Test Match Special - From The Ashes: Ashton Agar

Episode Date: November 18, 2025

Ashton Agar talks through his remarkable innings at Trent Bridge in 2013, where aged 19 he scored a brilliant 98. Agar tells Stephan Shemilt all the details of a special day.

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. To embrace the impossible requires a vehicle that pushes what's possible. Defender 110 boasts a towing capacity of 3,500 kilograms, a weighting depth of 900 millimeters, and a roof load up to 300 kilograms. Learn more at landrover.ca. Hello, I'm Stefan Shemelt, and welcome to From the Ashton. a series of test match special podcasts with those who've seen, played and lived

some incredible Ashes moments. Here's Broad comes in, bowls, carries, and she's out. And Stuart Broad takes the final wicket and a dream finale. Broad comes in and bowls to Agar. Agar swings the short ball away. He could be caught. He's out.

He's caught in the deep. He's out for 98. A wonderful. DeBoo comes to an end. In goes bickle dashing up and bowls outside the off-tub. He laces it through the offside. He won't go for four. It'll certainly go for one.

That's all that Michael Vaughn wants. He goes back for the second. He's got his helmet off. His bat is raised. And Michael Vaughn scores his first century against Australia. Harris bustles in bowls to him. Oh, he's caught behind. It's wide.

He flashed at it and he's walked. The umpire didn't give him out. He walked off. Ah, that's a big wicket, my word. word. Well, we're only days away from the start of the Ashes series. The first test between Australia and England at Optus Stadium begins on Friday. And from the Ashes has been building up to the series for the past month. We've spoken to Stuart Broad about his amazing Ashes career. Michael Vaughn on how the 2002-03 series laid the foundations for what came in 2005. Ryan Harris

told us about bowling with Mitchell Johnson and his ball of the century in this city and David Larta had some wonderful stories about the last time England travelled to Australia by sea. For the final episode, I am on the beach in Cotterslow to meet a man of Western Australia. Ashton Agar was the 19-year-old left-arm spinner

plucked from nowhere to play in the first Ashes test in England in 2013. Even Cricket Australia's own website called it one of the biggest bombshells in Ash's history. With Australia in deep trouble in their first innings, Agar arrived at the crease at number 11 and swaggered his way to 98,

still the highest score by a number 11 in test cricket. I'm at Ashton for a coffee overlooking the Indian Ocean to discuss that memorable day, the poignancy of sharing. with the late Phil Hughes and how he was given the strongest hint he'd been making his test debut in a pub in Worcester. This is from the Ashes, Ashton Agar.

I sat down, we were at one place, I can't remember what it was called anyway. Mark Clark was sitting on one side of me and Brad Haddon was sitting on the other side of me and that was pretty cool in itself. I remember watching Mark Clark's first test, you know, I might have been in crime, school still or just in year seven you know and he was young and made 150 in india so to have him sitting next to me sort of as my potential captain at the time was great and he says um you ready to go young stuff and i said yeah sure like let's go i thought he meant in the next place and he goes um no for next week and i knew exactly what he meant by that because the test was the next week and

And I said, yep, I just remember saying, yep, with conviction and no other thought in my mind. And he said, look, basically the only way you don't play the first test is if you bore yourself out of it in this warm up game. And he goes, I don't think you're going to do that. I think you're bowling really well at the moment. And we believe in you. And I think this would be great. We'll work together in this first test in this warm up game on a few plans for the first test. And, you know, I'm backing you in, basically.

And in that game, you got Moeen Alley and Nick Compton out And at the time, Nick Compton was around the test side He'd gone to play for Worcestershire as an extra game To sort of keep himself in the frame for the test team Yeah, I bowled pretty well I knew at the time that I wasn't following it my best It was tough, it was pulled nicely But it was the first time I had bowled with Duke's balls

And my finger was already getting ripped to pieces And I guess this is a bit that I haven't spoken a lot about I've spoken a little bit about it at the time but I headed into that UK summer, like bowling incredibly well. Like I bought beautifully in Australia and honestly it felt like I put a ball with my eyes closed but then getting over there with the new ball, it just threw my action to pieces. That's what it really felt like because I didn't have confidence in actually holding the ball in my hand and my finger was getting cut.

