Lovely picture of preparations for the deciding 5th Ashes Test at The Oval, August 1930. The massive roller is hauled back and forth on the track while a horse, with hooves covered in leather boots to avoid damage, pulls a mower around the outfield
It was Larwood's 21st and last Test. He was 28. A combination of injury and the establishment, who demanded he apologise for Bodyline which he rightly refused to do, ensured he never played for England again. He took 78 Test wickets at 28.35 and scored 485 runs at 19.40
Harold Larwood's frustration is clear to see as he is dismissed for 98 in the 5th and final Test of 1932-33 at the SCG. He had been sent in as a nightwatchman. Given all that had happened that summer, Larwood was bewildered as he was loudly cheered from the middle.
Mick Jagger watches the Ashes Test from the pavilion at The Oval in August 1972 almost unnoticed. The Stones were, at the time, one of the biggest bands in the world but the cult of celebrity had not reached the stage where he could no longer do this without being mobbed
Tony Greig just avoids a Jeff Thomson bouncer. England v Australia, 2nd Test, Old Trafford, July 9th 1977. He scored 76, his penultimate Test fifty, and his England career ended with that series as he headed off to Australia and WSC. He played a few more games for Sussex in 1978
An early Patrick Eagar gem ... Tom Graveney is stumped by Farokh Engineer off the bowling of Bishan Bedi in the 1967 Lord's Test. Graveney's 151 gave England the platform for an innings win (The Cricketer)
Nineteen years ago today saw one of the most gripping and tense finales to a Test series as the Ashes of 2005 concluded at a rammed Oval. Had Shane Warne held Kevin Pietersen early on then Australia would probably have won ... as it was ... (Patrick Eagar)
