The Ashes 2013-14 was a series of cricket matches between England and Australia, and one of the most memorable moments of the series was the battle between Australian batsman George Bailey and English bowler James Anderson.
Bailey who made his test debut at 31 years of age in the Ashes 2013-14 played only five test matches for Australia but he made sure that these moments stay memorable in the history of Ashes. It was particularly Bailey’s aggressive batting against Anderson produced some of the most exciting moments of the series, and their rivalry was a talking point among cricket fans.
However, there was more than that. Bailey was a pure maverick in Ashes 2013-14. Fielding at short leg, Bailey kept trying to get in the heads of English batters. None was as much affected as James Anderson.
In the third Test at Perth, Bailey hit Anderson for 28 runs in one over, including three sixes. This was a key moment in the match and set the tone for the rest of the series. Bailey’s aggressive batting against Anderson was a sight to behold, and it was clear that he was not intimidated by the English bowler.
In the fourth Test at Melbourne, Bailey hit Anderson for 24 runs in one over, including two sixes and two fours. This was another key moment in the match and set the tone for the rest of the series. Bailey’s aggressive approach to Anderson was paying dividends, and he was quickly becoming one of the most exciting batsmen of the series.
Bailey’s teasing of Anderson also became a talking point during the series. In one instance, Bailey was heard chanting ” Oh! Jimmy Jimmy” while standing at short-leg, which reportedly annoyed Anderson that he even complained to the umpires about it.
This was a clear indication that Bailey was not afraid to get under Anderson’s skin, and he was willing to do whatever it took to gain an advantage. In fact, after the first match at Gabba, Bailey said that he was not unfazed by threats that came from Anderson at the time.
According to Shane Warne, Anderson told Bailey that he wanted to punch him in the face during the series. Bailey himself stated that, Anderson said, “Do you know out of everyone here you’re the bloke I would most like to punch in the face.”
While Bailey was told that he is most likely to get pinched by Anderson, this incident infuriated Australian captain Michael Clarke who was heard on stump mic, saying “get ready for a broken f**** arm.” For this incident, Clarke was fined 20 percent of his match fees.
This was a clear indication of the tension between the two players, and it added to the drama of their rivalry. However, there was no bad blood between both players, both played for Lancashire together.
While Bailey played only 5 test matches for Australia, and is now CA chief selector. James Anderson, on the other hand, is like an old vine. He has completed 183 test matches with 690 test wickets to his name. It is also trivial that Bailey is only 39 days younger from Anderson.
Both were fierce competitors of their respective teams and we know how iconic was the Ashes 2013-14 series. In an Ashes match, the rivalry is never limited to the battle between bat and ball. Such is the nature of the game and Australia and England always want their nose ahead wjwn
Overall, the battle between George Bailey and James Anderson was one of the most exciting moments of the Ashes 2013-14 series. Bailey’s aggressive batting against Anderson produced some of the most memorable moments of the series, and their rivalry will be remembered by cricket fans for years to come.
