Ashes in the 80s - 1989: Shambolic England thumped by Australia
Fading forces, rebel tours and a press-conference walkout - how England fell apart in the 1989 Ashes
Sunday 19 April 2020 09:20, UK
England were superb in the Ashes in Australia in 1986-87 - but it was an entirely different story at home in 1989 as they were crushed 4-0.
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 1989 series as Australia convincingly retained the urn.
Watch in the video at the top of the page.
Episode Five - 1989
"Everything we touched turned to gold," observes former Australia captain Allan Border as he ruminates one of the most one-sided Ashes series in history - the 4-0 trouncing of a shambolic England team.
Criticised for over-friendliness with the England players in the past, Border's 'Captain Grumpy' persona turned out to be a winning one as the home side quickly disintegrated under Aussie pressure.
We examine the 1989 series when Australia used 12 players and England 29 - many of whom signed up for a rebel tour of South Africa midway through the Ashes - and Baggy Greens seamer Merv Hughes became hot property.
England captain David Gower is among those looking back at what went wrong, from his decision to bowl in the first Test at Headingley to his terse walkout at a Lord's press conference and eventual sacking.
Meanwhile, Ian Botham explains how he could not be the bowler of old and would probably have dropped himself had he been in charge.
Plus, Terry Alderman - who speculates that he might have bagged even more than 41 wickets if DRS had been in operation - also reflects on a series that set the tone for a 16-year Australian stranglehold on the Ashes.
