Cricket: England must follow the class of '55

If England can snatch the final Test and therefore steal the series they will be in illustrious company.

THE CONCEPT of England going into the final Test of a major series all-square seems something of a novelty nowadays. Those of a cynical disposition have come to believe that the only time England are level is before the first Test, but in fact it is just three years since Mike Atherton's side went to The Oval needing victory to defeat the West Indies in a six-Test series.

On that occasion a first innings total of 454, thanks mainly to Graeme Hick's 96 and Jack Russell's 91, put England in a healthy position but a bowling attack of Devon Malcolm, Angus Fraser and Dominic Cork, with support from Mike Watkinson, Jason Gallian and Hick, was powerless in the face of a West Indies onslaught spearheaded by Brian Lara.

He made an imperious 179 out of a total of 692, his third century in three consecutive Tests. Atherton himself, with 95 in England's second innings, ensured that the series finished drawn.

To find an instance of England winning the decisive Test in a five or six-match series, you have to go back a long way - 43 years, in fact, to 1955 when, by happy coincidence, South Africa were the visitors. Rather as England have done this summer, South Africa fought their way back into that rubber by winning the third and fourth Tests after losing the first two.

Jack Cheetham, the tourists' captain, missed the victories at Old Trafford and Headingley through injury and the side was led by the opener Jackie McGlew.

Cheetham was back for the final Test at the Oval, but with hindsight he may wish he had left his trusty lieutenant in charge. More than 100,000 spectators watched a low-scoring game over four days that was won for England by three men playing on their home ground.

After England had secured a precious first-innings lead of 39 by bowling South Africa out for 112, their captain, Peter May, then made 89, which was the highest score of the match in England's second innings, to set South Africa 244 to win.

But with the Surrey spinners, Jim Laker and Tony Lock, sharing nine wickets between them, the task proved beyond Cheetham's men and England won by 92 runs.

Over the next five days at Headingley England have the chance to win a major series for the first time since 1986-87 when Mike Gatting's team went to Australia and retained the Ashes.

Although David Gower, the captain when they had won them the year before, was no longer in charge, he was still an integral member of a side that went 1-0 up after the first Test in Brisbane thanks to Ian Botham's ferocious 138 in 174 balls, which included taking 22 off one over by Merv Hughes.

Gower, Gatting and Bill Athey chipped in with half-centuries and despite Geoff Marsh hitting a defiant century in his first Test against the old enemy, England still won by seven wickets.

In the Perth Test, England hit 592 for 8 declared, their second highest total in Australia, with centuries from Chris Broad, Gower and the wicketkeeper Jack Richards. But Allan Border held his team together with a heroic 125, saving the follow-on with the last man at the crease and Australia escaped with a draw. Border and Broad swapped centuries again in another high- scoring draw at Adelaide before Australia's resistance was finally broken in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne.

Broad's third century in consecutive Tests laid the foundations for England's success after they had bowled Australia out for 141, Botham and Gladstone Small taking five wickets apiece. When the Australians folded for under 200 for a second time before the end of the third day, England had won by an innings and 14 runs.

Australia, of course, have been making England pay ever since, but perhaps the wheel of fortune has come full circle again. Victory against South Africa would be a step in the right direction if England are to regain the Ashes this winter.

DOWN TO THE WIRE

England's final-Test deciders in a five-match series since the war

1953

v Australia, The Oval. England win by 8 wickets to win series 1-0.

1955

v South Africa, The Oval, England win by 92 runs to win series 3-2.

1962-63

v Australia, Sydney, Match drawn, series drawn 1-1.

1963-64

v India, Kanpur, Match drawn, series drawn 0-0.

1965-66

v Australia, Melbourne, Match drawn, series drawn 1-1.

1990

v West Indies, Antigua, West Indies won by innings and 32 runs to win series 2-1.

1992

v Pakistan, The Oval, Pakistan win by 10 wickets to win series 2-1.

HEADINGLEY: THE LAST 10 TESTS

1997

Australia beat England by an innings and 61 runs

England 172 and 268, Australia 501-9 declared

1996

England drew with Pakistan

Pakistan 448 and 242-7 dec, England 501

1995

West Indies beat England by 9 wickets

England 199 and 208, West indies 282 and 129-1

1994

England drew with South Africa

England 477-9 dec and 267-5 dec, South Africa 447 and 116-3

1993

Australia beat England by an innings and 148 runs

Australia 653-4 dec, England 200 and 305

1992

England beat Pakistan by 6 wickets

Pakistan 197 and 221, England 320 and 99-4

1991

England beat West indies by 115 runs

England 198 and 252, West Indies 173 and 162

1989

Australia beat England by 210 runs

Australia 601-7 dec and 230-3 dec, England 430 and 191

1988

West Indies beat England by 10 wickets

England 201 and 138, West Indies 275 and 67-0

1987

Pakistan beat England by an innings and 18 runs

England 136 and 199, Pakistan 353. (There was no test at Headingley in 1990)

FIVE GREAT TESTS AT HEADINGLEY

1972

England completed a quick-fire nine-wicket victory over Australia by 5pm on the third day after the pitch became flooded by a freak storm several days before the match. Derek Underwood claimed 10 for 82 in the match and the Australians complained about possible sharp practice.

1975

Once again the Australians felt aggrieved after vandals wrecked the possibility of an exciting finish. By the close of the fourth day, they were 220 for 3 chasing 445 to win but the pitch was vandalised overnight by supporters of the imprisoned George Davis and forced the match to be abandoned.

1981

Possibly the most famous Headingley Test of all. Trailing 1-0 and forced to follow on in the third Test, England's Ashes hopes seemed in ruins until Ian Botham flayed the Australian attack around the ground to score an unbeaten 149 and earn England a slender 130-run lead. Bob Willis wrapped up the 18-run victory by taking 8 for 43 to end their reply for 111.

1989

England's misreading of conditions, having taken note of a poor weather forecast, persuaded them to put Australia in to bat and they progressed to 601 for 7 with Steve Waugh making an unbeaten 177. The tourists completed a 210-runs victory en route to a 4-0 series triumph.

1991

Graham Gooch (pictured right) played what he regards as his finest Test innings, scoring 154 on an untrustworthy pitch against a hostile West Indian attack comprising Curtly Ambrose, Malcolm Marshall, Patrick Patterson and Courtney Walsh. His determination enabled England to claim a 115-run victory.