As sporting events go, they don’t get much bigger than this.
Australia, having dominated England on the cricket field for the best part of two decades, are locked in a tense battle to hold on to the Ashes — and their reputation.
Australians like nothing more than to beat England in any contest but, at 2-1 down in the series ahead of the fifth and final Test starting at The Oval on Thursday, Australia face a fight.
England need only a draw to win the Ashes for the first time since the 1986/87 series.
”To me, this one at The Oval doesn’t get much bigger,” Australian opener Justin Langer said. ”It’s been easily the most enjoyable cricket series I’ve played in. I’m sure most of the other experienced guys in our team would say the same thing.”
In his last Test appearance at The Oval, Langer underwent a brain scan after being struck on the head by a bouncer from Andy Caddick. That was after he had revived his international career by scoring 102 not out in a total of 641 for four declared as Australia won by an innings and 25 runs in the final match of their triumphant 2001 series.
”It will be nice to go back, it will certainly be different circumstances,” Langer said. ”Back then, I thought the selectors were just giving me a token gesture, ‘Thanks for a good career for Australia,’ so I didn’t have as much pressure on then. This time there’s probably a lot more to play for.”
And, if he has to take another trip to the hospital on the way to a century in this Test, he’ll take it.
”If there’s a hundred and I have to retire hurt again, I would take that any day of the week,” said Langer. ”Being out there in the middle of it is like being in the fight of your life.”
Meanwhile, fellow Australian opener Matthew Hayden is confident he can turn his newfound form into a big innings during the fifth Test.
Hayden, who has struggled for runs all series with a top score of just 36, smashed 150 off 118 balls in Australia’s drawn two-day tour match against Essex at the weekend, in which the tourists scored 561 for six in reply to the host’s 502 for four declared.
Asked whether he could carry the same touch with the bat into the decider, Hayden had ”no doubt”.
”All you can do is get runs,” Hayden said. ”There was a few things I worked on in this game and the next few days are really important, just to consolidate. You don’t all of a sudden become an ordinary player.”
Bookmakers say England are almost unbacked to win the fifth Test because most bettors are expecting the home side to play for a draw, good enough to win back the Ashes urn Australia have held since 1989.
The hosts have dominated the series since losing by 239 runs in the first Test at Lord’s.
Hayden does not believe his Australian teammates are concerned about whether they are branded as favourites or underdogs.
”I don’t think it matters,” he said. ”We have one Test to play and it is all on the line. To me, it’s a very simple position.”
Both sides have injury concerns, however. Australia called Stuart Clark into their squad to cover for Glenn McGrath as doubts remained over the veteran paceman’s fitness.
McGrath said over the weekend he had recovered from the elbow injury that kept him out of the fourth Test. But Australia’s team management was less convinced.
National selection panel chairperson Trevor Hohns said Clark’s bowling style, which is similar to McGrath’s, and his recent form with England county side Middlesex made him a suitable inclusion in the squad.
”With a decision yet to be made about Glenn McGrath’s availability for the Test, we want to make sure that we have some cover and added flexibility heading into this match,” Hohns said.
England drafted all-rounder Paul Collingwood and seamer James Anderson into their 13-man squad as back-up in case fast-bowler Simon Jones fails to recover from an ankle injury in time for the match. — Sapa-AP