2017: Curran’s calamity
In the first session Australia set off at a lick, surging to 102 without loss with David Warner’s 83 the crux. Warner would go on to notch his 21st Test century, but not without a spot of drama when one run shy. Pity poor Tom Curran, who thought he had claimed Warner on 99 after the batter had spooned to mid-on and the eager hands of Stuart Broad. However, a replay revealed the England bowler had overstepped and his maiden Test wicket was snatched from his grasp.
That moment of torment typified England’s sorry Ashes campaign, though this fourth Test would end in a draw thanks to Alastair Cook’s stalwart 244. On day one, Warner’s relief was short-lived as three runs later he was caught behind off Jimmy Anderson. In the 26 overs of the afternoon session, Australia scored 43 for two, but by stumps they were sitting pretty on 244 for three, with an unruffled Steve Smith unbeaten on 65.
2013: Pietersen stands tall
Even by the MCG’s inflated standards, a bumper crowd of 91,092 turned up on the first morning to witness a taut opener where the protagonists stood toe to toe and hoped the other would blink first. Holding his ground for five minutes more than four hours stood Kevin Pietersen, unbeaten on 67, as England reached 226 for six. The rest of the tourists’ top six – bar Ben Stokes, snared by Mitchell Johnson’s third delivery with the second new ball – batted for an hour or more.
Ryan Harris set the tone for Australia’s attack, although there were blips as Steve Smith missed a catch off Michael Carberry at third slip with the England batter on two, and a reprieve for Pietersen, on six. England’s totem was caught on the long-leg boundary by Nathan Coulter-Nile, only for the fielder to stumble over the boundary rope.
Generosity to Pietersen continued as he was dropped on 41 by George Bailey at midwicket, though the loss of Joe Root’s wicket early in the afternoon session, caught off Harris, had England wobbling on 106 for three. Pietersen’s day-one resolve provided some cheer for Alastair Cook’s tourists, but Australia would go on to win by eight wickets.
2010: Tremlett’s tremblers
With the series level after England, led by Andrew Strauss, had won in Adelaide and lost at the Gabba, Chris Tremlett – in the absence of an injured Stuart Broad – stole the show on a grey Melbourne morning. The quick ensured England established their grip on the Test and, like a terrier with a butcher’s bone, would not let it drop.
The early signs were not promising as his first four balls went for 10 runs against Phillip Hughes and Shane Watson. Undaunted and launching turbo-charged deliveries that hit 86mph, his next sizzling 67 balls conceded only 16 runs while picking up four wickets as Watson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus succumbed. Then came the prized wicket of Ricky Ponting, who edged to Graeme Swann at second slip.
By stumps on day one, Australia had been skittled for 98 and England were steaming ahead, 157 for nought in reply. They would go on to make 513, a daunting first-innings lead of 415 and a victory that spurred England to their first series triumph in Australia for 24 years.
2006: Warne’s home town high five
On his final home town Test before retirement, Shane Warne laid waste to England’s batters, scratching out five for 159 on the opening day. Needing one more wicket to reach the milestone of his 700th wicket, he claimed it with his 20th delivery after England had won the toss and opted to bat, only to collapse, their last eight wickets tumbling for 58 runs. The victim? Andrew Strauss, as Warne’s leg-break spun into the stumps. His second scalp soon followed as Chris Read drove straight to short extra cover seven overs later.
Glenn McGrath then claimed Sajid Mahmood, edging behind and Warne took his tally to 702 when Steve Harmison drove him straight to mid-on to delight most of the 89,155 MCG crowd. Stuart Clark claimed Andrew Flintoff’s wicket shortly after tea, edging to Warne at first slip. Kevin Pietersen mounted a rearguard, standing firm for more than 100 minutes, but only reaching 21 before holing out to Andrew Symonds at long-on. Symonds was also the catcher, this time at mid-on, to finish off the innings when Monty Panesar drove straight to him off Warne again.
1986: Botham’s blitz
After a win and two draws, Mike Gatting’s tourists abiding unity prevailed in the fourth Test as they clinched the series at a gallop. The pressure was on Australia that Boxing Day morning in Melbourne, but it was Ian Botham, who had rarely been out of the headlines for all the wrong reasons that summer, who was in full carpe diem mode: England’s blunderbuss claiming five for 41 in 16 overs as well as pouching three catches at second slip. With Gladstone Small taking five for 48 in a man-of-the-match stint, Australia were all out by tea for 141.
At stumps, England were a confident 95 for one. Then on to victory and raucous celebrations led by their cheerleader in chief, Elton John. Little wonder, then, that Botham would say this Ashes had been his favourite tour as an England cricketer.
