Specials – The Greatest Ashes Tests, Part 3

In this third and concluding part, we look back at three modern-day cliffhangers that further enhanced the Anglo-Australian rivalry: 4th Test, Melbourne, 1982-83 Following the disappointment of 1981, Australia made amends the next time by winning the 1982-83 home series 2-1. However, it could well have been 3-0 had England not won a […]

Specials – The Greatest Ashes Tests, Part 2

Continuing from Part 1, we move on to the twentieth century and look back at three more Ashes thrillers that arrested the attention of cricket lovers: 4th Test, Old Trafford 1902 Holders Australia retained the Ashes with a thrilling victory at Old Trafford. Victor Trumper carved a brilliant hundred before lunch on the […]

Specials – The Greatest Ashes Tests, Part 1

It is next to impossible to whittle down a rich abundance of great Ashes Test matches to a few number. But after a bit of deliberation and taking into account the closeness of and the context surrounding a contest, eight matches were finalised. In this first of a three-part series featuring some of […]

Specials – Unsung Ashes heroes, Part 2

Continuing from Part 1, we look at four more memorable Ashes performances from unsung cricketers in this second and concluding post:- Albert Trott All-rounder Trott was one of the rare few to have played for both Australia and England. His entire Test career consisted of five Tests – three for Australia in the […]

Specials – Unsung Ashes heroes, Part 1

Over the years, the Ashes battles have introduced to us men who were destined to make a great impact on the game. From Frederick Spofforth to Glenn McGrath, legions of legends have displayed their artistry on the canvas that is an Ashes series. There can hardly be a bigger occasion for either an […]

Famous Test Matches – England v Australia, The Oval, 1997

In this post, we go back to the sixth and final Test of the 1997 Ashes series. Despite England showing early promise with a resounding win in the opening Test at Edgbaston, Australia came back in familiar fashion to win three of the next four Tests to retain the urn and win their fifth […]

Famous Test Matches – England v Australia, The Oval, 1953

With the Ashes around the corner, let us go down the years to 1953, the year of probably England’s most significant Ashes victory. England were going through an Ashes drought of nearly 20 years, having last won the urn in the Bodyline series of 1932-33. Moreover, in the three post-war Ashes series of […]

SPECIALS – Parsis, pioneers of cricket in India, Part 2

In Part 1 of this Specials post we looked at how one-sided the Parsis’ first tour of England was, and understandably so. The world’s first great cricketing icon W.G Grace, who played against them while representing the MCC at Lord’s, later said in his autobiography – ‘During this season, a team of Parsi cricketers paid us […]

SPECIALS – Best of Australia v India Test matches

The rivalry between Australia and India has been the most keenly-contested in Test cricket over the last two decades or so, and has produced some of the most memorable matches ever seen. As yet another Test series between the two teams gets underway today, let us go down memory lane to pick the […]

Famous Test Matches – India v Pakistan, Bangalore, 1986-87

Arch-rivals India and Pakistan, while playing each other, have been historically so keen to avoid defeat that Tests between the two nations have ended in dull draws more often than not. Indeed, 38 out of the 59 Tests between them have ended in stalemates. The last eleven India-Pakistan Tests preceding the fifth and final Test of […]