The Australians had retained such an air of invincibility about them for so long it was hard to even imagine them not winning. It is for this reason that I doubt if few would have written them off coming into the Oval test. Australia had not played to their usual standards, but the fear was there that at some point we would wake from this dream to be hit by the Aussie nightmare express. It almost did happen too.
Batting first after winning the toss at the Oval on a flat pitch should have given England their best chance of closing the door on Australia, and at 82 for none and 274-4, they should have gone on. They again failed to capitalise on a good start and as they did in the three tests before managing 373 score when 500 or more beckons. It is perhaps a sign of how far we have come, that we can now consider a score of 500 against the Australians more than a distinct possibility. But, an integral part of being a champion side is to impose yourself on the opposition, and that can only be achieved from a solid base, and there is nothing more solid than 500+ score. It would allow Vaughan the luxury of attacking fields, and allow a greater amount of pressure to be exerted.
They were lucky as they were to get as much as they did anyway. Warne, as he has been all series, was in his element. It is extraordinary how he has carried the Australians throughout this series, and it is purely through his will that their campaign had come this far. The two Andrew’s, Strauss and Flintoff, showed great skill in compiling two knocks highlighted by their importance but also by the contrast in styles. Strauss was gritty, while Flintoff was by nature explosive. They rescued England and set them with the promise for more before Mr.Warne returned and again put and end to England’s best laid plans.
England’s predicament looked even worse when the Australians hit form with the bat. A key to England’s success had been the ability of their bowlers to dominate the Aussie top 7. Langer and Hayden, were able to break that spell by compiling a 185-run opening stand. It was not yet the Aussies of old, as both batsman continued to show the bowling attack the greatest of respect, a far cry from bully boy tactics that we have come so used to seeing from the Australians. Still the fear was there, that this may have just been the catalyst that would allow them to regain their edge.
Going into Day four, it was almost a matter of how long would the Australians bat and how far ahead of England they would go. Would it be 150? 200? Would England be able to survive a day and a half of Warne? Overcast conditions and a swinging ball would change all that. Flintoff and Hoggard bowled magnificently in bowler-friendly conditions to turn the game on its head.
England would not have in their wildest imagination thought they would ended with a lead, but they did, albeit slightly. It was bread and butter conditions for Hoggard, but Flintoff who a few years would have struggled to move the ball in any direction, produced considerable movement and balanced with brilliant control to give the foundations of the Australian innings a frightful shake. He, at one point, bowled unchanged for some 27 overs, in which he picked up four of Australia’s top seven and the dangerous Warne. He is now undoubtedly the world’s greatest player and a well-mannered man to boot – a marketer’s dream. He has leapt out of Botham’s shadows in this series, and created his own aura, if he can continue to play in this vein for some more years yet, England may have one of the greatest players of all time.
England’s task of saving this game ought to have been at this point much easier. Bad light would put an end to much of day 4, leaving England only a day to bat. Victory was in sight, and again it was again Warne who would try to stand in their way. He had already picked up his ‘bunny’ Strauss the day before, and he would pose England’s biggest threat. That is of course if you overlooked that Australia also have another man with 500+ wickets on their team roster. Warne and McGrath combined to have England in a rather perilous position of 126-5. It could have been worse, with two catches being dropped, both against the out of form Kevin Pietersen. Australia was one more nail away from saving face, and England was dangerously close to losing everything they had played so hard for.
It looked at is if the game would play out as many over the past decade had, same story only some of the names had changed. The capitulation had begun, and it was a matter of time, when the ship would sink. This is not the same old England though, and the script was again re-written for one final time. KP, who’s aggressive and positive approach showed the way in the first test, came back to play what could be his career-defining knock. It was amazing batting of the highest calibre, and played under so much pressure, it is hard to believe that this is only his debut series, and that his first hundred. The stroke play was as good as any this series, and he is certainly the type of player cricket needs, pure excitement on…and off the field. His dismantling of Lee and then later Warne had meant that in a matter of overs he switched the momentum, and ensured that the Australians were never able to impose a steady amount of pressure. He was not alone though, as he was supported first by Collingwood and then by Giles, who played another useful knock. Giles will never been a great spin bowler, but England pick him to perform a role in the side, and to his credit he managed to do that this series. Old Trafford, would have been his finest moment, but this is certainly not too far behind.
All the hoopla of the finish aside, it was a fitting end to the tightly fought contest. Draws can still be a display of entertaining cricket, and a stalemate at the Oval, ensured the score line was a reflection of the fact the England was the better team, but also that Australia fought all the way and made them earn it. There will be plenty of discussion now on where England and Australia will go from here, but rather than tempt fate, I will be happy to look back fondly on what has been one of the greatest series of all times, and a fitting end to a tumultuous chapter in England’s cricketing history.
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