Many fine contests fought out but Aussies came on top!

Greg Chappell of Australia – Made 131 in the total of 308 in the first innings of the Lord’s Test in 1972.

Geoff Beycott of England made many fine scores during his career and he made his 100th Century in the fourth Test against Australia at Headingley in 1977. He made 191 in total of 436. England won the match by innings as Australia were out for 103 and 248.

FLASHBACK: The Ashes between England and Australia in the cricket series produced many interesting episodes, with the advantage swinging from side to side. England were victorious in 1970-71, largely should go the outstanding fast bowling of John Snow. But with the arrival of Dennis Lillee, accompanied first by Bob Massie and then by Jeff Thomson, the pendulum swung in the face of Australia.

The 1974-75 series brought the Aussies a triumph of especially satisfactory scale, four to zero.

The Australian supremacy might have lasted longer had not an entrepreneur called Kerry Packer intervened to throw the cricket world into turmoil.

At the same period, England obtained a captain of exceptional intelligence-Mike Brearley and peerless match-winning allrounder-Ian Botham. Australia were thrashed in three Tests out of the next four, although the last of these, in England in 1981, they should by any rational calculation have won. With Ian Botham on the pitch, rational calculation did not count for much.

Many good contests

Bob Massie of Australia – turned out to be a champion bowler in the Australia – England series taking 8 for 84 in the first innings and 8 for 53 second innings and England were out for 272 in the first and second innings respectively. This was in the “Lords Test” in 1972.

There were many fine contests and outstanding personal performances during this period. Most memorable were Aussie Massie's extraordinary debut Test at Lord's; the Centenary Test at Melbourne in 1977, won by Lillee's bowling, despite the defiance of Derek Randall; Geoffrey Boycott's 100th hundred; and the most unbelievable England victory at Headingley in 1981, when Botham and Willis between them worked a secular miracle.

In the Australia - England series at Lord's 1972, Robert Arnold Lockyer Massie turned out to be the champion bowler in the second Test at Lord's. Massie turned out to be the champion, taking 8 for 84 in the first innings and 8 for 53 in the second innings and England were out for 272 in the first innings and 116 in the second innings.

Australia made 308 with Greg Chappell making 131 and Marsh made 50. Australia made 81 for 2 wickets with Stackpole making 57 not out.

Then came the all important centenary test at Melbourne, 1977. Australia made 138 in the first innings, but did quite well in the second innings making 419 for 9 wickets and closing their innings. David make 68, Hookes 56, Walters 56 and Marsh 110 and England's Old captured 4 for 104.

England were shot out for 95 with Lillee capturing 6 for 26 and Walker taking 4 for 54. Though England did very much better in their second innings scoring 417 (Derek Randall 174, Amiss 64) they fell short of Australia's score and lost the match by 45 runs. Dennis Lillee took 5 for 139 and O'Keeffe 3 for 108.

Dennis Lillee of Australia – bowled exceptionally well in the Centenary Test at Melbourne in 1977 and had haul of 11 for 165 runs – 6 for 26 in the first innings and 5 for 139 in England’s second innings total of 417. Australia won the Test by 45 runs.

Jeff Thomson of Australia) – took 4 for 113 in the fourth Test where England scored 436 in the first innings at Headingley in 1977.

Ian Botham of England – turned out to be a fine allround cricketer for England and he was in the thick of things when his services were needed by England.

Dennis Amiss of England – made 64 in the England total of 417 runs in the second innings after being shot out for 95 in the first innings. This was in the Centenary Test at Melbourne in 1977 and Australia won the Test by 45 runs.