And I don't know if you remember Moe and Alley recently when he played in England. You couldn't bowl. When that happened, it's really not good. So that was sort of the beginning of that becoming a bit difficult. But, yeah, bowled really nicely in that practice game. I got Compton out the stumped. Moeen, I didn't get him with a very good ball. It's quite a full ball that he managed to nick to first slip.

But things well well in that practice game. It was just a bigger seam, more proud a seam. Completely different. It's such a different ball. It's a very, it's got a lot of lacquer on it. It's a very thick, pronounced seam. So where you've actually placed your fingers on the ball, and you've had no experience of that,

and you're not experienced yourself as a professional cricketer, you know, as a 19-year-old, trying to adapt quickly on the biggest stage can be pretty tough. It must have been a pretty big clue to everyone else that you were going to play in the first test, that you were named in that team to play against Worcestershire. Yeah. And how did you feel?

How was the rest of the team? I mean, you jumped ahead of Nathan Lyon in the pecking order. How was all of that? I felt good and nervous. I think as anyone would at that stage, you know, I was sort of dawning on me what was about to happen and I was mentally just trying to prepare myself for it without completely locking myself

because you didn't fully lock it in until I got told but from that day when Michael Park told me that night I was mentally just trying to wrap my head around the fact that I was going to have to walk out there on the first test and be ready for whatever I was going to feel and just be ready to get the ball on my hand and try and bowl with some courage, you know, with the way I know how to bowl. So that's how I was feeling at the time.

And I must admit, yeah, I was definitely nervous. What was the situation with your family? Because they were there at Trent Bridge, but were they coming anyway? Or did you have to? No, they weren't coming. So we had, then we, you know, we went to Nottingham after the tour game. And we had two training sessions. So the main session was two days before the game.

and I was walking off the training track and into the rooms because we trained out in the middle because the nets were out in the middle and who walked up to me at the time oh it's Rod Marsh actually out of all people he walked up to me and he said Ash go and call your parents you're in mate and then Darren Lehman came up and patted me on the back

so congratulations mate you know so walked straight into the rooms called mum and dad from from there and, God, that was an amazing phone call, you know, mum was in tears, my brothers were yelling, they were so excited, Dad could hardly speak, and then it was like, okay, right, you need to get here. So they got on a flight that night, I'm pretty short, and just, and landed, you know, in Heathrow, got straight in a taxi, and made it to the ground with a minute to go before my Baggy Green presentation,

because it was a long cab ride. Melbourne, was that home for them? Melbourne. So they've gone Melbourne to London, and as soon as flight that they could. I mean, they got to see my Bagger Green presentation, which was incredible from Glenn McGrath and witnessed that whole moment, which is, oh, it's great. I love thinking about it, you know, it's pretty exciting.

What's it like getting your cat from Glenn McGrath? It's good, yeah, that was cool. You never know who you're going to get it from, and then when I saw it's done it, he was a legend of the game. So that was a real honour. You know, he talked about pride, honour, respect in a bag of grain and you know just said that everyone sort of has your back really in his team now and it's a club you sort of be a part of forever and that you know can be proud of

that so that was nice i was looking at the reports um last night of when the news of your debut came out and even cricket australia's own website called it one of the biggest bombshells in ash's history yeah it was huge yeah it was i guess just because it was was unexpected. Nath had been playing a lot up until that stage and like you said there was a lot going on at the time and a minute before the first test for that to be announced in a huge series in England that a 19 year old makes their debut of Australia is a big bombshell. Well there's only two players younger than you to Clay for Australia this century, Pat Cummins and Sam Consters. There you go, yeah. And yeah, I guess, yeah, the time, it just.

just seemed so incredible. But I also remember looking back at it, you know, when you've got cricket Australia saying one of the biggest bombshells in Ashes history, but I'm also trying to square it in my mind that the signs were there, the fact that you played in Worcester and all those sorts of things. I'm still trying to get my head around why it felt like such a surprise when actually it had been all the direction of travel was in that way. I guess just when it actually happens and it gets announced on day one, you know,

it wasn't announced before. They wanted to keep it really quiet. And they must have kept it quiet. They did. Yeah, we kept it extremely quiet. The only people that knew really were my family and I told Justin Langman as well, as he was my coach in WA at the time, was pretty excited for me. So we kept it extremely quiet.

