My Top Ashes Moments

The Ashes the greatest rivalry in cricket a battle between bat and ball in both England and Australia a series that has brought many great moments and below I give you my top 3 all time moments that I have witnessed in my life time.

Number 3 – Bowling Shane – 4^th June 1993 – Old Trafford, Manchester

In his first Ashes test match, bowling his first ball in Ashes cricket the legend that is Shane Warne produced a phenomenal delivery that completely bamboozled the batsman and left him walking back to the pavilion asking himself what had happened. The pitch at Old Trafford has always favoured the spin bowler but no one could have imagined the effect that a young Australian leg spinner would have on the game with just this one ball.

That Ball, The Gatting Ball, The Ball of the centaury is all words that have been used to describe this unbelievable moment in Ashes history. At the time in 1993 I was only 4 but this is the ball from Warne that I have grown up watching and trying to recreate without any luck at all.  I have added a video below but let me talk you through it the best I can. Warne strolls up to the wicket off a run up of only a few steps he delivers a ball that looks like it’s going straight down the pitch but this ball pitches outside the line of leg stump, after pitching the ball turns dramatically and hits the top of off stump something that is still to this day rarely seen, bowling Shane

Number 2 – Boom KP Strikes – 12^th Septemeber 2005 – The Oval, London

Finally after years of watching England be destroyed us England fans were watching history in the making England were not only being competitive but found themselves on the verge of a series win over the old enemy. It was a simple process bat for the full 5^th day at the Oval and the Ashes would be back in English hands, but the 2005 series was nothing but simple. A very young looking eager batsman with his skunk looking haircut in Kevin Pietersen was the man who delivered the Ashes back to us poms.

In his first test series and under extreme pressure after a batting collapse by the experienced heads his innings didn’t get going straight away as he was dropped on 0 by a combination of both wicket keeper Gilchrist and also slip fielder Matthew Hayden. KP progressed onto 15 and his Hampshire captain Shane Warne when some say he dropped the Ashes, onto 60 he was once again dropped by the Australians this time Shaun Tait slacking off in the field. He brought up his maiden test centaury with an exquisite cover drive and sent the crowd ecstatic in jubilation. I was sat at home biting my nails as I watched KP put the Aussies to the swords as he was finally dismissed by Glenn McGrath after accumulating magical 158 and securing the Ashes for England for the first time in my living memory.

 Number 1 – Victory Down Under – 7^th January 2011 – SCG, Sydney

Finally the hoodoo was broken as finally for the first time in my life time I was able to stay up through the night to watch England not retain the Ashes that was done in the 4^th test but to win an Ashes series down under for the first time since in 24 years.

07/01/11 is a night that will always live on in my memory and I have to say that I am extremely jealous of all the barmies in attendance in a full English crowd, the sprinkler celebration with the fans at the end of the day looked great to be involved in. You can always remember the moment of the person who perhaps hit the winning run or took the winning wicket and this time that honour feel to man mountain Chris Tremlett, he could have retired come the end of the test match and the name will always live on in the memory of all England cricket fans.  A 3-1 test series win down under is my top moment ever in Ashes history.

I have found this video for you all to enjoy the Barmies reaction at the moment Tremlett takes the wicket to win the ashes down under

Thanks for reading and please share my blog if you like it

The Sport Files Ashes