By Dinesh Anandan
As Ashes moves on to Adelaide, let’s take a trip down the memory lane and look at some of the greatest test match moments in Adelaide.
Dravid’s heroics in the 2003 Adelaide test:
Beating Australia was hard, beating Australia in Australia after conceding 556 in the first innings was an aberration. With 233 & 72*, Dravid orchestrated India’s most outstanding away victory in Adelaide 03. Agarkar took 6 wickets in the second innings which shifted the momentum towards India’s side.
England’s epic collapse in the 2006-07 Ashes:
England posting a commanding 561 which includes Collingwood’s double century and Kevin Pietersen’s century, Australia trailing by just 50 odd runs. Further, England’s collapse in the second innings making things easy for Hussey who drove the Aussies to an unlikely victory at the Adelaide Oval. Credits to Aussie captain Ricky Ponting and Coach John Buchanan who believed in their bowlers and eyed themselves for a win rather than settling for a draw.
Don’t Mess with the Master – Sachin smashing Hogg all round the park:
Adelaide, 2007: 2 months prior, Hogg bowled Sachin with a flipper in an ODI in India. After the dismissal, Sachin told Hogg, “You won’t get me after this” and thrashed Hogg till he retired. It was an high scoring draw with Sachin scoring 153. It was the sixes that Sachin hit off Brad Hogg, dancing down the track and clearing the monstrous Adelaide 90m straight boundaries.
ABD and Faf’s resilience ensured the visitors a hard-fought draw:
Adelaide, 2012: ABD’s mind-blowing 220-ball 33 blockathon, switching gears from his usual playing style. What a nail-biting day 5! Peter Siddle charged in like a raging bull, bowled his heart out, Faf Duplessis announced his arrival in style, blocking his way to an epic 376 balls 110* to save the test, making a draw as nerve-wracking and exciting as a win.
Virat Kohli announced himself at the Test Stage:
Adelaide, 2014: 242-2 chasing 363 for a win, India almost pulled off a great 4th innings heist, before Lyon spun India out with 7. Virat’s epic 148 will remain his greatest test knock in a losing knock. Champion innings!
Will Adelaide produce yet another fascinating contest? Let us find out when England take on Australia in the second Magellan Ashes Test on December 2.
