stumps with an excellent average of 40.82, beefing up the late-order when it mattered.
Opening the bowling with Botham (1981 vintage) has to be Bob Willis, who also starred in that summer as well as others. His average in 11 games is a mighty 21.42, including four 'five-fours'. Simon Jones played only in the 2005 contest but his 18 wickets at 21 are too impressive to ignore, and so there's no room for Gough, Caddick, Dilley, Hoggard or Anderson, although I wouldn't mind betting the latter will come into the reckoning in 2013. My spin option is John Emburey. The Middlesex offie contributed 43 wickets back in the '80s.
I found selecting the Aussie XI much easier, although I had to leave out skippers past and present Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke. Not because they have been rubbish in England, but owing to superior performances from the embarrassment of batting riches Australia have enjoyed in the past thirty years or so.
Mark Taylor (1584 runs in 18 Tests) and 1970s star Rick McCosker open the innings, followed by another ex-captain Allan Border. His 2,082 runs at more than 65 apiece are spread across 25 Tests, bridging the last Aussie fallow period in the early '80s and the world-leading age which emerged a decade later. Dean Jones was in prolific form in 1989 but the Waugh twins were even sharper thorns in English sides for many years. Mark averaged almost 50 but Steve's record is second to none: seven centuries, an average approaching 75 and a deserved reputation for brilliant leadership. He is my captain just ahead of Border, and he and his brother can share 'filler' roles with the ball, too.
Ian Healy beats Adam Gilchrist and Rod Marsh to the gloves but thye four frontline bowlers are automatic choices. Shane Warne claimed an amazing 129 Ashes wickets in England alone and it is easy to forget how good he was for the losing side in 2005. His partner in crime Glenn McGrath stands second in terms of wickets (87 in 14 Tests) and also for his average. Anything under 20 at this level is incredible but Mac's 19.34 is narrowly outshone by Terry Alderman's 19.33. In 1981 and 1989, the Perth swing and seam merchant weaved magic on English pitches, taking at least 40 wickets in both series, still a record. The line-up would not be complete without Dennis Lillee. He may not have been as fast as in the 1972 series (outside the scope of this exercise) but in 1981 he was still a master of his craft and was unlucky to finish on the losing side, as Warney did in 2005.
If I had to pick a combined Ashes superteam, I reckon only Boycott, Knott and Botham would represent England but let's hope Boycs and Beefy wouldn't have to bat together....
England: Boycott, Strauss (*), Robinson, Gower, Pietersen, Botham, Flintoff, Knott (+), Emburey, Jones, Willis.
Australia: Taylor, McCosker, Border, M Waugh, Jones, S Waugh(*), Healy(+), Warne, Alderman, Lillee, McGrath
And after the forthcoming clash, might these sides need adjusting? Time will tell, but more likely to be Cook, Prior, Root or Anderson than Hughes, Watson, Starc or Lyon, methinks!
Wednesday, 11 April 2012
Australia - West Indies Classic Encounters - 2
Yesterday I recalled the groundbreaking encounters between Australia and the West Indies in the 1970s. After World Series Cricket ended with a deal between Kerry Packer and the ACB, Test cricket once more featured some of the most exciting cricketers in the world. Sadly for the Aussie public, most of them were wearing the maroon caps and not the green baggies. Actually, most were wearing the new-fangled helmets, apart from the peerless Viv Richards, who always stuck bravely to his cap, trusting his skill with the bat and reactions to avoid trouble.
Although Clive Lloyd handed on the baton to Viv then Richie Richardson, the West Indies didn't lose a series for an incredible fifteen years, home or away. Between 1983 and 1993, their accomplishments included five consecutive series victories over Australia, winning 13-4 in individual matches. By March 1995, Mark Taylor's side had a pretty good look about it. Slater, Taylor, Boon, Mark and Steve Waugh made for a formidable top five, and youngsters Warne and McGrath joined Paul Reiffel and Brendan Julien in the attack. They went to Barbados ready for business and Richie Richardson's team were rolled over within three days!
Antigua saw a more even contest, but rain prevented a result. In Trinidad, however, the game was over well inside three days as bowlers ruled the roost. Steve Waugh ran out of partners as Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh dismissed the Aussies for 128, only for McGrath to respond with 6-47, reducing the Windies lead to just eight runs. On the third morning, Ambrose, Walsh and Kenny Benjamin whistled through that great batting line-up in only 36 overs, leaving Williams, Richardson and Lara to knock off the 98 needed with no problem at all.
