Great Aussie cricket moments of the '70s and '80s
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Date Posted:
February-18-2010 12:59
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In these days of instant gratification and the rise and rise of Twenty20 cricket, let us remember a less frenetic time. A time when blokes wore their chest hair proudly, just like their gold chains, and the unofficial national anthem was “C’mon Aussie C’mon.”
1. Dennis Lillee’s 8- 29 at the WACA v Rest of the World 1970-71
Who could forget the day Dennis Lillee blitzed the Rest of the Word Team at the WACA, taking 8-29? He’d given us a taste the previous summer, snaring five English wickets on debut. This was Lillee Mark 1, long-haired, fluent in action, but with a real wild streak.
Lillee blew away a line-up featuring Sunil Gavaskar, Tony Greig, Clive Lloyd, Hylton Ackerman, Farokh Engineer, Rohan Kanhai, Zaheer Abbas and Garry Sobers in just over 14 overs.
Lillee was about to surrender the new ball after just four overs because of a stomach ache but acquiesced to his skipper’s request of “one more”. The Rest of the World was all out for 59 and again for 279. Australia won by an innings and 11 runs.
2. Ashes 72: The Oval Test
The match and series were seen as a key turning point for Australian cricket and the beginning of Australia’s dominance under Ian Chappell.
Australia’s "worst ever" team to visit Blighty’s shores lost the Test opener Old Trafford before ambushing England at Lords. Debutante Bob Massie had swung his way to 16 wickets, destroying the hosts’ chances.
The Aussies were short-changed at Headingley by Fusarium, the fungal disease and subsequent spin of Derek Underwood. England won by nine wickets.
Ian Chappell’s side went to the final Test at the Oval 1-2 down with the need to draw the series. Ian and Greg Chappell’s first innings hundreds set Australia up for its five wicket win. The sight of the Paul Sheahan and Rod Marsh swinging their bats as they ran off the field having hit the winning runs remains a misty-eyed memory for many.
3. Lillee, Thommo and the Ashes 1974-75
This was the series that England were caught on the hop. Lillee came back from a severe back injury and the relatively unknown Jeff Thomson (after a debut of 0-110 against Pakistan) bowled faster than anyone ever had.
England was without Geoff Boycott or John Snow and it was all over after the First Test. England’s batsmen were like stunned rabbits in the spotlight. Australia won back the Ashes 4-1 with an exciting, aggressive brand of cricket that made them top dogs in world cricket.
England’s batting hope Dennis Amiss, along with many of his teammates, left Australia with their reputations in tatters. Tony Greig’s arrogance and ability to distract the Australians was one of the few success stories for the visitors.
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