The Daily Telegraph - 26.08.2019

Barmy Army life and soles

of the Headingley party

I

n the shadeless bedlam of

Headingley’s raucous

Western Terrace, they came

dressed as beer bottles,

bananas, Geoffrey Boycotts

and Dickie Birds. By the end

of the afternoon, thanks to the

Barmy Army’s new favourite song,

they all had bare feet.

“Shoes off if you love Ben

Stokes” shouted 23-year-old Tom

Burton, leaping up in 31C heat as

his hero closed in on fifty shortly

before 2.15pm.

The entire crowd was soon with

him in full voice, pints in one hand,

sandals in the other.

Locals exchanged 38-year-old

memories of Ian Botham cracking

an unbeaten 149 at this same arena.

Like yesterday, that heroic

display had a uniting influence for

a country beset by political

division and protest. However,

unlike yesterday, Beefy’s brilliance

• which gave England a 130 lead
  the day before fast bowler Bob
  Willis produced career-best figures
  of eight for 43 – was witnessed by a
  half-empty Headingley.
  Nobody expected that famous
  Botham innings, and the main
  drama was played out on Monday
  and Tuesday due to the now
  abandoned rest days. Yesterday,
  however, with 18,000 seats filled
  by 11am, supporters produced a
  cacophony of chants that Elland
  Road would envy. “We felt like we
  had 12 men,” said England captain
  Joe Root later. “The crowd were
  just incredible ... electric.”
  The beer and Pimm’s were sent
  spraying into the air at 4.20pm,
  after Stokes’s winning runs, and
  England’s match-winner was full of
  gratitude. He described the scenes
  as “absolutely deafening”.
  “Walking off there at the end
  when the whole of Headingley was
  standing up and celebrating was a
  very special moment and
  something I had to try to take in
  because moments like that don’t
  come along very often,” he said.
  Unlike the crowd, Stokes had

been forced to bottle all his

emotions. Stokes barely realised he

was on 96 and did not show a

flicker of emotion when he

crunched a pull for four to reach

his century in 199 balls.

It sparked a riot in the stands,

but England’s key man could not

afford to let his emotions show.

Afterwards, however, he paid

glowing tribute to the crowd for

never giving up hope after England

were bowled out for 67.

“When there was nothing to

cheer about they were cheering,”

he said. “I hope the fans

understand how much that

influences us in terms of where we

are in the game. It gives you that

extra drive and adrenalin to really

push you through.

“You almost want to do it for

them, the fact they’ve been here

through thick and thin. Getting

bowled out for 67 is obviously not

ideal but they were still with us.

“To walk off after winning, we

can show a lot of respect to the fans

in terms of how good they were

with us.”

The on-field action was similar

to 1981, and yet so much better.

Stokes’s remarkable 135 not out

was the only way to outdo Beefy on

the field, while, in the stands, the

delirium was incomparable.

“This tops ’81,” said George

Sansom, 54. “And it was so much

better than the World Cup final. I

feel so lucky to have witnessed

Stokes doing that.”

Mark Edwards, 41, from Dursley,

Gloucestershire, said: “I was at

Edgbaston for the World Cup. They

say that place is the lion’s den, but

Headingley is a new fortress. The

crowd have been wonderful.”

After Stokes’s electrifying

century, all four ends leapt to their

feet and then never sat down again

and the margin was closed down in

agonising fashion.

“Come on, England” and “don’t

take me home” in the West Stand

were interrupted only by the

occasional eruptions of ecstasy as

the boundary shots kept coming.

This was the day that grand old

Headingley so dearly needed.

This was the 25th Ashes Test at

this ground, but, after a 10-year

hiatus, yesterday was an audition

to return permanently to the top

table. Fans leaving the ground said

its status was assured.

“Thirty-eight years ago was one

of my favourites moments

watching England,” said Jim

Gallagher, 74, from Manchester.

“But the crowd weren’t like this.

The young ones should be

applauded. They turn up, they

behave but they enjoy themselves.

They’ve done Headingley a

massive favour.”

Soft shoe shuffle:

England’s

supporters show

their support for

match-winner

Ben Stokes by

lifting their shoes

up as the

all-rounder

guides his team

to a remarkable

victory at

Headingley in the

third Test

yesterday

PA

Just like 1981 Win evokes

memories of Botham epic

Headingley was also the scene of

the Ian Botham-inspired win over

Australia in the third Test in 1981

After 10-year absence,

crowd ensure Leeds

venue worthy of Ashes

Test, writes Tom Morgan

Marcus Harris

Strange that Cameron Bancroft

was not given one more game.

Harris coped OK against the new

balls – and Australia can hardly

go back to Bancroft.

Marnus Labuschagne

Nobody could have

impersonated Steve Smith

better. Exemplary in leaving on

line and length, and dropping his

hands to avoid the bouncer.

David Warner

Back to his bristling best with 61

in the toughest conditions,

throwing England’s seamers off

track, and world-class slip

catching off pace and spin.

Usman Khawaja

Another fluent little innings,

before another loose drive – and

now Australia have a compact

and disciplined alternative in

Marnus Labuschagne.

Travis Head

Copped the perfect ball from

Broad first time, another

valuable innings second time

and Australia’s third-highest

scorer with 160. Top run-out.

Matthew Wade

Has probably done enough to

keep his place in the team with

his gutsy 33. Unlucky with the

rebound on to his leg stump in

his first innings.

James Pattinson

The least of Australia’s three fast

bowlers in this match – and he

wobbled under pressure from

Bairstow on day four, when

Australia first let it slip.

Nathan Lyon

Added another career accolade

when he passed Dennis Lillee’s

355 Test wickets, but Stokes

slipped his leash to launch his

final last-wicket onslaught.

Tim Paine

Powerless in the face of Ben

Stokes’s onslaught – and wasted

his last review on Pat Cummins’

lbw appeal against Leach, which

cost Australia the game.

Pat Cummins

Due a break as the world’s No 1

and the only Australian pace

bowler to have played all three

Tests. Fast, accurate, unrelenting

• until beaten by Stokes.

Josh Hazlewood

Superlative with the new ball

here and at Lord’s, but also

superlative with the old ball here

• hostile, great line, steep
  bounce, until he tired.

8

5

5

7

7

6 8

5

6

9

6

Australia

player

ratings

By Scyld Berry

The Daily Telegraph Monday 26 August 2019 *** 7
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