Ashes 2005 and West Indies vs Australia 1960/61-Greatest Series Ever??

[aussie]

The 1st 3 test of the India 2001 series & the 1st 3 test of the series followed a similar trend with Australia winning the 1st test convincingly & England & India come back to win some great matches. To me if the India series was a 5 test series it would have a been just above this one, but thats my view....

 

[Pedro Delgado]

One of the striking differences between the sides has been in the catching. I appreciate that Australia's general catching has been woeful (until yesterday) but England's has been far, far worse, at least as far as the number of chances spurned (albeit mainly by the obvious two culprits).

In yesterday's Times they did a bit of a run-down of the drops - including stumpings, Australia had declined 14, but England had grassed a staggering 24 - that's 3 an innings.

Yes, but England are creating so many chances that they don't matter as much.
If one is dropped, invariably they're out within twenty runs or so (not including Oval as-yet).

 

[Pedro Delgado]

Of those I've seen, the 2001 series against India was right up there. This Ashes series has had some very exciting finales, there's no doubt, but I haven't felt that it was as much a gargantuan struggle between two teams at the top of their game as the Indian series, given that it's felt like England have dominated through so much of it, with the Aussies fighting back at the end as the Poms choked a bit.

A few of the South Africa vs Australia series in the 90's were very exciting, particularly the one out here at Adelaide where Mark Waugh managed to hang on for a draw in the last one (with a controversial, though correct "not out" decision given for a hit-wicket appeal right at the end). In fact, one of the most exciting tests I remember was in '97 in South Africa, where advantage in the match kept changing back and forth over the days, until Healy ended the match by hitting a six with Australia only having two wickets left.

It's all relative and selective. This is #1 for me, as I only have vague recolections of '81.

Don't think we've "choked" at all by the way, Aus have played incredible cricket in the latter stages of the last three Tests, that's why this series is up there with the greats.

 

[nick-o]

As well as the excitement factor and the impact on attracting new supporters to cricket, I think a third factor is the 'star appeal'.

Everyone thinks of 1981 as 'Botham's Ashes' and having someone 'do a Botham' has a huge effect on the series as a whole.

What's so good about this series is that it's still touch-and-go as to whether it will be remebered as 'Warne's Ashes' or 'Flintoff's Ashes' -- both of them have demonstrated real star appeal and have risen to the occasion exactly when the script demanded it. One feels that one or the other of them will make the decisive contribution in this Final Test that determines the outcome of the series.

The fact that even at this stage, with only three days remaining, the battle of the icons is undecided is part of the reason for thinking of this as the greatest.

 

[aussie]

The fact that even at this stage, with only three days remaining, the battle of the icons is undecided is part of the reason for thinking of this as the greatest.

regardless the out come of this final test this series has already proven to be one of the greatest, no two ways about that......

 

[roseboy64]

Sorry if I ruffled a few feathers but I don't think they're the greatest series ever by themselves but they're definitely in the top 5 for sure at the least.

 

[SJS]

How does it matter really ??

 

[Jono]

How does it matter really ??

Its just interesting to discuss I guess.

 

[roseboy64]

People can be weird at times.

 

[Slow Love™]

It's all relative and selective. This is #1 for me, as I only have vague recolections of '81.

Don't think we've "choked" at all by the way, Aus have played incredible cricket in the latter stages of the last three Tests, that's why this series is up there with the greats.

Fair enough, mate - I can only share my honest opinions on it though. To me much of this series has felt like us clinging on for dear life while the Poms crush us, and then there's this little period at the end where England either take the foot off the pedal or show some nerves closing it out - and I haven't really felt like we've clicked much, and the general quality of our cricket has been poor (and much of this is to England's credit). Of the Australians, only Warne, McGrath, Lee and (maybe - at least with the bat) Ponting could have been said to have had a good series - and we've definitely had three guys demonstrate their careers may very well be on their last legs, if not finished already.

I'm not arguing that this series isn't exciting ('cause the finales surely have been!) - I just felt those I mentioned were more exciting for me.

 

[luckyeddie]

People can be weird at times.

Your point being?

This IS Cricket Web.

 

[luckyeddie]

I'm not arguing that this series isn't exciting ('cause the finales surely have been!) - I just felt those I mentioned were more exciting for me.

It DEFINITELY depends which side of the fence you are sitting, or if you're on it.

I would never find any series that doesn't involve England as exciting as this one, purely because I wouldn't be quite so desperately involved.

If you think that means that I cannot make an objective decision on any other great series in the past - you're right.

 

[SJS]

Its just interesting to discuss I guess.

You are right I suppose. Its just that we cant argue about it too much. I may feel one series did more for me and you may feel another for you and thats it , I suppose. There isnt much in it to try and prove it

 

[Jono]

Yep, nothing can be proven. Generally Indians would find the 2001 series more exciting, whilst some of our English members would probably prefer the 2005 Ashes.

That's why I'm mainly interested in the Aussie fans' responses in this thread, which is pretty split

For me personally, its hard for me to distinguish between these two, but I'm glad someone brought up the South Africa vs. Australia series of 1997. That along with the 2001 India and 2005 Ashes series have been the 3 best I've ever seen live.

 

[Slats4ever]

this ashes series kills the Indian series a few years back. that wasn't that cool. this one is just insane.

 

[roseboy64]

Your point being?

This IS Cricket Web.

Oh right!!

 

[Toecrusher]

The only other series that I've seen that compares with this series is the Aus-India series in 2001. That series in India was literally one between two equals, and you couldn't really say that one team outplayed the other, which makes it all the more special. Significance-wise it was right up there as well, with India being the 'Final Frontier' and all and Aussie coming there on the back of 17 test wins.

But for the sheer quality of the performers, this series has got to be the best. This series featured four 90mph plus bowlers, a double-reverse swinging demon in Jones (the only one apart from Akram), PLUS a legendary fast bowler in McGrath, a legendary spinner in Warne, a legendary keeper in Gilchrist and a legendary all-rounder in Flintoff!! It was the one-on-one contests that these players featured in that made this series so special. The only thing missing from this series was an all-time great batsman (something which the India series had with Tendulkar, Waugh), but I don't think it detracted from it in a major way.

 

[luckyeddie]

This series (2005) was, for me, what I imagined a contest between an irresistable force and an immovable object would be like.

What's that, you say? There's no such thing as an immovable object?

I'm inclined to agree now.

There were occasions (Ponting's fabulous knock, Brett Lee on occasion, Warne every breath he breathed) when it felt that Australia were surviving on will-power alone. Time after time England would knock on the door, you would see a chink of light and then suddenly the entire team would seemingly just charge through - and yet still Australia somehow held on, kept themselves in with a sniff of a drawn series.

Until, that is, one quite sensational, dramatic innings on the final day dashed even that final chance away from them.