shot-button
Subscription Subscription
Home > News > Opinion News > Article > Its not great from this angle

It's not great from this angle!

Updated on: 02 September,2019 08:00 AM IST  | 
Ian Chappell |

The difference between the 2005 and 2019 Ashes is current availability of the Decision Review System. This doesn't necessarily mean progress

It's not great from this angle!

England captain Joe Root dives to catch Australia's Marnus Labuschagne in the second Test at Lord's. The decision did not go down well with the batsman as he thought the ball had bounced before Root claimed the catch on August 18. Pic/Getty Images

Ian ChappellAs Ben Stokes clubbed his way to a nerve-tingling century, paving the way for the most unlikely of Test victories, Headingley was buzzing with excitement and anticipation.


When Stokes finally hit the winning runs, the ground erupted as a famous Test match heist had been achieved. My thoughts immediately turned to Edgbaston 2005 when England won another close Ashes Test, but then it was the ball eventually conquering the bat.


At Edgbaston in 2005, England won by two runs; at Headingley in 2019 they scraped home by one wicket. In 2005, it was England's strong-man all-rounder Andrew Flintoff who claimed the player of the match award with seven wickets and 141 runs in a dazzling performance.


In 2019, the award indisputably went to the highly competitive, never-say-die England all-rounder Stokes. Stokes claimed four wickets and scored 143 in the match.

Flintoff's influence was spread throughout the match; 68 and 73 with the bat and three and four wickets with the ball. Stokes on the other hand saved his supreme effort until the last, plundering 135 not out, including the bulk of the 76 needed for victory when the ninth wicket fell.

After three Tests in 2005 the situation was one Test win each and a draw; exactly like in 2019.

However, in 2005, it took a monumental innings at Old Trafford by Ricky Ponting — the best I've seen to save a match — to maintain the equilibrium after three Tests. And therein lies the major difference between these two enthralling series; the quality of the batting.

To be fair, the batsmen in the 2019 series have faced challenging pitches, especially when you consider the quality of the bowling.

In 2005, England passed 400 three times and on two other occasions they cleared 300 comfortably. It's hard to imagine the current flawed line-up attaining such heights.

For their part, Australia didn't reach 400 in the series but they came close four times. That's surprising when the batting line-up included such high-class performers as Ponting, Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn, Michael Clarke, Justin Langer and Adam Gilchrist.

There was also class in an England line-up that featured Andrew Strauss, Michael Vaughan, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell and Flintoff. It says something about the quality of both bowling attacks that those high-class line-ups were contained to such an extent. Another difference in the two absorbing series is the availability of the Decision Review System (DRS) in 2019. This is not necessarily progress.

The flaws in the DRS have been amply displayed in this Ashes series. The most controversial being Australia's senseless waste of a review, meaning they had no comeback when Stokes was adjudged not out to Nathan Lyon with only two runs required for an England victory.

This highlights the fact that reaching the right decision — something the ICC declared was their intention when the system was introduced — is not guaranteed when you have a finite number of reviews.

Even worse, was the dismissal of Marnus Labuschagne at Lord's when he was caught close to the ground by Joe Root. This was referred to the third umpire and, as is usually the case, certain angles appeared to show the ball may have touched the ground before reaching Root. This is flawed evidence because of the foreshortening effect of television and should never be utilised to decide catches.

As a result of this flaw, crowds tend to boo the fielder, visualising him as a cheat and the batsman is then likely to distrust the fielder. Both those unwarranted eventualities could be avoided if slow motion replays weren't used to decide catches.

Controversy aside, if the 2019 series continues to provide a similar level of drama and tension to the magnificent 2005 Ashes contest, then we'll all be well and truly entertained. The 2005 Ashes — along with the 1960-61 Tied-Test series between Australia and the West Indies — is the best I've witnessed for both quality and excitement.

The views expressed in this column are the individual's and don't represent those of the paper

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!


Mid-Day Web Stories

Mid-Day Web Stories

This website uses cookie or similar technologies, to enhance your browsing experience and provide personalised recommendations. By continuing to use our website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. OK