Ashes 2023: Michael Kasprowicz increasingly seeing parallels with 2005 series and this one
Michael Kasprowicz was front and centre when England drew the 2005 Ashes level. He fears several similarities are emerging this year to what is remembered as one of the greatest Test series ever.
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Michael Kasprowicz, the man in the middle for the most iconic moment of the famed 2005 Ashes series, is increasingly seeing similarities in this year’s version to the one from 18 years ago.
The former Australian paceman was the last man out when the Aussies lost an Edgbaston epic by two runs, gloving a ball from Steve Harmison which replays later showed should not have been given out given Kasprowicz had lost contact with his bat at the time of impact.
That England win levelled the series at one-all after two Tests.
The Aussies then hung on for a draw at Old Trafford when nine down, before England won another thriller at Nottingham and drew a rain-marred decider at The Oval to win the series 2-1 and regain the urn after 16 years.
Should the hosts win back the Ashes this time, they will have to overcome an even greater deficit after falling 2-0 down.
Only once in Ashes history has a team come back from that margin to win a series; an Australian side inspired by Don Bradman in 1936-37.
The parallels between the series are growing, not least in the fact that there have been three tights Tests already in this incarnation, with Australia winning by two wickets in Birmingham and 43 runs at Lord’s before England’s three-wicket victory at Headingley.
But Kasprowicz has identified another phenomena, the ability of England players to step up to the plate when needed, and the fact some of the Aussies’ most decorated stars aren’t firing. In 2005 it was Adam Gilchrist, Jason Gillespie and Damien Martyn who struggled in particular of Australia’s established core.
Conversely England has again benefited from the brilliance of captain Ben Stokes, whose performances have matched those of all-rounder predecessor Andrew Flintoff.
“There’s some similarities to 2005. Some parts of the England team are playing… (we are) seeing some incredible performances out of their skin,” Kasprowicz said.
“Whereas the Australian side, Marnus Labuschagne (recently) ranked No. 1 batsman hasn’t scored a run (averaging 24). And Steve Smith‘s been relatively quiet (averaging 31.66). David Warner (averaging 23.50), all these people with great records have been kept quiet and sort of similar to the Ashes of 2005.
“Having said that, look, it’s great watching. The style of England, the way they play, I would say the positivity, the self belief, and all that.”
Kasprowicz’s 2005 teammate and former Australian coach Justin Langer has also made the connection between the series via his column in the UK Telegraph.
“This 2023 series has been equivalent in intensity to 2005 and 2019. As a player, and coach in the latter, the pressure is enormous. In 2005, after winning the first Test at Lord’s, momentum shifted, and was hard to claw back,” Langer wrote.
“We tried, but England triumphed. Glenn McGrath standing on the ball in the warm-up before the second Test at Edgbaston was the starting point in the swing. England seized the opportunity after Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss played their own version of Bazball.”
Originally published as Ashes 2023: Michael Kasprowicz increasingly seeing parallels with 2005 series and this one
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