And that was the whole point for it to be a bit of a surprise fact as well because they wouldn't have really known anything about me. So that's probably why it would have felt like even more of a bombshell on day one of the ashes. You've got a smile on your face when you talk about it as well. Yeah, it's great. I mean, it's such, it's an amazing time. I think now that I've experienced on 32 now, I realise how big that was.

It felt big at the time, for sure. I just picture it in today's climate, you know, like 13 years on with today's media, and I just imagine it would have been crazy, you know, and it felt crazy back then. So I now know what it means to the debut for Australia, I guess at 19 in the first, as you says, in England, away from home.

Yeah, yep, and I'm proud of it. So what was it like to be on the field that day? England won the toss and batted first. And actually you didn't have to do a great deal. You didn't have to do much, bought seven overs. Being on the field was good. I mean, he had a pretty good bombing attack, you know. He had Siddell, Stark, Pattinson.

Myself, Shane Watson-Bold as well. It was a gloomy overcast day in England. It was such an English sort of cricket day. And it was everything that I'd seen on TV, you know, Pact House, England. national anthem Jerusalem playing that's a spine tingling moment when they play that as you walking out the ground you feel pretty small and you certainly feel like the whole of England is supporting England and there's not many people supporting you there but I knew exactly where my family were sitting for the whole five days and I just kept thinking

to them and kept looking over to them sort of thing if I felt like I needed to feel some closeness or like some support you know that that was really nice and the boys looked after me so well You know, they treated me, everyone treated me like the youngest brother, which was nice. Because they probably understood more than I did the enormity of the moment. England 250 and all out on day one. You bowled seven overs. Didn't have to do a great deal. Peter Siddell takes five.

Australia 75 for four at the end of the day. It was quite a famous day for Jimmy Anderson's delivery to Michael Clark. One of the best balls I've ever seen, yeah. You know, trim the off bail. Somehow got past Clark's outside edge. His best batter in the world at the time as well. You know, he was the most informed batter in the world. To get him out that way, it was amazing, yeah.

I think what I wanted to ask, are you a bit miffed about being number 11, by the way? Not at all. I was sort of relieved in a way, you know. I didn't have to, well, I thought I wouldn't have to go out there in the chaos, and that's exactly when I went out there. But, no, no, it wasn't. my first game but I never thought of it as batting at number 11, I walked out there

feeling like a batter. So the next morning Australia had gone from 75 for four overnight to 118 for 9 before lunch, pretty much in the first hour of the day's play. How are you feeling sitting there? Because there's like a balcony isn't there at Trent Bridge where you can sit and watch from. Yeah. You've got your pads on. You're watching this unfold. Did you have time to be nervous or was it one of those, where's my fire pad, where's my box, I've got to get out there pretty quickly. Yeah, it's a strange feeling. I'll actually rewind it back to the night before when Anderson was bowling in it and it felt like he was swinging the ball three different ways. You know, that's what it felt like in the rooms. And the English crowd is the first time

I've experienced an English crowd and what they're really good at is making you feel pretty small and they're really witty and smart and with the way they go about it. It's a classic English humour and you can't help it laugh when you're out in the field. They have all sorts of chance. But the one chance that was ringing in everyone's head was a Jimmy Anderson chant or Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Anderson and Mark Clark got out to that ball and he was walking off at the time and he got in the rooms and he was chanting the song he was singing it because it was just so stuck in his head and it felt like when you're out there

like you'd I was sitting inside most of the time watching not even out on the balcony sort of watching peering over and Ashton Turner was there as well for the test at the time just being around the group and watching as part of the Hampshire sort of set up so I was sitting with him because he's one of my close mates who were just chatting about the game and how I might try and play certain bowls. But it was like, holy moly, like it's actually all kicking off right now, and we're way behind. So that's how I was feeling the night before.

