| Tour of England 2001 Captain: Steve Waugh | |
| | | | |
| Australia’s 71st Test tour (May - August 2001)
34th Test-playing tour of
England by Australia
(previous tour was in 1997)
| The team broke into its journey to England to
pay a visit to Gallipoli, the battle scene where thousands of Australian
soldiers had fought against the Turks in the First World War. They were able
to stand where Anzacs played a cricket match at Shell Green to distract the
enemy during the troops' evacuation. The cricket tour began with the NatWest ODI series
but crowd trouble marred the matches.
Following pitch invasions at Edgbaston and Headingley, a full beer can was hurled on to the
balcony during the presentation ceremony after the final at Lord's and hit
Michael Bevan in the face. Australian
Cricket Board chief executive Malcolm Speed wrote an urgent letter to the
England Cricket Board demanding better security arrangements. Warne and McGrath bowled Australia
to a comfortable 4-1 victory in the Test series. England’s batsmen had no answer
to these two except at Headingley where stand-in captain Adam Gilchrist
became the first Australian skipper ever to lose a Test match after declaring
and setting the opposition a target. Shane Warne took 31 wickets, and became the first Australian to pass 400 wickets in
Test cricket. McGrath had 32 wickets, his impressive returns including five
in an innings in almost every Test. England’s
humiliation was complete when Steve Waugh, hobbling but refusing to allow a
leg injury prevent him from playing at The Oval, scored 157 not out. Australia’s
other great player Adam Gilchrist became the wicket-keeper to reach 100
dismissals in the fewest Tests (22).
| Other
Australian Tours Previous
Tour India 2000-01 Next
Tour South Africa 2001-02 Next
tour of England 2005 | |
| Members
of the Test tour party (17 + 1) Opening batsmen Michael Slater, Matthew Hayden Middle-order batsmen: Damien Martyn, Justin Langer
Ricky Ponting, Simon Katich, Mark Waugh, Stephen Waugh Wicket-keepers Adam Gilchrist, Wade Seccombe Spin bowlers Shane Warne, Colin Miller Fast bowlers : Brett
Lee, Damien Fleming, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath, Nathan Bracken (replaced by Ashley Noffke) ⋄ contracted player (the ACB named 25 players chosen by the
selectors on 1 May 2001) | N W Bracken | NSW ⋄ | 23 | LFM | ODI w/d | | D W Fleming | Vic ⋄ | 31 | RFM | ODI | | A C Gilchrist | WA ⋄ | 29 | LHB WK
vice-captain | ODI | | J N
Gillespie | SA ⋄ | 26 | RFM | ODI | | M L Hayden | Qld ⋄ | 29 | RHB opener | ODI | | S M Katich | WA ⋄ | 25 | LHB (SLA) | | | J L
Langer | WA ⋄ | 30 | LHB | | | B Lee | NSW ⋄ | 24 | RF | ODI added | | G D McGrath | NSW ⋄ | 31 | RF | ODI | | D R Martyn | WA ⋄ | 29 | RHB | ODI | | C R Miller | WA ⋄ | 37 | RHB OB/RM | | | R T Ponting | Tas ⋄ | 26 | RHB | ODI | | W A Seccombe | Qld | 29 | second WK | | | M J Slater | NSW ⋄ | 31 | RHB opener | | | S K Warne | Vic ⋄ | 31 | LBG | ODI | | M E Waugh | NSW ⋄ | 35 | RHB | ODI | | S R Waugh | NSW ⋄ | 35 | RHB RM
captain | ODI | | | Member
of the ODI squad only | M G
Bevan (NSW ⋄) | ODI | | A J
Bichel (Qld ⋄) | ODI | | I J Harvey (Vic ⋄) | ODI | | A
Symonds (Qld ⋄) | ODI |
|
State representation Pura
Cup teams NSW New
South Wales (6) Qld Queensland
(2) SS South
Australia (1) Tas Tasmania
(1) Vic Victoria
(2) WA Western
Australia (5) Average age of team at time of first Test match (5 July 2001) :
29
yrs 10 months ⋄ contracted player ODI member of the ODI squad for the National Westminster Bank
series. | |
| Test
Appearances made before the tour | S Waugh 135, M Waugh 111, Warne 87,
McGrath 70, Slater 70, Ponting 42,
Gillespie 21, Gilchrist
17, Hayden 16, Martyn 11,
Lee 7, Katich 0,
Seccombe 0. [Noffke 0]. | | |
| Tour
Officials | Steve Bernard | Tour manager | Mike Walsh | Assistant manager / scorer | John Buchanan | Coach | Patrick Farhart | Physiotherapist (one-day
series) | Errol Alcott | Physiotherapist (Test
series) | Rebecca Lauder | Massage therapist | Jock Campbell | Physical performance
manager | Brian Murgatroyd | Media manager | Trevor Crouch | Baggage / driver |
This
was the first time the Australians brought a massage specialist in addition
to a physio; Rebecca Lauder had previously worked with South Australia. | | |
