First Test 1989 Ashes series

australia went first test @ headingley major underdogs having lost previous 2 ashes series both home , away, , drawing 3 match texaco trophy 1 day international series england. english press had branded tourists possibly 1 of worst sides ever tour england .

but australian side full of young talented confident players, led gritty , determined allan border , had planned series.

the match evenly poised on first morning of day one, brilliant batting young mark taylor , coming of age steve waugh both scored centuries, took australians on 600 confidently declared, , set tone rest of series. australia not dismissed less 400 series.

the first test marked re-emergence of terry alderman. after brilliant 1981 ashes series in took 40 wickets, suffered serious injury, , temporary ban touring south africa, came re-invented swing bowler 1989 ashes , took 10 wickets in first test lead australia 210 run victory.

day one

england won toss , confidently sent tourists in bat on looked lively pitch, in fact day wore on, batting became easier , easier. australia retained new opening partnership of geoff marsh , mark taylor playing in third test , had far failed cement place in order. first session saw pair nervously trying see off new ball, , england s decision bowl looked 1 when opening stand broken 44, marsh out 16. second wicket added 13, australian stalwart david boon caught behind 9 , australia teetering.

the australian captain allan border came crease , @ first, gathering momentum, went restoring australian innings alongside mark taylor, appeared growing in confidence day went on. third session had added 120 before border mis-timed , caught out determined 66. australia had reached healthy 174 3. dean jones joined mark taylor , pair added further 33 see australia @ 207 3 @ stumps on day one, taylor having batted whole day not out on 96.

day two

jones , taylor resumed on second morning watching see if young new south wales batsman taylor, add 4 runs needed maiden test century , did not disappoint, bringing ton shortly after resumption. not glamorous of centuries, filled young batsman confidence needed secure place in team of next decade. jones , taylor batted throughout morning taking australia 273 4 when taylor dismissed 136.

whilst englishmen may have been delighted see of centurion taylor, later regret arrival of replacement steve waugh, throughout remainder of second day played astonishing array of strokes around wicket, exemplified signature square cut, , tore english bowling pieces.

first dean jones, dismissed 79, , merv hughes after ian healy dismissed 16, waugh battered english bowling 174 not out , have australia 580 6 @ stumps on day two. bowler hughes seemed filled confidence waugh s display , remained him on 63 not out. partnership of waugh , hughes reached 147, record 7th wicket in england.

where taylor s century had been workman-like, waugh s 1 of flair, hitting boundary 24 times, , saw coming of age of batman had struggled in previous series, having not scored century in first 4 years of test career.

day three

england began third day facing gloomy prospect of rampant australia , gloomy skies well. had consolation of dismissing stubborn hughes, australia passed 600 , captain allan border declared @ 601 7, steve waugh undismissed on 177*.

although score chasing seemed daunting, england set innings in sensible fashion, , although lost graham gooch , chris broad before lunch, allan lamb , kim barnett set building solid partnership of 184, before barnett adjudged lbw 80, replays suggested ball terry alderman might have missed leg stump.

this method of dismissal alderman s trademark during 1989 ashes. had ability obtain enough swing such balls looked if miss leg stump swing late , trap batsmen played ball leg. given alderman bowled close stumps, umpires inclined give decisions in alderman s favour. before days of hawkeye predictive path - though several decisions given in alderman s favour throughout series (of barnett s one) not have been given out @ time of writing (december 2009).

as skies turned heavier, alderman seemed extract more , more swing , beat bat throughout afternoon. england having difficulty playing him, kept scoreboard ticking on nonetheless. geoff lawson had english captain david gower caught behind 26 in final session bringing south african born robin smith crease. lamb reached century before stumps on day 3 , remained 103 not out on night, england having reached healthy 284 4 in reply.

day four

england resumed on fourth day looking close possible australia s score in hope of bowling them out cheaply in second innings, , set easy chase. lamb moved on overnight 103 in same fashion had done previous day. smith joined in , pair looked quite comfortable throughout morning. lamb batting confidently , pair took partnership past 50. short time later however, lamb undone brilliant trade-mark bat-pad catch david boon off alderman s bowling. short time later derek pringle, out lbw, became debutant greg campbell s first ever test wicket, , victim of whole tour.

england had been progressing nicely teetering , 338 6. smith , phil newport briefly stabilised innings, before smith undone yet straight ball terry alderman, trapping him lbw 66. gooch , barnett had been dismissed identical deliveries. newport joined jack russell , pair took england past 400, australian bowlers had tails up. newport went made 36, caught hooking boon off lawson, , phillip defreitas lasted 6 balls before being undone fourth straight 1 terry alderman, out lbw. russell , neil foster added further 6 runs before caught geoff marsh off lawson leaving england out 430, 171 runs in arrears. terry alderman pick of australian bowlers 5 107 innings.

england felt still had chance of victory if pick quick wickets, , set low final day run chase, otherwise looking draw. things began brightly england when geoff marsh caught behind 6 off neil foster s bowling. on david boon , mark taylor looked determined put game out of england s reach, until taylor out made 60 leaving australia @ 97 2. captain allan border came in , looked determined lead front, scoring @ fast rate, , when boon out 43, dean jones emerged dressing room looking more determined. pair moved along @ rapid rate, taking australia 158 3 @ stumps.

day five

england began day 5 looking though looking drag day out draw, jones , border had other ideas. resuming free-scoring previous evening, pair moved rapidly onwards, jones scoring @ better run-a-ball made 40 not out off 34 balls. although not quite rapid, border s 60 not out off 76 still quite pacey, , captain had plan in mind when declared australian innings closed @ 230 3, leaving england unlikely 401 victory off 2 sessions.

that particular session remembered of worst bowling ever witnessed england fans. attack blatantly tired (from 2+ days in field) displayed lack of fitness still being tired after 2 days off (rest days on sundays still case in 1989). australian batsmen scored @ on run ball morning gower left 3 bowlers. in autobiography, gower remarked how bad game newport had had such allowed 5 overs (which cost 22 runs) in second innings. should remembered chance of victory australia slim @ best - declaring around hour before lunch take ten wickets. england bowlers therefore demotivated feeling of going through motions during hour , result fast scoring firmly ensured there 1 winner.

although draw looking likely, australian bowlers sensed victory. alderman had chris broad out lbw full ball bounced 6 inches. wild stroke saw barnett caught @ slip 34, , lamb, centurion of first innings out 4, england looked in trouble @ 77 3. david gower offered brief resistance made 34 before caught behind off geoff lawson, leaving england @ 134 4, , tail crumbled completely. robin smith (0 off 3 balls), opener graham gooch (68 off 118) had looked reasonably comfortable, followed derek pringle (0 off 27 balls), jack russell (2 off 22 balls), phil newport (8 off 27 balls), , phillip defreitas (21 off 18 balls). england had lost 6 wickets 57 runs out 191. terry alderman claimed 5 44 in second innings, giving him match figures of 10 151, best test career figures, , making him man of match.

australia had won first test 210 runs, , led 1989 ashes series 1-0. english press duly lambasted side poor performance, david gower had inserted australia , watched them amass 600 runs. media called instant changes demanding head of derek pringle in particular.