The Ashes

[TykeMerc]

That put an emphatic full stop to the Test series, 2 matches won by at least an innings.

Rebuild time for the Australia team.

[Mich the Tester]

And yes - I was just a bit young to appreciate the 81 Ashes at the time!

I wasn't. Botham and Willis at Headlingley. Legendary. I was only a kid but I will never forget that.

BBC Sport - Cricket - Classic Ashes clashes: Headingley

[rootsnall]

I wasn't. Botham and Willis at Headlingley. Legendary. I was only a kid but I will never forget that.

You've inspired me to go and have a gander at the later Botham 100 at Old Trafford, swatting Dennis Lillee for sixes with his eyes shut. And my favourite bit of the series when Botham took 5 for 1 in a spell to win that game, the best part was the inevitability of it all once Botham was on a roll, Oz still needed I think 20odd to win with 2 or 3 wickets left but it was all over !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a way to spend your school holidays, watching cricket all day on the settee with a packet of biscuits !

ps. written from a fading memory, so please don't correct exact details !

ps2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjSDvdgTOzg

[Ruprect]

That put an emphatic full stop to the Test series, 3 matches won by at least an innings.

Rebuild time for the Australia team.

FTFY

[Coalman]

I wasn't. Botham and Willis at Headlingley. Legendary. I was only a kid but I will never forget that.

BBC Sport - Cricket - Classic Ashes clashes: Headingley

I agree that they are legendary - and I have enjoyed watching it many times since. At the time (I was 12) I did not follow or want to follow cricket.
I wish I had though!

Still think this latest Ashes is one of the biggest achievements by an England cricket team ever.

[Doggy Styles]

That put an emphatic full stop to the Test series, 3 matches won by at least an innings.

That's a record for an Ashes series. In fact, England set a lot of records. Off the top of my head:

• First time England have passed 500 with only one wicket down
• First time England have passed 500 four times in a series
• 644 at Sydney is England's record score in Australia
• First time a team has won three matches by an innings in an Ashes series
• Cook's all-time record score at Brisbane (beating Don somebody or other)
• First time in test cricket that 100+ stands have happened for the sixth, seventh and eighth wickets in the same innings
• Cook and Trott record stand for second wicket
• Australia get their lowest ever score in a home Ashes test

[Doggy Styles]

It all looked so sweet for Australia at tea on the third day of the first test. England had been rolled for 260, and Australia were 450-5!

I seem to remember someone on here saying Australia would declare at 560.

What actually happened next?

[minestrone]

Remember when a run of the mill thread could quickly get 50 pages?

What changed?