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An Ashes series to remember
Over the years there have been a number of series that have provided entertaining cricket and close results. The countries that participate naturally arouse the interest of fans therein. But the world pays attention when there is a special series on.The 1960-61, Australian West Indies five test rubber will remain a classic forever. Richie Benaud and late Sir Frank Worrel led the two teams. Legends of that era, Sir Gary Sobers, Condrad Hunte, Wesley Hall, Jerry Alexander, Lance Gibbs, Niel Harvey, Bill Lawry, Alan Davidson, Norman O’ Niel, Ken Mackay, were some of the players who lit up that series Co-incidentally the winning margin was 2-1, in favour of the Aussies. But then, one test was tied! The first tied test ever and in the other, the last Australian pair of Ken Mackay and Lindsay Kline defied the West Indians for over an hour. It was an unforgettable Australian summer.

Similarly, the 2005 English summer to will be long remembered even after those who played are dead and gone. Such was the quality of cricket; both teams produced brilliant individual performances which in turn contributed towards the team’s success.

The opening game, played at the home of cricket – Lord’s saw the visitors dominate. On a pitch that seamed for most of the game, the home team collapsed twice. This had been the pattern for the last many years – Australia being rock solid when it comes to test cricket. There were murmurings of another 5-0 whitewash. In that opening encounter England did not seem to have the ammunition to fire at their opponents.

They needed a platform to build on and that was provided by the top order batsmen in the first session of the second game. They were put into bat by Ricky Ponting, but that two hours relieved all the self doubt and the nightmares of the opining test. From then on all cylinders fired. They came out fighting in the tough situations when previously they had caved in.

Every English player contributed towards the success with Ian Bell the only player who could not assert himself and Paul Collingwood brought in for the fifth game being unable to contribute with the bat. The most outstanding being Andrew Flinrtoff and Kevin Pieterson. Flintoff has now secured the mantle of, best allrounder in the world. He is a technically sound batsman who strikes the ball very hard. On the other hand Pieterson does not have textbook orthodoxy for a top order bat but has a good eye, strikes the ball clean and has of confidence in his ability. Like Ian Botham, Flintoff has the ability to deliver uplayable balls time and again. This means he is a potential wicket taker. These two players made the difference. Their presence was the catalyst in the English victory.

After the first test nothing went right for the Australians. Perhaps they did not pay enough respect to the England team. They were caught unawares when the opposition retaliated with an effective challenge. The injury to McGrath hurt them badly. The English scored on two fronts. They negated the Australian bowling by scoring runs and giving away minimum wickets to the third and fourth bowler in the attack. Then they prevented Adam Gilchrist from dominating with the bat. He plays a major role batting at number seven and scoring runs and scoring them quickly. It did not happen in this series and the Aussies suffered as a result.

Suddenly the mighty Australians have been exposed. They will not take this defeat lying down and are bound to bounce back. Meanwhile for English cricket it was a huge boost and so too for test cricket world wide. In the end the game of cricket was the winner. !

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