Analysis: Why Ashes classic is Australia’s best Test win in a lifetime

Pat Cummins has ripped a monkey off Australian cricket’s back. That this was Australia’s narrowest Ashes win in terms of wickets in more than a century speaks volumes, writes DANIEL CHERNY.

Pat Cummins’ generation made it clear through the Justin Langer saga that it is respectful but not deferential to its predecessors.

In the aftermath of Langer’s messy exit, Cummins classily explained that just as previous greats had been looking out for their mate, he was looking out for his.

But in hauling the Aussies over the line in an instant classic at Edgbaston well after 7pm on Tuesday, Cummins also ripped a monkey off Australian cricket’s back.

Finally, Australia had won a close Test, and an Ashes one at that.

The Aussies have won five one-day World Cups, a Twenty20 World Cup and earlier this month became World Test Champions for the first time.

As men’s international cricket’s most successful side over the decades, Australia has tended to steamroll opponents, particularly through its pair of 16-Test winning streaks.

As a rule, when the Aussies win, they win big.

That this was Australia’s narrowest Ashes win in terms of wickets in more than a century speaks volumes.

It was elation for captain Pat Cummins and resignation for counterpart Ben Stokes. Picture: Geoff Caddick/AFP

Australia hasn’t won a Test by less than 20 runs since a young Shane Warne spun Allan Border’s side to victory in Colombo in 1992.

Australia has won a couple of Tests late in the piece – in Sydney against India and South Africa in 2008 and 2009 respectively – but on both of those it was the opposition trying to save the match rather than win it.

When chasing, the Aussies have won a couple of narrow thrillers in South Africa, while the final day heroics at Adelaide in 2006 were spectacular. Yet ultimately it was done with six wickets in hand.

Over the past couple of decades Australia has managed to stave off defeat in a couple of epic draws, at Manchester in the 2005 Ashes and then in Dubai against Pakistan in 2018, which until this match was probably Usman Khawaja’s piece de resistance.

In Test cricket, the tendency has been that in games where cricket has been the winner, Australia has been the loser.

Where do you even start when it comes to narrow Australian Test losses?

Just about everyone has had their fun at Australia’s expense.

There was Adelaide 1993 against the West Indies (one run). Sydney the following summer against South Africa (five runs). A one-wicket loss in Pakistan later that year.

A seven-run loss to New Zealand in Hobart in 2011. The 20-run defeat to Bangladesh in Dhaka in 2017.

The margin was one wicket against India in Mohali in 2010, 13 runs on a Mumbai dustbowl in 2004, and two wickets in Chennai in 2001, the match that followed the host’s win after following-on in Kolkata.

And that’s before even mentioning the Ashes!

Australia has endured its share of heartbreak in Test classics this century. Picture: Alessandro Abbonizio/AFP Photo

Australia won plenty of series, but the most thrilling Ashes moments seemed to revolve around England.

Think Headingley and Edgbaston of 1981. Edgbaston again in 2005. Headingley again in 2019. Melbourne in 1982 and 1998. The Oval in 1997. Trent Bridge in 2005. When it wasn’t a great like Ian Botham, Andrew Flintoff, Bob Willis or Ben Stokes, it was a Dean Headley or Phil Tufnell having their day in the sun.

White-ball cricket has been a bit friendlier. But for every Michael Bevan last-ball four there’s a South Africa chasing down 434.

Australia’s most famous ODI triumph – the 1999 World Cup semi-final – wasn’t even a win!

Cummins said after his heroics with Nathan Lyon that this was the clear No. 1 win of his career. For Australian fans of just about any age, there is a strong argument that this is the best win of your lifetime.

Originally published as Analysis: Why Ashes classic is Australia’s best Test win in a lifetime