Navy Ashes 2009
4 August 2009
In 2005 HMAS Anzac undertook the first Northern Trident around the world deployment. As with Northern Trident 2009, the international diplomatic deployment took the Australian ship to English shores. It was the meeting of the two Navies in 2005 in Portsmouth that was the catalyst for the creation of a Navy Ashes Test. As with the real Ashes the teams fight not only for pride but for possession of a small wooden urn – the size of which is nothing against the importance of winning it.
With the Aussies victorious in 2005, the arrival of HMAS Ballarat and HMAS Sydney on Northern Trident 2009 heralded the return of the trophy to England and a chance for the English to again stake their claim for cricketing glory.
As a precursor to the main event, the combined team from Ballarat and Sydney agreed to a practice match whilst in Plymouth on 12 June for a ‘HMS Drake Ashes’. Backed by the unseasonable English heat wave gracing the south of England and the historic HMS Drake Wardroom the game was played out in a friendly rather than competitive fashion.
"When we arrived we expected to take on a Royal Navy 11, but it was soon apparent that to boost numbers the Royal Navy had been on a bit of a recruiting drive and were fielding a number of international ring-ins from Indian and South Africa said RAN Captain, Ballarat’s WO Gary Fuss.
Despite their international recruiting drive the Royal Navy had come up two men short and the Aussie, to their eventual detriment, soon agreed to loan them the necessary players to get the game underway. Though running out the eventual loser by one run, the RAN team nonetheless were awarded the ‘HMS Drake Ashes’ for their sportsmanship and good grace.
But the goodwill of RAN tourists may ultimately have been their downfall, leading to them showing their hand early and allowing the RN to assess their opposition before the main game in Portsmouth. Having seen their form of the previous week, the RN rallied reinforcements from their Portsmouth based ships and establishments to field a much bolstered team which included an under 23 Royal Navy representative player and 3 over age representatives in their team to contest the Navy Ashes.
Exactly four years after the first Navy Ashes encounter, the warm sunshine of the Plymouth match the previous week was missing as the day of the 2009 Navy Ashes dawned grey and wet. The fickle English weather had turned on the Navies and overnight rain forced a late change to an alternate venue. At the toss RAN Captain, Ballarat’s WO Gary Fuss elected to send the English in to bat on what was an extremely wet wicket albeit on a very small ground.
Seizing the advantage of winning the toss, WO Fuss took to the wet conditions to successfully target a vulnerable English off stump and take a hat-trick in the first innings. Supported by well bowled overs from Ballarat’s ABCK Jason Eccleston and the sure gloves of Ballarat’s LEUT Damien Goodbun behind the wickets, the RAN team were in good shape early.
"We limited the RN to 196 and then looked to go forward from there with some attacking batting, but the loss of 7 wickets for 14 runs including a diamond duck run out really put us on the back foot" said LEUT Jon Corker.
Despite the slow start and the renewed efforts of the RAN bats (WO Fuss top scoring with 48), the English eventually came away from the encounter winners as the RAN finished short with 8 wickets for 116 and were forced to say good by to the Ashes Urn.
At the presentation that evening at Commanding Officer, Commodore Thompson’s residence, Commodore Thompson relished the return of the urn and the accompanying bragging rights to the Royal Navy. However he concluded the Royal Navy acceptance speech by assuring the assembled RAN group the next Navy Ashes encounter should too far in future, something that the RAN personnel could take away as a small comfort.
