Lillee and Thomson come to the fore as England wilt

While England are expected to retain the Ashes Down Under this winter, the dominant force the last time the two sides played back-to-back series was very much Australia, reports Phil Harrison.
Chris OldChris Old
Chris Old

ENGLAND and Australia last contested back-to-back Ashes in 1974 and 1975.

England used 24 players across the 10 Tests – in stark contrast to the settled system they have in place today – and they were put to the sword as pace duo Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson helped Australia to a 4-1 win at home and 1-0 win away.

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The contests were notable not only for events on the field but also the fact that England captain Mike Denness twice dropped himself due to poor form.

However, Denness did score a Test-best 188 in between this leadership merry-go-round.

The series Down Under began in late November 1974 and the pattern was established immediately as Australia easily won the first two Tests.

Thomson – in just his second Test – exploited particularly venomous conditions at Brisbane’s Gabba ground with 6-46 to bowl England out for 166 as they chased 333.

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Australia captain Ian Chappell scored 90 and his brother Greg made 58 and 71, while England’s Bob Willis took seven wickets in the match and Tony Greig scored 110 in the first innings.

In the second Test at Perth, Ross Edwards and Doug Walters’s centuries gave Australia a lead of 273 after they bowled England out for 208.

Fred Titmus – recalled after a seven-year absence – made 61 and Yorkshire’s Chris Old, 43 to make Australia bat again, despite Thomson’s 5-93. But the home side needed only 21 for victory and sealed a nine-wicket win.

A tight Boxing Day Test in Melbourne was drawn, Australia finishing 238-8 chasing 246.

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England made 242 and 244 as Thomson took eight wickets, lifting his series tally to 24.

Willis took 5-61 in Australia’s first-innings 241 and the hosts went into the last hour of the match at 191-6 in their second innings, needing 55 to win, but came up short.

Normal service was resumed as Australia took the fourth Test at Sydney by 171 runs.

Denness was absent through his own doing after managing only 65 runs in six innings at that point against the rampant Lillee and Thomson.

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At Sydney, England replied to Australia’s 405 with 295. Australia declared on 289-4 but England, chasing 400, reached only 228.

That clinched the series and the hosts rubbed salt into English wounds with a 163-run victory in the fifth Test at Adelaide, despite Derek Underwood’s match haul of 11-215.

Denness returned for the sixth and final Test in Melbourne and posted his highest Test score of 188 as England claimed victory by an innings and four runs.

For the series, Thomson took 33 wickets at 17.93 and Lillee 25 at 23.84, while Greg Chappell averaged 55.27 with two hundreds and five fifties.

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A few months later, Australia travelled to England and there was no let-up as the tourists won the Edgbaston opener by an innings and 65 runs.

Denness put Australia into bat and their first-innings 359 was enough to win the match – and ultimately the series.

Lillee and Walker took five wickets apiece in England’s first-innings 101 and Thomson did likewise to dismiss them for 173 second time around.

Denness once again suggested to the selectors that he should be left out – and he never played another Test. The captaincy duties passed to Greig, and the last three games were drawn.

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In the second Test at Lord’s, Grieg made 96 and Edrich 175, while Lillee contributed 4-84.

The third Test at Headingley was abandoned on day five, with Australia 220-3 chasing 445.

Poor old Rick McCosker was left stranded on 95, but he got his maiden Test ton (127) in the last Test at the Oval, where Bob Woolmer (149) and Edrich (96) saved the game for England following Ian Chappell’s 192.

Ashes to Ashes: 1974-75 in stats

Brisbane (Nov 29-Dec 4): Aus 309 and 288/5d; Eng 265 and 166. Aus won by 166 runs

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Perth (Dec 13-17): Eng 208 and 293; Aus 481 and 23/1. Aus won by 9 wickets

Melbourne (Dec 26-31): Eng 242 and 244; Aus 241 and 238/8. Match drawn.

Sydney (Jan 4-9): Aus 405 and 289/4d; Eng 295 and 228. Aus won by 171 runs

Adelaide (Jan 25-30): Aus 304 and 272/5d; Eng 172 and 241. Aus won by 163 runs

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Melbourne (Feb 8-13): Aus 152 and 373; Eng 529. Eng won by inns and 4 runs.

Edgbaston (Jul 10-14): Aus 359; Eng 101 and 173. Aus won by inns and 85 runs.

Lord’s (Jul 31-Aug 5): Eng 315 and 436/7d; Aus 268 and 329/3. Match drawn

Headingley (Aug 14-19): Eng 288 and 291; Aus 135 and 220/3. Match drawn

The Oval (Aug 28-Sep 3): Aus 532/9d and 40/2; Eng 191 and 538. Match drawn.