| Selectors | Trevor Hohns (chairman),
David Boon, Allan Border, Andrew Hilditch. | | |
| Selection | Unavailable: Tour Party Announced : 12 April 2001. The selection included only two opening batsmen and no reserve
wicket-keeper. In the event that
Gilchrist needed to be rested, New
South Wales wicketkeeper Brad Haddin was available
in English league cricket. On 8 May the selectors' request for a second wicket-keeper Wade
Seccombe was agreed. Not selected : Greg Blewett
(SA ⋄), Jamie Cox (Tas), Darren Lehmann (SA ⋄), Stuart MacGill (NSW ⋄), Mike Kasprowicz (Qld) | Time between selection and departure from Australia 44 days (12 April - 26 May) | |
| Travel Sydney Q Istanbul Q London
Heathrow | Brett Lee (elbow) and Jason Gillespie (foot) needed
to pass fitness tests on 18 May before joining the tour. The touring party gathered at the Darling Harbour
Convention Centre in Sydney on 25 May for a
farewell lunch and left Sydney International Airport
on Saturday 26 May 2001, flying to Turkey for a two-day
stopover. After a five-hour bus trip
from Istanbul
to Gelibolu (Gallipoli) on 27 May they witnessed where cricket was played at
Shell Green. Arrived at Heathrow Airport
on Tuesday 29 May 2001, and travelled directly to Worcester for the first match. The Test-only players departed Australia on 18 June, except for
Lee who flew over early, arriving on 5 June to work on his fitness with Jock
Campbell. Nottinghamshire allowed him to play for their second XI. The Test
players joined the rest of the team on 19 June. | Time spent in England 91 days (29 May- 28 August) | |
| On-tour
selection | Steve Waugh and Adam Gilchrist, in consultation with Trevor Hohns
as the chairman of selectors. Coach John Buchanan lost his role as a tour selector before the
team left Australia,
on the recommendation of the national selection panel, so he would be
independent of the selection process | | |
| Reinforcements | It was a surprise when Brett Lee, who was in in England working on his fitness for the Test
squad, was included in the one-day team at Cardiff. The management had said a
fortnight previously that Lee would not take part in the one-day tournament
but three fast bowlers were injured. Taking 1-85, Lee set a new record with
the most expensive ten overs by an Australian bowler in one-day
internationals. It was then announced that Andy Bichel, who was playing for Worcestershire, would also join
the one-day squad. Nathan
Bracken’sinjured left shoulder meant he was sent home after the NatWest
final match, to be replaced by Ashley
Noffke. He was recently awarded a contract with the
ACB for the first time | | |
| Fixtures/Results Police were called in to
investigate after the Australian team's dressing room at Hove was broken into overnight during their match against Sussex
and equipment to the value of £1200 was stolen. | a | Worcester | Worcestershire | Won 360 r | b | † Lord's | Middlesex (50 overs) | Lost 6 w | c | † Northampton
| Northamptonshire (50 overs) | Tied | d | § Cardiff | Pakistan(1st
ODI) | Won 7 w | e | § Bristol | England (2nd ODI) | Won 5 w | f | § Old Trafford | England (3rd ODI) | Won 125 r | g | § Chester-le-Street | Pakistan(4th
ODI) | Abandoned (rain) | h | § Trent Bridge
| Pakistan(5th
ODI) | Lost 36 r | i | § Kennington Oval | England (6th ODI) | Won 8 w | j | § Lord's | Pakistan (ODI final) | Won 9 w | k | Arundel | M C C | Won 280 r | l | Chelmsford | Essex | Drawn | m | EDGBASTON | ENGLAND First Test | WON inns 118 r | n | Taunton | Somerset | Won 176 r | o | LORD’S | ENGLAND Second Test | WON 8 w | p | Southampton | Hampshire | Lost 2 w | q | TRENT BRIDGE | ENGLAND Third Test | WON 7 w | r | Hove | Sussex | Won 8 w | s | † Ormeau, Belfast | Ireland (50 overs) | No result | t | HEADINGLEY | ENGLAND Fourth Test | LOST 6 w | u | KENNINGTON OVAL | ENGLAND Fifth Test | WON inns 25 r |
| † not first-class § one-day international (Nat West Bank series) Time
spent in England
before First Test: 37 days (29 May - 5 July) | |
| Test
appearances on tour | 5 - Gilchrist, Gillespie, Hayden,
Lee, McGrath, Martyn,
Ponting, Warne, M Waugh 4 - Slater,
S Waugh 1 - Katich,
Langer 0 - Bracken,
Fleming, Miller, Noffke, Seccombe. | | |
| Match
appearances T Test match o one-day international x other match ⊕ T/20 international ∙ played for opposition W won L lost D drawn N
