This series is one of my earliest memories of cricket at 10/11 yrs old. Main memories are Atherton being run out for 99, Gooch and Hughes tremendous moustaches, that ball from Warne to Gatting and him dancing on the balcony when Australia won the series. I remember thinking he would get a wicket every ball and took to the garden to try bowling leg spin with a tennis ball at our wheelie bin (not Ashley Giles). I couldn't get it to spin to leg though or control it very well out of the hand so started practicing off spin instead which I found much easier. When I unfurled my off spin against my bemused father I bowled him 'through the gate' first ball. This was my ball of the century 😁 Warne was a genius.
I was nine. I'll never forget this series, and watching Warne, whose bowling style I adopted. What great days (or rather nights here in Australia) they were.
I still believe, after almost fifty years of watching cricket, that this is the best Australian side that I have ever seen tour England. England actually didn't play that badly and were immeasurably superior and much better led, than in 1989. But they were steamrolled by a wonderful team that was incomparably strong in every facet of the game
I totally agree with you. I watched every minute of this series and Australia were great. England played well in spells as well and were definitely a lot better than in 1989. Even though it wasn’t that hard!!
I think you'd need McGrath in the side to merit that accolade. Four years later they had both him and Gillespie, which made them unbeatable for years. The seam bowling was disciplined and solid, backed up by exceptional batting, but nowhere near the powerhouse attack they became.
Blades like the gray nicholls ultimate, Stuart surridge turbo/mark1 are classic blades back in that era.. superbly strong Australian side headlined for me by Shane Warne. England played well in spells but weren't up to the task. Graham Gooch had returned to form in that first test and was the best batsmen for England that summer. For me it was about Shane Warne... Great to watch again.
Imagine watching this at the time and being told that Chris Lewis would end up in prison and Shane Warne would hook up with Elizabeth Hurley. You'd think they were on crack.
Australia came over to our shores in '93 & showed and played a brand of cricket never seen in our country,they were streets ahead of England and even as an England fan it was fascinating to see test match cricket played like this,even though we were hammered It was a pleasure to see a team play the way Australia did especially away from home,quite breathtaking really
