GRAEME HICK controversial 98* - 3rd test 1994/95 Ashes

[AlanThomasson]

Tony Greig had it right here in suggesting that if anything Atherton should have declared earlier. Remember England were two down in the series so had to win this match to stand any chance of regaining the Ashes, and not withstanding cutting Hick off like this, Atherton's declaration still didn't give England long enough in which to bowl Australia out. Hick should have got a move on if he wanted a hundred, although in fairness the England team as a whole lacked urgency in this entire match.

[pmam1968]

"Atherton has done a Lawry" - classic comment Tony Greig

[distantvoices]

Disgraceful treatment by Atherton. A hundred for Hick would have given him a huge boost in his career. Atherton's actions actually deflated the dressing room who then had to go out and bowl the Aussies out (which they didn't). Hick was a superb player and almost forgotten now but in 1996 was ranked #7 in the world in test cricket.

[redfowlham]

@distantvoices 100% agree. I think in Steve Waugh's autobiography he states that this piece of captaincy was one of the worst cases of man-management he'd ever seen in cricket! Still annoys me even to this day!

[marze72]

Athers was weak as piss. He always put me to sleep whenever he batted. Those that thought Hick "the Maestro" batted slowly should look at Athers highlight package. Thats right there is none!! What Athers did was unforgivable and i dont blame Hick for abondoning the rest of the tour complaining about his back? He should of taken the offer to play for NZ rather than England at least the Kiwis would have managed him more competently and Greame would not have to look over his shoulder every innings!

[Smashingpumpkins88]

i think a lead of 450 is more than enough... should have declared 50- 70 runs earlier who cares about the ton an english victory in the ashes is much more important

[amosbourkewccc]

Hick was a legend, would have scored twice as many runs if he played for Australia.

[LTD92DC]

@amosbourkewccc How on earth do you substantiate that?

[lara400notout]

always wanted to see this!!! thanks a lot - I remember being 13 or 14 and reading about this in the news paper and always wanted to see the video - stupid Atherton!

[HeartfeltDawn]

Amusing to hear Greig talking shite as ever, this time about Atherton and his attacking moves during the game. As Wisden says of the final Aussie innings, confirming the memory I have: "Overnight, they needed another 310 off 90 overs. Atherton was concerned enough to instruct Tufnell to bowl over the wicket to a five-man leg-side field.". Way to go, Athers. Get your attacking spinner bowling over the wicket, so far so that he bowled five no balls in that final innings.

[redfowlham]

I don't think i'll ever forgive Atherton for this decision! I think it was a dreadful piece of man-management. Graeme Hick was a very popular member of the England team and the whole dressing room would've been buzzing for him to get a Ashes 100, the most important 100 for an Englishman. After Athers declared, the whole mood of the team fell quiet and flat when they should've been on a high. Gutted for Hicky.

Fantastic video by the way and great channel too. Definitely subbed!

[Pietersen158]

I remember watching this live at the time, & thinking it was probably the most frustrating passage of play I'd ever seen. I was so p*ssed off with both Hick & Athers.

[Alextheglorious]

Did Atherton do the right thing?

Hick ended up bowling in the final half hour as bad light meant no more pace bowlers. Would he have been in the right frame of mind to bowl after this? Probably not.

According to Stewart, at drinks he'd told Hick when to expect the declaration, but Athers had called the declaration early.

If Hick was batting too slowly for Athers liking, maybe he should have checked the scorecard. Both faced the same balls, Hick scoring 31 more runs.

Athers got it WRONG.

[HeartfeltDawn]

@Alextheglorious Too right. Hick was the greatest casualty of pisspoor English management. As much as I like Atherton as a batsman and as a journalist, I never rated him as a captain. One wonders how someone like Hick would have fared with the current English management and setup, almost certainly a damn sight better. 

[vigilantez78]

what a loser Atherton is ! Leaving your batsman stranded on 98 is sheer evil

[anshuman0001]

Mike "dirt pocket" Atherton did the right thing here.

[inxia38]

Rob, I think the reason we remembered Hick blocking was because of those last three deliveries before the declaration. He simply showed no intent that he wanted to get the runs quickly enough for his team. The fact that the Australian media praised Atherton and the English media panned him shows a gulf between the mindsets of the two countries.

[Afzaalkhan]

Y would thorpe keep taking singles on last ball LOL

[damo24now]

he spent nearly an hour in the 90s. so athers got sick of waiting and he wanted to win the test. gatting was the 200th 100 against australia

[TomAraya23]

omg what was hick thinkin

[melodichousemusic]

I agree with Atherton completely, Hick just kept on blocking,

[ludocrat]

What Richie was really thinking:

"Pretty pisspoor effort there from Graeme Hick, and I reckon he'd pretty much buggered himself before Atherton decided, quite rightly in my view, to quietly bugger him again.

"The captain musn't be caught buggering the whole team and I'm sure Graeme Hick will be far happier being buggered by Atherton than buggering his captain and, indeed, all his teammates by buggering himself. That's cricket folks and if you can't stand the odd buggering, then bugger off."

[wisden550]

He never did score an Ashes century, did he?

[wisden550]

Gotta love Tim May, it's a shame he didn't get more of a career... He was a superb foil for Warnie in the 1993 Ashes. But with Warnie around, no other spinner really had a chance unless he was injured, suspended, or we were playing in Sydney or India.

[Come2PaaPaa]

FIXED LOL ATHERS WAS PAID BY SOME INDIAN BOOKIES THE SAME BOOKIE WICH HAD AFFAIR WITH AZHAR AND JADEJA AND CRONJE

[johnstonl01]

every one thinks the same. no one reckons athers was in the wrong

not that i do, i think it was the correct decision but pretty much every time there is one person who thinks different

[aak420]

Try doing this to Tendulkar.......

[robelinda2]

@aak420 Dravid did do this to Tendulkar. Indians have such poor knowledge of cricket!

[wisden550]

@robelinda2 Poor, biased knowledge of cricket. And they always seem to be unable to turn caps lock off...

[robelinda2]

@wisden550 Caps lock should be banned from subcontinent keyboards!

[wisden550]

@robelinda2 Hahahaha god yes!

[vijayhitler]

@robelinda2 cant get u!?

[kssjp191]

@robelinda2 Love you Rob

[jumpnjza2]

@robelinda2

Come off it Rob! I'm Indian and I'm normal!

[robelinda2]

@jumpnjza2 LOL!

[bha1210]

@wisden550 Lol! I am Indian and I kind of agree.

[jumpnjza2]

@robelinda2

Against Pakistan in Multan, 2004.

[wigs666]

Correct call - individual milestones are all well and good but it is still the team that comes first. In many ways it sums up Hick's career rather nicely; put under pressure and he couldn't step up to the mark.

[johnstonl01]

@wigs666

couldnt QUITE step up to mark

[mattyo30]

athers was correct here