And then to actually walking out there at 117, 118 for 9, Phil Hughes is out there at the other end. Graham Swan was bowling at the time, and I was actually speaking to Ash Turner just before I was going about how I'll try and play Graham Swan. And the funny thing is, me and him had watched every bit of footage on Graham Swan that is on YouTube like we love the way he bowls

because we're both off-sminners and really he was the best bowler to watch he was the best off-smitter probably in the world at the time him Ashwin was getting really good but Swan's shape and drift and dip

and he came into that series taking wickets I reckon against New Zealand as well well beautifully and so we'd always watch him his variations and Ash sort of said you've watched a lot of him

sort of play he goes mate you just got to go about it in the way you know how to go about it I remember I tried to play him on pace. However, I was walking out to bat. I remember looking straight over to where my parents were, you know, looked left over to where they were sitting. But it felt like the ground was moving from side to side

because of the chants. It was so loud. It was the last wicket England was so far on top of the game. In a stadium, when everyone's chanting, it always feels like one side of the ground is slightly out of sync with the other one. So, yeah, it felt like the ground. It was moving like that.

If you imagine like seaweed swaying in a cup. current under the ocean that's that's what it felt like i just wanted to get through my first ball i didn't want to get a golden duck blocked swan and then i got a single of him and i after that honestly put me at ease massively and then everything happened from there what if phil he said to every single ball he at the start he was taking more with a strike and then bullf ran out a message just said to back me in because i was i'd made runs to w a at the time i'd made runs in a series as well Buf ran out a message said, just back me in and take the runs that we can get, which is cool. So he was stuck to that, to Phil's credit, because he was batting really nicely at the time.

But every single ball that I was on strike, he'd come down to me and say, next ball, next ball, next ball. And he was even stronger on that, the more runs I hit. And it kept me extremely present. It was a real lesson in how to stay present. Batting really is about consistently making good decisions. I think that's what anything is all about. When you're out in the middle and the pressure's on and the spotlight's on, how can you get back to consistently making good decisions?

And that's what Phil did for me that day. The English sent it in to you when you arrived at the crease? Yeah, Kevin Peterson gave me a mouthful. I remember that. I can't really remember exactly what he said, but I remember laughing at him. I was 19 and he was an old experience player and was trying to intimidate me.

And I was like, like, it wasn't intimidating just because just didn't utter. You know, I was out there, banning 11, just trying to have a crack. But that's how I looked at the game at the time. But it was still Kevin Peterson in an Asher's game. It was a guy I looked up to. I love watching Kevin Peterson play cricket. Me and my brothers loved him, and we've got so much respect for him.

He's a great guy. You know, I've had chats with him. Not about that afterwards, but just chats about cricket with him. I respect him a lot. But, yeah, obviously he was going to do that. you know Anderson as I was running past him would always have a word Broad would have a little word chirped from prior behind the stumps yeah they were into me

it was never abusive never like that but it was just made to make you feel uncomfortable and that's exactly what you should do to a 19 year old who's out there for his first time you've got to make it uncomfortable because it's the highest level of the game and you've got to take any advantage that you can and it's not meant to be easy I would have been disappointed if I didn't get to experience that

But I maintained it was, yeah, it was never personal, never abusive. It was just good from them. So he avoided your golden duck. You got off the mark. Ninth ball, you hit Jimmy Anderson back over his head for fourth. Yeah, there was a, I mean, back over his head is a embellatory. I hit it straight into the ground, straight drive. And it, yes, came straight out of the middle of that.

The outfield was really fast because... It's a lovely sunny day. The sun came out, and as soon as the sun comes out in England, particularly at Trent Bridge, the ground goes really dry that you see it quite clearly on TV, and it rocketed away to the fence. From that moment, really, that was a really key moment because I felt the ball out of the middle of the back. From that moment on it, it just felt like I was seeing the ball really, really easily. I was picking up the length quite quickly, and I was looking to try and hit boundaries, honestly. because the ball was a little bit older the wicket was pretty good

that's how I saw when the ball was there to be hit for four I was trying to hit it for four could have been stumped I've only had six felt pretty out you know like Graham's one yeah I was really lucky that I got my foot down just in time

could have gone either way it's a nice ball so it drew me into a drive and it spun and bounced and prior took the stumps off it was a nice piece of work but thankfully I went my way I had no idea.

