Book review
The Ashes Match of My Life
By Sam Pilger & Rob Wightman
Sportsbookofthemonth.com price: £16.99
England’s ultimately comfortable victory over Australia in the second Test at Lord’s may have satisfied home supporters, but for many cricket fans, it merely highlighted the shortcomings of an unusually uncompetitive touring side.
Ordinarily, the baggie greens are teak-tough opponents – men perfectly reflecting their nation’s sporting image as hard, never-say-die competitors who revel in beating the Poms at anything from cricket to tiddlywinks.
Regrettably, the current Australian team appears short of such players, completely shorn of spirit and fight. Unless we witness a comeback of Lazarus proportions during the remaining three Tests, years from now, few are likely to be asked to comment upon the current series.
Thankfully, cricket enthusiasts have an opportunity to remind themselves of several great Ashes Test duels in this updated version of the Ashes Match of My Life. Obstinate opponents such as Jeff Thomson, Mike Hussey and Glenn McGrath recall their most memorable Ashes contests, memories adequately countered by the likes of Ray Illingworth, Geoff Boycott and John Emburey.
Two of the most determined performers of recent times were the marvellously moustachioed Aussie Merv Hughes and his equally robust counterpart, Bob Willis.
Here, Hughes reveals that, following a less-than-auspicious debut where he returned bowling figures of 1-123, he never expected to feature in an Australia side again. However, his determination to overcome a debilitating knee injury and regular weight problems allows him to recall, with great fondness, the sledgings he gave to opponents such as Mike Atherton (who gave as good as he got) and Graham Hick, who didn’t.
Hughes’s most memorable Test was the opener at Old Trafford in 1993, but a mention of an hilarious incident involving donkey ears in a match against Gloucestershire is also worthy of note.
For England, Bob Willis, almost inevitably, focuses on the third Test at Headingly in 1981 when Australia forced England to follow-on. The stage was set when Ian Botham scored 149 in a second-innings total of 356, leaving the Aussies 130 to win. Cue a fired-up, angry Willis, motoring in with everything he could muster to take eight Australia wickets for 43 runs, the basis for an improbable English victory. If only we could see similar fight from Australia in the summer’s remaining Tests…
Quiz question:
We’ve teamed up with Sports Book of the Month & have a copy of The Ashes Match of My Life to give away. To win this week’s sports book, go to their website ( www.sportsbookofthemonth.com ) and answer the following question:
Where is the summer’s final England v Australia Test match due to be played?
