Highlights of 2009: England and Australia draw in Cardiff

With numerous end of the year and end of the decade lists floating around, it is time for Corinthian Spirit to jump on the bandwagon with its moments of 2009 and of the decade. Keep an eye out for these between now and 31 December, and to get the ball rolling, here is a highlight from 2009.

For English sports fans there was no bigger event in 2009 than the Ashes, and what a start the series got off to in the unlikely setting of Cardiff. No-one knew what to expect from the series, with an Australian team full of unfamiliar faces arriving on these shores, whilst England were still rebuilding following a winter of discontent. Predictions before the series covered all eventualities.

Both sides take the field on day one

The first four days were enjoyable, albeit unremarkable. England posted a reasonable score on a dry and dusty wicket, before Australia batted superbly to make England’s total look inferior, and their bowling impotent. Then came day five, which showed that test cricket, under attack from Twenty20, still has the power to grip like no other. England collapsed, surely spelling defeat. Then Paul Collingwood dug in, shepherding the lower middle order and the tail, all of whom made small but valuable contributions. Collingwood’s resistance typified his entire career: endeavour and fight over talent, as more gifted, but less reliable batsmen came and went.

When Collingwood was finally removed after 344 minutes, there were still over 11 overs left in the day, and only James Anderson and Monty Panesar stood between Australia and first blood in the series. Panesar, picked for his bowling on a spinner’s wicket, had been a disappointment, and had shown little aptitude with the bat throughout his career. Yet from somewhere, he and Anderson found reserves of concentration. As each ball, and then each over passed, Australian frustration grew, not helped by English time-wasting tactics. Meanwhile, England’s fans, who had earlier written their side off, were bit by bit, ball by ball, daring to hope again. As the hope rose however, so did the tension. What had seemed like a foregone conclusion was now a real contest.

When the end came, there was relief and frustration depending on where you looked. Against the odds, a couple of English underdogs had survived, despite their team mates’ failings. Test cricket had produced another classic encounter that would live long in the memory. The fuss and speculation about the finale would run for days, and the English had scored an improbable psychological blow, as their opponents seemed confused about their inability to find a knock-out punch. It set up cricket fans around the world for another series that would fascinate, and like this match, go right to the wire.