By Greg Baum
First published in The Age on August 12, 1997
We rate with the greats: Taylor
Nottingham, Monday
The cap has not always fitted comfortably for Mark Taylor in the past year, but it did last night. Moreover, he was wearing it at a jaunty tilt.
Shane Warne celebrates bowling Nasser Hussain, during the second day of the fifth Test at Trent Bridge, NottinghamCredit: AP
Proudly in his baggy green, the captain of the team that had just won the Ashes for a fifth successive time declared this was not only the best Australian team of his time, and the best team in the world, but the equal of any Australian team.
“I was never going to say this, but I think we are the world’s best side at the moment,” said Taylor, who hitherto had insisted that it was for others to judge. “This would have to be the best side I’ve played in. I’m leaving out some very good individuals —Boon, Border, McDermott —but as a team unit, this the best I’ve played in.”
As for its place in history, Ian Chappell marked it yesterday as the fifth exceptional Australian team of the century (including Chappell’s own, though he did not say it).
Taylor said: “The ’48 side had Don Bradman, so they had 15 players. (But) we’re as good as any side that’s worn the baggy green cap. We’ve got the players to do the business when the pressure’s on.”
The pressure was on in this series when Australia fell behind after one Test, to an England team Taylor readily agreed was vastly improved from the previous four series. It was on whenever Taylor went out to bat. It was on because the first four pitches were all suspiciously green.
Australia’s cricket captain Mark Taylor holds the Ashes after Australia won the series 3-2.Credit: AP
It was on even yesterday when Steve Waugh was out second ball. “Everyone thought we were in for a very good finish,” said Taylor. “Ian Healy comes out, plays his shots, says we’re going to win this Test and this series. And we did. That’s what a good side does.”
So it was that Australia won a series from a trailing position for the first time in 30 years, and an Ashes series for the fifth time in a row, unprecedented this century. “That’s very, very special,” said Taylor.
If Taylor’s donning of his cap for the festivities was symbolic, so was the image of England captain Mike Atherton bareheaded (not yet to be confused with beheaded).
He was also empty-handed, but at least this time had the feeling that there had been something there to grasp. If it were not for missed opportunities on conveniently availing pitches in the previous two Tests, he felt, England and the series might still be alive today.
Shane Warne pours champagne over his head in after match celebrations.Credit: AP
He was happy to affirm Australia as the best team in the world. “Undoubtedly,” he said. “You take consolation in that. We lost to a very good side.”
He was heartened to have given Australia a decent fight. “This is not the time to brag about our cricket,” he said. “(But) we’ve got the makings of a decent side. I would back us to win in the West Indies.”
The difference between Australia and England, said Atherton, was simple. “Australia has a couple of key, match-winning players that we don’t have at the moment,” he said.
They were easily identified: Steve Waugh, who is the only remaining Australian to have played in a losing Ashes side, and who at intervals in this series forcibly made the point that it was an unpleasant sensation he did not care to experience again.
Healy, who yesterday won a man-of-the-match award for only his second time, and even then, partly in recognition of his superb series.
Shane Warne, who neither needs introduction nor stands comparison, and who began yesterday’s revelry by spraying spectators and teammates with champagne, necking the bottle and then dousing himself in it.
And Glenn McGrath, who needs just two wickets in the sixth Test to reach his goal of 31 for the series and 150 in Tests, and five wickets to equal Warne’s headlining 34 here in 1993.
Atherton’s compliment to McGrath was to compare him favourably with West Indian Curtly Ambrose. “They’re pretty similar bowlers, Curtly of three or four years ago and McGrath of today,” Atherton said.
“They’re both tall, don’t swing the ball much, hit the deck hard, bowl straight and always at you.”
Asked to compare Warne and McGrath for value, Taylor replied: “Too tough.” He said it came down to pitches. “There’s been a genuine attempt in the last 12 months to put out greener wickets. Glenn’s had better wickets than Shane. Back in Australia on turning wickets, Warney might be more valuable.”
After Waugh’s early departure yesterday, the belligerent Healy and tailend friends batted Australia into an unassailable position. England, for whom a draw would be a defeat in the context of the Ashes, assailed it anyway, and in less than 50 overs was all out for 186.
It was an approach that gave Australia victory by what even Taylor agreed was the exaggerated margin of 264 runs. Jason Gillespie’s figures, 8-0-65-3, about summed it up.
Diplomatically, Taylor said: “They chanced their arm to give themselves half a chance to win. They took the positive approach.”
But even Atherton admitted: “You have to make them bowl you out. We were a bit at fault in that respect.”
Typically of this series, there were three wickets each for McGrath, Warne and Gillespie, and one — but a good one — for Paul Reiffel. There were also three catches for Healy, also about par.
Graham Thorpe, with 82 not out from 93 balls — most of which he cut — was defiant. John Crawley, caught behind down the legside for the second time in the match, was unlucky.
The Hollioakes were as ever inseparable, both lbw for two. Ben, having taken 36 balls to break his duck, was out next ball. Robert Croft broke his duck with a six off Warne — making it 2-1 to him over Warne for the match — but he also was out next ball.
It was about then that Atherton, who was distractedly fiddling with a ball on the players’ balcony, accidentally dropped it, very nearly on a spectators head. It was from the same balcony an hour later that Warne showered the world in champagne.
Thus, with fumbling and froth, bobbling and bubbly, the Ashes were again consigned to Australia.