Ashes 2022: High highs and low lows for Australia and England

It was either a sweet or sour Ashes series depending on who you supported, writes Robert Craddock. Vote for your favourite moment from Australia’s 4-0 victory.

It said a lot about the summer that the only English superstar who really threatened an Australian was Adele.

A week before the first Test the English pop queen sent a few shockwaves Australia’s way after being disappointed at the tone of an Australian television interview.

Nothing that flowed from England in the Ashes was as intimidating.

In fact, Adele’s Rolling In The Deep summed up the permanent distress that rode with England all summer.

Here were 10 moments to remember of a sweet and sour Ashes summer …

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Mitchell Starc embarrassed his critics. Picture: Dan Peled/AFP

MAGIC MITCH

Mitchell Starc’s first ball of the series which bowled Rory Burns will last forever on highlight reels as other moments fade. So long as Ashes cricket is played people will be saying “Starc to Burns’’ in the way they say “Harmison’s wide.’’ It set the tone of the entire series. Residents living several blocks from the Gabba swear they heard the roar.

GREAT SCOTT

Did it really happen? Scott Boland’s 6-7 in the second innings of his Test debut in Melbourne was one of the most extraordinary performances in Test history. He took it all in his modest stride and even had to be urged by teammates to properly hold up the ball to the fans for a five wicket haul.

Travis Head won player of the series. Picture: William West/AFP

HEAD START

Travis Head’s Hobart century was the innings of the summer. Coming in at 3-12 with the ball swinging and the wicket seaming more than any other all series he got England before they got him. The pink ball, which tends to have a mind of its own, was in a contrary mood in Hobart so this was special.

COMEBACK KING

No matter what happens for the rest of his cricketing journey Usman Khawaja will always have Sydney. His twin centuries after being recalled for Covid victim Travis Head set the SCG alight and brought back the sweetest memories for a player raised a few blocks away who used to go to the ground as a boy when the gates opened after tea.

MAGIC MICK

Michael Neser had waited a long time for his Test debut and had poured more drinks than Tom Cruise in Cocktail before landing his first baggy green cap in Adelaide. His first wicket came second ball when a euphoric team celebration came after Haseeb Hameeb flicked one to Mitchell Starc at midwicket.

Michael Neser finally wore the baggy green after years of playing 12th man. Picture: Daniel Kalisz/Getty

JONNY BE GOOD

England only managed one century but it was a fine piece of work as Jonny Bairstow counter punched his way to 113 in Sydney then looked towards his late father David in the heavens.

THE GLORIOUS DRAW

It’s the most underrated sight in cricket – nine vultures waiting around the bat in the last over breathing all over the opposition No 11. In a way it was fitting that Jimmy Anderson, who with Stuart Broad, never dropped his shoulders all tour, defied Australia’s victory surge in Sydney.

FULL STEAM HEAD

Dumped from the contract list and the vice-captaincy and the last man chosen in the team, Travis Head turned his career around by becoming the first man to score a century in a session on a tricky deck at the Gabba as part of his first Test 152 from 148 balls.

Australia celebrates its 4-0 victory Photo: Linda Higginson

KHAWAJA’S RETURN

Four years ago Australia’s Ashes celebrations in Sydney had the feel of the bully boy about them when a giant hand raising four fingers was used as a prop to celebrate Australia’s success. This one was at the opposite end of the scale with Pat Cummins urging players to stop popping champagne so Usman Khawaja, who briefly left the huddle because of his opposition to promoting alcohol in public, could re-join it.

LYON’S ROAR

Nathan Lyon’s wait for his 400th wicket spanned from January to December because Australia had nothing in between but there was great joy when an in-floater to Dawid Malan was edged to Marnus Labuschagne on the fourth day of the Gabba Test.