no result A abandoned u unknown result | | a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | i | j | k | l | m | n | o | p | q | r | s | t | u | N
W Bracken | x | x | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | D
W Fleming | x | | x | | | | | o | o | | x | | | x | | x | | x | | | | A
C Gilchrist | x | | x | o | o | o | | o | o | o | | x | T | | T | | T | x | | T | T | J
N Gillespie | | x | x | | | o | | o | | o | x | x | T | | T | x | T | | | T | T | M
L Hayden | x | x | x | | o | o | | o | o | | x | x | T | x | T | x | T | | x | T | T | S
M Katich | | | | | | | | | | | x | | | x | | x | | x | x | T | | J
L Langer | | | | | | | | | | | x | x | | x | | x | | x | x | | T | B
Lee | | | | o | o | | | o | o | o | | x | T | | T | x | T | x | x | T | T | G
D McGrath | x | | x | o | o | o | | | o | o | | x | T | | T | | T | | x | T | T | D
R Martyn | x | x | x | o | o | o | | o | | o | x | x | T | x | T | | T | | x | T | T | C
R Miller | | | | | | | | | | | x | x | | x | | x | | x | x | | | A
A Noffke | | | | | | | | | | | | | | x | | x | | x | | | | R
T Ponting | x | x | | o | o | o | | | o | o | | x | T | x | T | | T | x | x | T | T | W Seccombe | | x | x | | | | | | | | x | | | x | | x | | x | x | | | M
J Slater | | | | | | | | | | | x | x | T | x | T | | T | x | | T | | S
K Warne | x | x | | o | o | o | | o | | o | x | | T | | T | x | T | | x | T | T | M
E Waugh | x | x | x | o | o | | | o | o | o | | x | T | x | T | | T | x | x | T | T | S
R Waugh | x | x | | o | o | o | | o | o | o | x | | T | | T | x | T | | | | T | M
G Bevan | x | | x | o | | o | | o | o | o | | | | | | | | | | | | A
J Bichel | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | I
J Harvey | | x | x | o | o | o | | | o | o | | | | | | | | | | | | A
Symonds | | x | x | o | o | o | | o | o | | | | | | | | | | | | | RESULTS
| W | L | T | W | W | W | A | L | W | W | W | D | W | W | W | L | W | W | N | L | W |
| Australia’s six previous Test tour results: in India 2000-01 (3 Tests) - lost 1-2 in New Zealand 1999-00 (3 Tests) - won 3-0 in Zimbabwe
1999-00 (1 Test) - won 1-0 in Sri Lanka 1999-00 (3 Tests) - lost 0-1 in West Indies 1999 (4
Tests) - drawn 2-2 in Pakistan
1998-99 (3 Tests) - won 1-0 | |
| Highlights | • Shane Warne began the Test series by taking
5-71; he captured 6-33 at Trent
Bridge and 7-165 &
4-64 at The Oval. His haul was 31
wickets and he became the first Australian to pass 400 Test wickets • McGrath had 32 wickets in the series, taking
5-54 at Lord’s, 5-49 at Notts, 7-76 at Leeds
and 5-43 at The Oval. • Steve Waugh, refusing to let a leg injury
prevent him from playing at The Oval, acored 157*. • At The Oval Shane Warne took his 400th wicket
and Adam Gilchrist became the wicket-keeper to reach 100 dismissals in the
fewest Tests (22) | | |
| Tour
Summary | | P | W | L | D | T | Aban | Test Matches | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | - | - | Other first-class matches | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | - | - | ϯ Minor matches | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | § One-day internationals | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | - | 1 | All Matches | 21 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| | |
| Return
to Australia London Q | The limited-overs players ..... The team left for Australia
from London on
28 August 2001. | Time away from Australia 95
days (26 May to 29? August) | |
| Finances | In a six-figure deal, foreign exchange specialists, Travelex, were
the official sponsors of the Australians for the entire tour of the UK, including the one-day international series
with England and Pakistan and
the five-Test series. Adam Gilchrist was Travelex’s representative during the
tour. | | |
| Written
accounts of the tour | “Ashes
Diary 2001” (2001) by Steve Waugh (Harper Sports, 2001) | | |
| Postscript | Steve Waugh dropped Michael
Slater because of his eccentric behaviour and media work off the field as much
as for playing form.
In their last 40 Tests against England,
Australia had won 25 matches
and England
only six. However, while Australia
were top of the ICC Test rankings, England had won their last four
series against other opposition and stood third.
| | |