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Assault On the Ashes: M. C. C. In Australia and New Zealand, 1974 75
"Ashes to Ashes, dust to dust - if Thomson don't get ya, Lillee must". This caption to an Australian newspaper cartoon can serve as an epitaph to Mike Denness's shell-shocked Englist team. The bruising pace of these two bowlers - one just a name when the tour began, the other desperately to overcome injury - transformed a contest between two otherwise evenly matched opponents into a one-sided onslaught.
Christopher Martin-Jenkins, the BBC's on-the-spot correspondent, vividly records the dramas which began with Geoff Boycott's withdrawal before a ball had been bowled. Thereafter, despite successes against the State sides, the odds lengthened against the tourists as their injuries grew. Colin Cowdrey's momentous recall, Denness's brief abdication from the captaincy, Grieg's aggressive counter-attacks were features of the English side. For the Australians Greg Chappell was peerless, Max Walker untiring, Ian Redpath immovable and their close catching often had to be seen to be believed.
A series which started with the English fast bowlers hurling bouncers at the Australian batsmen and ended, after four test defeats, in an improbable innings victory for the tourists raised uneasy questions about the way England lost. These are perceptively discussed by the author.
Christopher Martin-Jenkins, the BBC's on-the-spot correspondent, vividly records the dramas which began with Geoff Boycott's withdrawal before a ball had been bowled. Thereafter, despite successes against the State sides, the odds lengthened against the tourists as their injuries grew. Colin Cowdrey's momentous recall, Denness's brief abdication from the captaincy, Grieg's aggressive counter-attacks were features of the English side. For the Australians Greg Chappell was peerless, Max Walker untiring, Ian Redpath immovable and their close catching often had to be seen to be believed.
A series which started with the English fast bowlers hurling bouncers at the Australian batsmen and ended, after four test defeats, in an improbable innings victory for the tourists raised uneasy questions about the way England lost. These are perceptively discussed by the author.
216 pages, Hardcover
Published June 19, 1975
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