3 reasons why the Ashes is the greatest rivalry in cricket
The latest chapter in the England-Australia rivalry will resume when the two teams face off in the first Ashes 2023 Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham, starting Friday, June 16. The series will conclude with the fifth and final Test, which will be played at the Kennington Oval in London from July 27 to July 31.
When Australia and England met in the previous edition of the Ashes in 2021-22, the Aussies hammered the hapless Englishmen 4-0 Down Under. Pat Cummins and Co. will go into the latest tussle on a high as well. They recently beat India by 209 runs at The Oval to win the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
England, though, are likely to put up a much better fight this time. They are being led by the feisty Ben Stokes, who has turned around the team’s Test fortunes in sensational fashion in combination with coach Brendon McCullum. A close contest can be expected.
According to many pundits, the Ashes is not only the oldest but also the greatest rivalry in cricket. We look at three reasons why the observation is true.
#1 The Ashes has produced some of the finest performances
The Ashes began way back in 1882-82 and has produced some of the finest performances the game of cricket has witnessed.
The record for most runs in a Test was created in the Ashes when Sir Don Bradman amassed 974 runs in five matches at an average of 139.14 in 1930. In fact, the second and third spot in the list is also occupied by an Englishman (Wally Hammond - 905 runs in 1928/29 Ashes) and an Australian (Mark Taylor - 839 runs in 1989 Ashes).
The 1981 series is famously referred to as Botham’s Ashes as England legend Ian Botham almost single-handedly won the series for his team. The former all-rounder scored 399 runs, which included the iconic 149* at Headingley, and claimed 34 wickets.
In the post-2000 era, Andrew Flintoff’s versatility led England to their first Ashes win since 1986-87 during the 2005 series. The all-rounder proved to be Australia’s nemesis right through the series. He smashed 402 runs at an average of 40.20 and claimed 24 wickets with his canny fast bowling.
Steve Smith’s 774 runs from four Tests after returning from his ball-tampering ban in 2019 is another legendary performance that was witnessed during the Ashes.
#2 It’s like a museum of unforgettable moments
Over the years, the Ashes has produced innumerable unforgettable moments. Shane Warne’s ball of the century to Mike Gatting in 1993 at Old Trafford in Manchester instantly springs to mind. Flintoff consoling Brett Lee after the thrilling finish at Edgbaston in 2005 is another iconic moment.
The Ashes also witnessed the legendary Bradman being dismissed for a duck in his last Test innings in 1948 when he needed only four runs to finish his career with an average of a perfect 100.
Looking at great escapes, England’s last-wicket pair of James Anderson and Monty Panesar batted for 40 minutes to deny Australia victory in the first Test of the 2009 Ashes in Cardiff. England went on to clinch the series 2-1.
Also, 19-year-old Ashton Agar scored 98 on his Test debut in 2013, coming into bat at No. 11 in the first Test of the series in Nottingham.
As clichéd as it may sound, the list of iconic Ashes memories is endless.
#3 The cheeky banter and predictions
Another inseparable part of the Ashes is the cheeky banter and predictions made by current and former cricketers from both sides. The tussle begins much before a delivery is bowled. Over the years, there have been off-field battles that have added to the legend of the rivalry.
Looking at the build-up to the 2023 Ashes, veteran England fast bowler Stuart Broad stated that he did not view the 2021-22 series as a ‘real’ Ashes because players were not at the top of their game due to the toll of touring during the pandemic.
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From the Australian side, Steve Smith has issued a veiled warning to Ben Stokes and Co. over ‘Bazball’.
“They’ve obviously done well against some other attacks but they haven’t come up against us yet. We’ll wait and see how it comes off against us,” Smith said.
Meanwhile, Aussie legend Glenn McGrath who is known for his bold predictions has yet again gone for 5-0 in favor of Pat Cummins and Co. And so, the Ashes battle is well and truly underway.