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Ashes 2006-07: The infamous wide at The Gabba that set the tone for England's disaster

Shreyasi

The infamous first ball of the Ashes 2006 [Source: X/@Benedict_B]The infamous first ball of the Ashes 2006 [Source: X/@Benedict_B]

Every Ashes tour to Australia is marked by the England team's arrival with renewed hope and high expectations. Every England touring side hopes to improve their numbers Down Under and rewrite the history of the Ashes.

The atmosphere of optimism was strong at the outset of the 2006-07 Ashes series, following England's memorable victory in the 2005 Ashes.

England's quest for back-to-back glory

Since 1989, Australia had dominated the contest, won every Ashes series, and retained the urn for sixteen consecutive years. This impressive streak was finally broken in 2005, when England triumphed in one of the most celebrated Ashes series of the modern era, clinching the series 2-1.

Heading into the 2006-07 Ashes, the mood in the England camp was buoyant. Their success in 2005 instilled confidence that they could potentially start a winning streak of their own, especially against an aging Australian team.

Led by the 2005 Ashes hero Andrew Flintoff, England had Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard on their side. The trio combined to take 57 wickets in the 2005 series. Simon Jones, part of the quartet, was replaced by a future legend in James Anderson.

The first Test was at the Gabba from November 23, and England were keen to make an early impression. They lost the toss and were asked to bowl first on a good Gabba pitch. The bowler-friendly Queensland ground ignited hope in the England dressing room for early Australian breakthroughs.

The first ball fiasco: Harmison's infamous wide

Steve Harmison after bowling the wide [Source: X/@ICC]Steve Harmison after bowling the wide [Source: X/@ICC]

At a packed Gabba with nearly 40,000 spectators, the left-handed opener duo, Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden, walked in. Steve Harmison was given the responsibility to bowl the first over of the Australian innings from the pavilion end.

 He had three slips and a gully set as well as a short leg to put pressure on Langer, who readied himself to face the first delivery. The umpire Steve Bucknor signalled “Play” and the 6 ft 4 inches Harmison started his sprint towards the wicket to deliver the first ball of one of the most anticipated Ashes ever.

Harmison wanted to bowl an outswinger for the left-hander Langer. He delivered the ball, which pitched way outside the off stump and kept swinging to be caught by the English captain Flintoff at the second slip.

Langer did not even make any attempt to play that one, and Bucknor immediately called it a wide.

To everyone’s surprise, Harmison, who was famous for setting the tone of England’s victorious Ashes campaign in the 2005 Ashes, did exactly the opposite after 18 months. When asked about the delivery later, Harmison recalled,

"When it came to bowling the first ball, I froze. I let the enormity of the situation get to me. It all seemed so alien to me. My whole body was nervous. I could not get my hands to stop sweating. The first ball slipped."

Clearly, Harmison was nervous about the challenges ahead. But that one wide pretty much set the tone for the match and the series.

He bowled 30 overs in the first innings and conceded 123 runs for a solitary wicket. In the second innings, he came as a second-change bowler and went wicketless.

Australia's redemption: A 5-0 clean sweep by the hosts

On the other hand, Langer’s 82, Michael Hussey’s 86, and a mammoth 196 from the captain, Ricky Ponting, took Australia above 600. Langer got his hundred in the second innings, and England lost the Test match by 277 runs.

After the opening Test at the Gabba, there was no looking back for Australia. They were determined to reclaim the Ashes and avenge the 2005 loss. Motivated by a strong desire for revenge, the Australians demonstrated their superior skills and dominance throughout the remainder of the series. 

Their relentless performance overwhelmed the England team, ultimately resulting in a comprehensive 5-0 series victory. This emphatic display reaffirmed Australia's reputation as one of the greatest Test sides in modern cricket history.

For, Steve Harmison the 2006-07 Ashes ended with only 10 wickets at an average above 60. He went on to play 13 Test matches for England after the Ashes, claiming 37 wickets.

His mental toughness and desire to fight for his place in the team were questioned regularly. His last match for England came quite quickly during the 2009 Ashes when he was not even 31.