Ashes in the 80s - 1986/87: Superb England retain urn in in Australia
Monday 13 April 2020 11:26, UK
Almost everything went right for England in 1986/87 as they kept hold of the Ashes urn.
In Ashes in the 80s, we bring you the inside stories on the great Ashes tussles of the decade from the players right in the thick of the action.
With no live cricket at present due to the coronavirus pandemic, we are looking back on the show which first aired during the 2019 summer, and we continue with the 1986/87 series down under.
Watch in the video at the top of the page.
Episode Four - 1986/7
It would rarely get as good as this for England in Australia as they pulled off a 'Grand Slam' - a 2-1 win to retain the Ashes, plus two ODI trophies - and celebrated in style with Elton John.
Charles Colvile recalls the 1986/87 tour, where England demolished their critics - and the Aussies - in style, winning the Melbourne Test by an innings inside three days to clinch the series with one to play.
Gatting and Micky Stewart, appointed as England's first-ever cricket manager, reflect on the reasons behind their success and how they got the best out of talismanic all-rounder Ian Botham, who smashed a hundred in the opener in Brisbane, with Merv Hughes given particular punishment.
England opener Chris Broad looks back at the three centuries that relaunched his Test career, while Allan Lamb explains the key to his memorable last-over blitz of Bruce Reid that sealed a stunning ODI win.
From the Australian side, Hughes and defeated skipper Allan Border add their recollections, including the case of mistaken identity at Sydney as they began their eventual fightback.