It was a heart in your mouth moment. And I would have been shattered because I felt good. I remember being like, God, I was feeling great. And it went my way. And I actually couldn't believe it. But there was just enough doubt. So watching the shots that you played, there was a sweep-off swan that went for full.

And then Stephen Finn was bowling. Yep. And England lost their length. Finn in particular, he started bowling short to you. They're trying to bounce me, yeah. And you took Tiv. Well, that was my favorite shot. cooking and pulling the ball.

It was a shot that I played all the time as a kid. So short bowling was never intimidating. I did get out to it every now and then because I was compulsive on it and I'd just try and smack it. But you're in that situation, in hitting the ball well, you're going to take it on. And particularly when I've played on some faster wickets back home, that wicket didn't feel too fast.

Even when it was dug in, whilst I, you know, Stephen Finn was probably pretty fast at the time, so it was Stuart Broad. They were in the high 130s to 140s. I was taking that on and got a few out of the middle of the bat and I was really started looking for the short ball and there was another shot where you sort of went inside out of Graham Swan over long off for six

I mean at that point you were batting like David Gowler it's hard to describe the feeling I was lucky that Phil was there keeping me so present but the occasion faded away the only reference point I had was my family like I said I would look at him almost every ball. What about the rest of the crowd? Because there were some Ozzy's in there that were sort of cheering me on.

Yeah, but the whole crowd by that stage was cheering me on. The English crowd were great. And they were loving it, actually, because it was pretty exciting when the ball started flying around and I got past 50. I got a staring at Asian sort of thing when I got 50. And from a mostly English crowd, that's pretty cool. Again, looking straight to my family, I can still see it.

So that's nice. So it never felt, yeah, it never felt like the crowd were against me because that makes sense. And maybe that made it easier for the moment to sort of dissipate and I could just, like I said, focus on the wall and try and whack it. Because milestones started to be ticked off. There was a 50 partnership. Yep.

You overtook Phil Hughes in the way that you were scoring. You caught him up and went past him. I was watching the commentary. Ian Botham said it was almost embarrassing for England the way that you were taking them on. I think that was actually after a short ball, like it, because I've, you know, I've watched it back at a number of times, myself and with my family, and his voice is the one that I remember, most clearly, from the commentary. I remember he said, well done, young man, well done, that will be it, like, when I got 50 down a third man, and I was like, that's awesome. It was like an open face off.

Yeah, I just blocked it, and they had like a deep point, I'm pretty sure, and it trickled just fine of him for two. 50 off 50 balls. It was. It was, like I said, I was scoring freely up, but I was really looking to score. I think it would be easy to go out there and try and survive,

but it just wasn't the way I was playing at the time, and it's credit to Darren Lehman as well, who just said, make, I play the way you know, play the way you know how to play it. And I sort of only knew how to play one way at that time. And that was really positively.

So I felt really empowered, and it felt like if I was going to fail, I was allowed to fail that way. which is a really big lesson. You went off for lunch, 69 not out. Is that what it was? 69 at lunch. What was the dressing room like when you went in?

Really good. Like massive ruffles on the head and getting around me, but not too much. Like they were really smart. And I think back, it was awesome. But, you know, they're like, just keep going. And they wanted me to keep going. I think they could have gone crazy, you know,

and just kept talking me about it, talk about this and that, but they'd just let me have my lunch. I remember sitting in that room at Trembridge, actually. They had these little rice pudding things, and had way too many of them that tour. But they were just in these little cups, in these plastic cups, and they were delicious.

I reckon I had a couple of those, and you can eat whatever you want when you're 19, you don't put on any weight. I wouldn't have them now. Tucked into a nice lunch, and it was time to go back out there again. I don't think I took all my pads off. I never like taking all my pads off if I'm batting and I have lunch.

