The Ashes 2017: Lillee, Reid, Johnson are synonymous with great Australia-England MCG Tests

THE MCG is no WACA-sized Aussie fortress. It’s hosted some of the great Ashes showdowns of recent times - and the Poms haven’t always been on the receiving end. Here are 7 of the best.

Kevin Pietersen and Mitchell Johnson have a few words.

The MCG is no WACA-sized Aussie fortress.

The hosts still hold a decisive Ashes advantage but the Poms have enjoyed their fair share of success in Melbourne in recent times.

Here are seven of the best matches since 1980.

Kevin Pietersen and Mitchell Johnson have a few quiet words.

2013 - Australia won by eight wickets

Plenty of angst in this one as the Aussies marched on relentlessly to an Ashes whitewash.

Mitchell Johnson - like he was for the entire series - starred, taking five wickets in England’s first innings and three more in a devastating second innings spell.

But the Test was perhaps more memorable for the Poms trying everything in their power to put Johnson off his game.

Kevin Pietersen was the chief protagonist - and he loved it. Their exchange was tasty to say the least.

Pietersen continuously pulled away just as Johnson was about to bowl and he later admitted it was part of a ploy to upset the left-arm speedster.

“In Melbourne I really tried hard to get under him, I went at him,” Pietersen said.

“He was a superstar all series … but there was a little kid walking across the sight screen. I knew the kid was there but I let him run in halfway and I pulled out.

“I knew that would make him cross, and then I did it again.”

England actually led on the first innings after Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad produced great spells, but their bowlers fell flat defending 231 on day four as Chris Rogers easily guided the Aussies home with an unbeaten century.

2010 - England won by an innings and 157 runs

If England are to rescue anything from this current disasterous Ashes tour then, judging on his two performances at the MCG thus far, Jimmy Anderson promises to be the key.

Anderson took four wickets in Australia’s first innings in 2013 but it was his efforts three years earlier that were pivotal in England’s demoralising success in a little over three days.

England’s swing king took full advantage of the seam-friendly conditions to rip through a star-studded Aussie middle order, taking the wickets of Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson and Steve Smith as Australia failed to even reach 100.

The Poms then put the game beyond doubt by the end of the first day as Australia crashed to one of their worst-ever home defeats.

Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook put on 160 for the first wicket before Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pieteresen and Matt Prior took the game away completely.

Half centuries from Shane Watson and Brad Haddin mattered for little in a tepid finish.

Andrew Symonds was the star of the show in 2006.

2006 - Australia won by an innings and 99 runs

A couple of notable Aussie milestones in this one.

Andrew Symonds came of age with a career-defining maiden Test century that also rescued a potentially dire situation.

Australia were teetering at 5-85 as Andrew Flintoff caused havoc before Symonds - only recently recalled to the Test team after Damian Martyn’s retirement - and Matthew Hayden put on 279 runs for the sixth wicket.

Hayden later called it his favourite Ashes moment and it turned the tide of the game.

England - who probably had visions of an upset win early on day two - were badly beaten by the end of the third day.

Earlier the redoubtable Shane Warne picked up his 700th Test wicket in typically overstated style, ripping a leg break through Andrew Strauss and knocking over the stumps.

Warne - playing his final Test at the MCG - picked up 5-39 in the first innings and backed it up with 2-46 in the second dig.

Dean Headley was England’s hero in 1998.

1998 - England won by 12 runs

Darren Gough and Dean Headley ripped through a quality Aussie batting line-up twice to give the Poms some temporary reprieve from another Ashes beating.

Headley was the day four hero, picking up a career-best 6-60 as Australia’s lost 7-32 chasing a target of 175 for victory.

Gough made his mark in both innings but was particularly impactful on day three with the hosts in full flight and threatening a huge score.

England batted first against an unfamiliar Aussie attack minus Shane Warne and featuring Stuart MacGill and Matthew Nicholson, reaching 270 thanks to skipper Alec Stewart’s century.

Gough then knocked over four of Australia’s top six on his way to five wickets but Steve Waugh steadied the ship with an unbeaten century to give Australia a first innings lead of 70.

Three England batsmen scored half centuries but England could do no better than setting a target of 175.

It should have been easily attainable, especially when Australia reached 3-130.

Then the rot set in. The hosts lost 7-32 as Headley and Gough silenced the crowd.

Bruce Reid changed the course of the 1990 MCG Test.

1990 - Australia won by eight wickets

Bruce Reid reserved his best for the MCG.

In four Melbourne Tests the Aussie beanpole Bruce Reid took 35 wickets at 13.57, grabbed 10 wickets in a Test twice and generally made a mess of some quality batting line-ups.

That’s 31 per cent of his total Test wicket output.

India were on the receiving end in 1985 and again seven years later.

In between he tormented the Poms - and his 1990 exploits were a career pinnacle.

Reid effectively turned the tide of the match after England had taken a 46-run first innings lead.

David Gower scored 100 but Reid’s nagging off stump frustrated England’s batsmen into mistakes and his 6-97 was just reward

He then orchestrated a stunning England’s second innings collapse with career-best figures of 7-51.

The Poms - who were at one stage 1-103 - were dismissed for 150.

Australia then made a mockery of a tough chase, cruising home on the back of an unbroken 187-run stand between Geoff Marsh and David Boon.

1982 - England won by three runs

It’s hardly surprising that in a best Ashes moments countdown this match features prominently.

This Test held the joint record as the closest Ashes finish (by runs) until it was usurped 23 years later by the epic finish in Edgbaston.

And just like that thrilling finale in Birmingham 2005, Australia were on the wrong end of the result.

Chasing 292 to win, Australia subsided to 9-218 when No.11 Jeff Thomson joined Allan Border in the middle late on day four.

They added 37 before stumps were drawn, leaving a futher 37 to get on day five.

It was a task they looked capable of doing until Thomson edged an Ian Botham delivery and the catch was gobbled up by an alert Geoff Miller doubling around Chris Tavare - who at spilled the chance - in the slips cordon.

Thomson revealed many years later of his disappointment behind the defeat.

“I could not talk about it for years,” Thomson said.

“It was one of the all-time low moments in my life.

“When I went out to bat there was no pressure on me. Everyone expected me to play a stupid shot and get out.

“AB had not been having the best of times but I played with him for Queensland and we were good mates. I went up to him and said: ‘Let’s beat these fruits.’

“I looked up at the board and we needed only four to win. I thought I would get a single, so AB could hit the winning runs.”

Jeff Thomson trudges off the MCG after the thrilling finish to the 1982 Test.

1980 - Australia won by eight wickets

Dennis Lillee and the MCG was a match made in heaven.

The great fast bowler took 82 wickets in Melbourne at an average of 21.92, including four 10-wickets match hauls.

Two of those came against the Poms, the last one coming in dynamic Australian victory 37 years ago.

Lillee took 6-60 as the Poms underperformed with 306. Graham Gooch infamously ran himself out for 99 with his parents watching in the grandstand.

Greg Chappell then scored a century and there were plenty of other big contributors in Australia’s score of 477.

Lillee went to work on England’s top order a second time, eventually taking 5-78 and 11-138 for the match, but an unbeaten Ian Botham century forced the Aussies at least to bat again for the victory.

The target of 103 was neglible though and the Chappell broithers, Ian and Greg, guided the hosts home.