One apiece, and on to Jamaica for the decider. The West Indies were back in the series and, remember, hadn't lost for many years. None of the players had ever tasted a series defeat. Richardson won the toss and opted to bat. While his opening partner Stuart Williams lasted a mere two balls, the skipper went on to reach three figures. However, only Lara kept him company for any time and they were bowled out for 265 on day one. At 73-3, the West Indies looked back in business, but when Steve Waugh joined his brother Mark at the crease, fortunes swung right back to Australia. They put on 231 for the fourth wicket, and Steve was at his brilliant best, forcing constant shuffling of the bowling attack, including Carl Hooper and two part-time spinners to rest the wilting pacemen. Kenny Benjamin was apparently reduced to tears in one interval! Ambrose, Walsh et al tried all the old tricks, with short-pitched deliveries galore, but Waugh remained unfazed. He gave no chances, played some splendid pulls and drives and was last out having reached 200 for the first time.
The home team needed to score 266 to avoid an innings defeat but they were too shell-shocked from two knackering days in the field. Reiffel claimed much of the top order and Warne polished off the tail. They had done it! A decade and a half of Caribbean mastery had finally been overturned. Two years later, the Aussies retained the Frank Worrell Trophy on their own soil and in 1999 shared the spoils 2-2. However, by 2000-1, the fortunes had been well and truly reversed. McGrath, Lee, Gillespie and the spinners McGill and Miller were utterly dominant. Even without Shane Warne, Australia completely outplayed Jimmy Adams' team, completing a 5-0 whitewash at Sydney.
Since then, the West Indies have struggled against almost all teams but I really hope they can discover some of the old spark, some flair and some steel, too, in giving the old rivals a bit of competition. The one-dayers provided some hope but five-day cricket may prove too much for them. Neither are top dogs in Tests these days but lets hope both can offer some bark and bite in tne current series.
Although Clive Lloyd handed on the baton to Viv then Richie Richardson, the West Indies didn't lose a series for an incredible fifteen years, home or away. Between 1983 and 1993, their accomplishments included five consecutive series victories over Australia, winning 13-4 in individual matches. By March 1995, Mark Taylor's side had a pretty good look about it. Slater, Taylor, Boon, Mark and Steve Waugh made for a formidable top five, and youngsters Warne and McGrath joined Paul Reiffel and Brendan Julien in the attack. They went to Barbados ready for business and Richie Richardson's team were rolled over within three days!
Antigua saw a more even contest, but rain prevented a result. In Trinidad, however, the game was over well inside three days as bowlers ruled the roost. Steve Waugh ran out of partners as Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh dismissed the Aussies for 128, only for McGrath to respond with 6-47, reducing the Windies lead to just eight runs. On the third morning, Ambrose, Walsh and Kenny Benjamin whistled through that great batting line-up in only 36 overs, leaving Williams, Richardson and Lara to knock off the 98 needed with no problem at all.
One apiece, and on to Jamaica for the decider. The West Indies were back in the series and, remember, hadn't lost for many years. None of the players had ever tasted a series defeat. Richardson won the toss and opted to bat. While his opening partner Stuart Williams lasted a mere two balls, the skipper went on to reach three figures. However, only Lara kept him company for any time and they were bowled out for 265 on day one. At 73-3, the West Indies looked back in business, but when Steve Waugh joined his brother Mark at the crease, fortunes swung right back to Australia. They put on 231 for the fourth wicket, and Steve was at his brilliant best, forcing constant shuffling of the bowling attack, including Carl Hooper and two part-time spinners to rest the wilting pacemen. Kenny Benjamin was apparently reduced to tears in one interval! Ambrose, Walsh et al tried all the old tricks, with short-pitched deliveries galore, but Waugh remained unfazed. He gave no chances, played some splendid pulls and drives and was last out having reached 200 for the first time.
The home team needed to score 266 to avoid an innings defeat but they were too shell-shocked from two knackering days in the field. Reiffel claimed much of the top order and Warne polished off the tail. They had done it! A decade and a half of Caribbean mastery had finally been overturned. Two years later, the Aussies retained the Frank Worrell Trophy on their own soil and in 1999 shared the spoils 2-2. However, by 2000-1, the fortunes had been well and truly reversed. McGrath, Lee, Gillespie and the spinners McGill and Miller were utterly dominant. Even without Shane Warne, Australia completely outplayed Jimmy Adams' team, completing a 5-0 whitewash at Sydney.
Since then, the West Indies have struggled against almost all teams but I really hope they can discover some of the old spark, some flair and some steel, too, in giving the old rivals a bit of competition. The one-dayers provided some hope but five-day cricket may prove too much for them. Neither are top dogs in Tests these days but lets hope both can offer some bark and bite in tne current series.
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