Endless Misfortunes- Frank Tyson on the Ashes (16 January 1999)

16 January 1999

Endless Misfortunes- Frank Tyson on the Ashes

Frank Tyson

The cutter Winston Churchill foundered in Bass Strait during the 1998 Sydney to Hobart yacht race, with the tragic loss of three crewmen's lives. But even as the boat turned turtle in tumultuous Tasman seas, 1,000 kilometres to the west, the bulldog spirit of its namesake and Britain's wartime leader brought an unexpected 12-run triumph to England in Melbourne's Fourth Test. It did an old quickie's heart good to see England's fast attack of Gough and Headley snatch victory from the very maws of its cocky Aussie opponents. I must confess that, when Steve Waugh was still at the crease with three wickets in hand and only 20 runs needed, I had already conceded victory to Taylor's side. But England's pacemen thought differently.

Australia's victory in Sydney rubbed some of the gloss off England's win at Yarra Park, but in the Fourth Test Dean Headley and Darren Gough showed supporters what can be done with a modicum of ability, a pinch of good luck and a ton of courage and determination. In an unwarranted longest four-hour session of The Longest Day of the series, Headley's marathon 17 overs and 105 minutes' stint of immaculate pace bowling yielded a deserved analysis of 6 for 60. In media jargon, the Kent man's learning curve in this series assumed precipitous upwards proportions. He has discovered and exploited that 'corridor of uncertainty', beloved by one Yorkshire 'crickit' commentator. Headley now bowls an undeviating line, an immaculate length, varies his pace and does a little bit either way off the pitch. He now knows that in Australian conditions, pacemen have to 'keep buggering on'. As a result he has emerged from this series a far more disciplined performer than the blasŽ county habituŽ who sauntered into it.

For his part, Darren Gough finally realised the wisdom of eschewing the short-pitched delivery against the tailenders and homed in to the popping crease. He reaped the immediate dividends of MacGill and McGrath's wickets at the MCG and the bonus issue of his startling hat-trick in the Fifth Test. The latter success was the result of three superlative deliveries: a lifting ball which cramped the cutting Healy and two superb out-swinging yorkers. Gough has emerged from this series as the fastest bowler in both teams, the best exponent of the out-swinger and the unluckiest man to tread the Test grounds of Australia this season. If all the catches offered off the Yorkie's bowling had been taken and just a few of the borderline lbws had gone his way, he must have finished not third or fourth in the combined bowling honours list, but clearly at the top. And throughout his seemingly endless misfortunes, Gough never lost control of his mouth or temper - and the same, sadly, cannot be said of the victorious Aussie bowlers!

In Brisbane Dominic Cork disappointed, in Sydney it was Alex Tudor's turn to provide the disillusionment. He lacked the venom which he displayed on the WACA's pace-friendly surface. He moved heavily around the field and seemed to struggle in his run-up, suggesting that the rumours about his inadequate leg strength are well founded.

Stewart's fifth consecutive loss of the toss, England's having to bat last on a deteriorating surface, Australia's choice of three spinners and England's inappropriate selection of one, virtually decided the Fifth Test on the first day.

Slater's Houdini pyrotechnics in Australia's second innings - thanks to inadequate television cameras and umpiring positioning - was no more than an extension of the ill fortune which dogged the England side from the moment it disembarked from its jumbo in Perth. Bad luck, local courses for local horses, and bad catching played major roles in England's miserable tour.

In the confessional, it has to admitted that, with a few notable exceptions, Stewart's men batted without the application or consistency expected of them by the Barmy Army. But at least they displayed more fighting spirit in the last two Tests. I still find it amazing, however, how MacGill and Warne bamboozled them in Sydney. MacGill averages one or two bad balls an over, but apparently has mastered the art of taking wickets with long-hops, full tosses, near wides and ricochets! Warne still lacks his primitive bite and the ability to bowl telling second spells. He will struggle to find his former self - if my own aching shoulder is any barometer!