Steve Harmison to Michael Clarke – 2005
In the 2005 Ashes hosted by England, Australia took 1-0 lead after a comfortable victory at the Lords. Harmison’s peach capped a day belonging to Andrew Flintoff, with the all-rounder thumping 73 out of 86 balls, and adding 51 to last man Simon Jones, as England set Australia 282 to win, before dismissing Justin Langer and Ricky Ponting in a very sensational over.
Michael Clarke and Shane Warne shaved 38 runs off the target of 282 for the eighth wicket, leaving another 107 to win. Seeing those precise figures in the crowd reflected the growing fear of another loss snatched from victory’s jaws.
With the final day three delivery, Steve Harmison hit a bowling Michael Clarke. Harmison bowled in the series very well and was a very aggressive bowler. Bowling fast and hard into the pitch and having struck Ponting on the head with a brutal bouncer during the series’s first session.
It’s fair to say he wasn’t known for his slower ball, and Flintoff often tells how he groaned as he saw Harmison split-finger grip as he was running in while standing at 2nd slip. England leg spinner leaving Australia 175-8 and needing another 107 runs to push 2-0 ahead.
Jasprit Bumrah to Shaun Marsh – 2018
Team India had struggled to bag a wicket in the 7 overs they were bowling on Day 2. Still, it didn’t take long for the visitors to break the deadlock in the first session on Day 3 as Ishant Sharma eliminated Aussie opener, Aaron Finch, in just the 11th over of the innings.
Travis Head had been unbeaten at the lunch break on 18 with India leading by 354 runs. Starting at the overnight score of 8 for no loss, Australia was under the pump early on as Ishant Sharma (1/32) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/28) with their immaculate line and length made life difficult for the batsmen.
Shaun Marsh and Head had 36 runs for the fourth wicket and gave the Australian innings some sort of stability. But Bumrah deceived Marsh in the air as he generated a delivery of 113 kmph, much slower than his average 140 kmph, which hit Marsh directly on the pads. The batsman was shocked to see Bumrah bowled a T20-like delivery, leaving him hopeless to escape.
