Ricky Ponting on the Adelaide Test

Here is an interesting interview with Brett Lee.
A good inside aspect:

It came not before the final day, but two days earlier when we were about to resume at 1-28 chasing a far off 551.

“There are a lot of people who have written us off in this Test match,” he said.

“Not just winning but even getting a draw. Let’s go out and prove to them we can win this Test.”

There was real purpose and conviction about his tone and the impact of his message stayed with us throughout the next three days — Justin Langer mentioned Ricky’s words at lunch on the final day.

And what a day it was. Here is a snapshot of a day we will never forget.

Come out swinging

I GREETED the last morning with great anticipation because there was something I saw the night before that excited me — reverse swing.

I figured that if the ball was starting to reverse after 22 overs, we were going to be a great chance on the final day.

The mood at breakfast was buoyant. Guys were really upbeat but it was a strange feeling. Because of the slow-moving nature of the game, it was almost as if the game had been going for 10 days.

I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the ball but it was a smart move to give Stuart Clark first use because he is a great bowler to left-handers.

When Stuey started to get movement away from Andrew Strauss, I thought, “You little beauty”.

An early shiver

EARLY in the session when we got Strauss out, Warnie said in the huddle, “If we can pick up a few more early wickets, we will send a shiver through the changerooms”.

When Ian Bell was run out, everyone lifted. We knew then it was game on because England was just not scoring runs and occupation of the crease was never going to be enough.

But the real turning point was when Warne bowled Kevin Pietersen around his legs. The ball turned so much it almost missed off stump and players noted that.

Shane Lee 1, Flintoff 0

I HAD a strange experience before I bowled the ball that got Andrew Flintoff out edging.

I had bowled a series of outswingers and was going to bowl him an inswinger, but then I heard my big brother’s voice and it changed my plan.

Shane was an excellent bowler with the old ball. He was in Adelaide for the Test and had given me some great advice about being patient. He said you don’t have to bowl the inswinger once an over.

So I bowled the outswinger and he nicked it. After stumps I had a beer with Freddie and he said, “You bugger . . . you stitched me up there”.

He said he felt he had to play at the ball because he was expecting an inswinger.

Something in the air

AFTER getting Flintoff out, I went back to the boundary at deep cover point and I could sense the crowd atmosphere was turning electric.

I reached down for a Gatorade and the crowd started yelling, “It’s game on, Binga”. I was thinking, “We are a chance”, but didn’t want to get carried away.

When Matthew Hayden caught Geraint Jones in the gully, Haydos hugged me so tightly I thought my back was going to break.

Pigeon, then tea

THEY say you shouldn’t spend your time looking at the clock and the scoreboard, but it was impossible not to as we ground towards tea and the equation was getting tighter.

I was fielding at a gully-point when Glenn McGrath was bowling and before the last ball of their innings I shined the ball and took it up to him.

I asked him how he was going and he said, “Good . . . but I’ve got to get this guy out”, and I said, “Well, as always, everyone backs you . . . come on . . . last ball before tea, it would be great to get him out”.

When the ball hit Jimmy Anderson’s pads, I didn’t even bother seeing where it ended up. I just focused on umpire Rudi Koertzen. The sight of that slow left finger rising was one of the sweetest moments of the day.

Thrill of the chase

THE rooms were buzzing after the England innings.

We decided to treat the chase like a one-day innings. We said we didn’t have to get them in the first 15 overs because we have a lot of time to bat, but we still wanted to put the pressure on England.

The first shot that Justin Langer played, a slap through widish mid-on off Matthew Hoggard, shocked the English players because they knew then we would have a crack.

People may say we got the runs easily but it was still incredibly tense in our rooms. I was sitting on the edge of my seat and my hands were sweating as I watched beside Warnie and Punter.

With 20 runs to go guys started dropping lines like, “This would go down as one of the greatest wins ever”, and Ricky would smirk and say “C’mon, let’s just do it and worry about that later”.

How sweet it is

WHEN Mike Hussey hit the winnings runs, you could hear the incredible roar in the stands and the dressingroom.

It was just a great moment of sport. My favourite part was going around in front of the Australian fans who had been based in front of the famous scoreboard.

They were seated beside the Barmy Army and they just went off after we won.

The roar around the ground caused me to break out in goose bumps and they lasted for several minutes. Even the Barmy Army gave us a good reception.

I grabbed a couple of stumps and gave one to Michael Clarke and Huss.

Sing it again … and again

OUR famous team song Beneath The Southern Cross can be sung any time after our victory depending on when choir leader Justin Langer feels is appropriate.

Sometimes it can be hours after the game. But Justin seized the moment and did it immediately after the game, starting off with, “I have heard a bit of a rumour that Australia is 2-0 up in the Ashes”.

We normally sing it twice. This time we did it three times.

As soon as we started singing the song the crowds who fill the corporate tents at the back of the members stand started cheering which added to the fun of it.

The English boys, to their great credit, came into our rooms. They are great bunch and we had a good chat.

It was around midnight by the time I arrived back at the team hotel after a day that may yet be remembered as our team’s finest moment.