Ashes 2009: Hallowed Turf & Hungry Ghosts

There are few people still living that witnessed England’s last Ashes triumph at Lord’s and while some Englishmen fantasise that Australia’s undefeated streak of 75 years at the venue is pure coincidence the unprecedented run is more likely a consequence of the power inherit within Australia’s conservative cricketing traditions.

Once the dream of a BaggyGreen is reached a common goal among Australian cricketers, past and present, is to have your name appear on the hallowed wooden boards at Lord’s. It is, even in Australia, the undisputed home of cricket and every debutant to St. Johns Wood will be encouraged to linger and study the many revered names that have been inscribed over the last century.

Before and throughout the match the players will be whispered many an exaggerated and epic tale of their predecessors heroic exploits in an effort to inspire them to join the list of legends that have achieved cricket immortality with a wonderful performance against the old foe on the sacred sloping turf.

The opportunities are few, with a match played quadrennially, and more often than not it is the true greats of Australian cricket that have seized the day and stamped their names in gold script.

Bradman, Trumper, Woodfull, Miller, Gregory, MaCartney, Brown, Morris, Hassett, Barnes, Lawry, Chappell, Waugh, Border, Hughes, Boon and others grace the Batting Board and many of them were captains of their teams. A fact that Ricky Ponting in his final Lord’s Test will be well aware.

On his first appearance in 1930, Bradman at the tender age of 21 scored 254 and announced himself to the wider cricketing world with a batting display that he described in retirement as the pinnacle of his career. Considering that it was only his sixth Test and what was to come after it illustrates the esteem that Lord’s is held by those in the BaggyGreen.

Neville Cardus, the most prominent cricket journalist of that era described the famous innings as “the most murderous onslaught I have ever known in a Test match. After tea a massacre, nothing less. Never before this hour, or two hours until close of play, and never since, has a batsman equalled Bradman’s cool deliberate murder or spifflication of all bowling.”

In the next Test The Don scored 334 at Leeds to leave old Nev bereft of superlative but Sir Pelham Warne described it best when he uttered in frustration, “This is like throwing stones at Gibraltar!”

Australian names on the Bowling Boards are less frequent with many of Australia’s most prolific absent. Lindwall and Miller appear, as does Pascoe and Lawson, Alderman, McDermott, Gillespie, Mackenzie, Davidson and Massie but one man stands above them all in performance at Lord’s.

Glenn McGrath played three matches and achieved immortality in each, a truly remarkable record and befitting of his honourable disposition and respect for the cap and the men that went before him.

Of the spinners, only Clarrie Grimmett and Dutchy Holland were able to master the pitch and the batsman, with even the greatest of them all, Shane Warne, unable to have his name etched for future generations to marvel and dream about. To be fair, playing with McGrath limited his opportunities.

In 2009, which of the Australian players will join the list?

Will Phillip Hughes, like Bradman, defy his critics and score an unlikely dashing century and never look back?

Will Ponting fulfill a lifelong dream and find a place in the pantheon of Australian captains?

Can Michael Hussey in his first Lord’s Test regain form and truly earn his nickname Mr. Cricket?

Can Michael Clarke get passed the 90s on the second attempt?

Will Ben Hilfenhaus join his swinging forebears Massie and Alderman?

Or can Mitchell Johnson announce to the cricketing world that he is a genuine allrounder as Keith Miller did in 1948 and Alan Davidson in 1961?

The Lord’s Test match is always a difficult assignment for England in an Ashes series and history, form and dearly held tradition suggests that this year will be no different. I’m not sure if England truly understand the significance of the Lord’s Test to Australians but over the next five days they’ll get another chance to comprehend that, for the BaggyGreens at least, this is no ordinary Test match. It is the fulfilment of a childhood dream and a chance of a lifetime.