So I had my fire pads still on, definitely, because I like that sort of feeling. I don't like putting sweaty gear back on I want to feel like I'm still batting just to stay in it mentally as well and Phil yeah Phil just had this steely look in his eyes the whole time and that's one thing I really remember about him

that's steely look in his eyes and it was like time to go again she had a lead at this point you'd overtake an England score back out after lunch and then Ian Botham again on the commentary the shots he are playing he said it's not the stroke play

of a number 11 it almost felt like he felt like he'd been hard I was after I played a late cut, I reckon, off Swan. Like I said, I played Swan on pace, and I sort of knew when it was really slow, he was trying to spin the ball, and then there was two different trajectories. He bowled a faster off spinner, and then he bowled a 45 sort of scene ball that would drift in. It was like a half-arm ball, and he would want that. He got a lot of guys out leaving that ball, actually, bowled, and I knew that ball,

and that was that ball. And so I just went back and just laid it off the face, my bat, and it went for four. But it's like those little moments. I think Ayrton said it once about his driving he said it's like having God's hand on your brain, you know, and you sort of you don't know how it's happening

but it just happens and it's like all of your knowledge and skew comes out at one time that's what it felt like I just felt like I had God's hand on my brain. You keep going? Yeah. You go past 95 which was previously the best score by a number 11 in test cricket. Tino Best? Tino Best. He did

stunned to England. you and Phil Hughes had got the record partnership at the time for the 10th wicket in test cricket

it was a sort of an edge off Graham Swan that took you to the highest score by a number 11 at that point the TV camera

was panning to your family and they were on their feet applauding did you know by the way at the time that that was the highest score by a number

I think it came up on the big screen I'm pretty sure and the crowd really were clapping and celebrating that I think I did know but only because of that

I hadn't kept any tabs on the highest score by number 11. How are you feeling just in the 90s in general? They're good, I just wanted to keep going. Yeah, it felt fine. I mean... No nervous. Like, the nervous 90s? I hadn't made a first-class 100. I put my highest first-class score before that.

It was 71, maybe, against Tazzy. Many hundreds and any other sort of cricket before? Just two in club cricket. Nothing other than that. So just the feeling of like it might actually happen. But I wasn't... I didn't change the way I played. Because at that point, you know, looking at the old footage, England's plans had gone.

Like, they were bowling to Australia's number 11, there was no slips, there was fielders back on the leg side, they were really scrambling. Yeah, they were. Stuart Broad bowels your short ball. Yeah. You pull it into their leg side. Yeah. And then... Smashed it.

Absolutely smashed it. Should have hit it up, but I actually tried to hit it down. Broad comes in and bowls to Agar. Egar swings the short ball away. He could be caught. He's out. He's caught. in the deep. He's out from 98. A wonderful Dubu comes to an end. An extraordinary performance

and the short ball has got him as he tugged it and hit it hard into the onside. Australia all out for 280. The innings of his life comes to an end. Almost unfairly denied a hundred He took the bowling on as he had threw out and listened for the applause. Some of the England players have run up to congratulate him as he makes his way off the field. A magnificent performance on the boo from Ashton Agar out for 98. Graham swaned the field there. It was about three quarters of the way back. He was he wasn't all the way on the boundary.

And they're the hardest catchers like because it was curling towards him. I sort of hit it so hard and it was curling towards. and I hit it because my helmet you'll see on the footage is going everywhere like you would have fit two balls between the gap

with my helmet I got a small head and made a helmet that hardly fit I remember Missouri coming and fitting me a better helmet after that test match

Is that what happens before that because obviously that was the first time you would have needed an Australian helmet I think or it would have been

relatively huge Yeah the actual Australian how it was the first time that I'd ever worn one of those anyhow it doesn't matter but so I couldn't really see and then I saw it

sizzling and he caught it he's got a good pair of hands graeme swan but there were there were a lot of blokes out there at the time i could have four blokes out in the leg side because i was trying to take on everything and the few balls before that i was trying to step inside and hit it over the keeper you know that's how i was i just wanted to get there and i was going to do it in the way that i got all my other runs which was taking the game on and i had no fear of what the bowler was bowling at the time i just sort of wanted to play the shots i was trying to play it at that stage and yeah certainly don't regret it even you know you've said

that the English crowd, the English sports are behind you. It's like someone like the pin out of the ground, wasn't it? Like just all the air and just that deflation around the stadium. Yeah, there was and it's kind of a nice moment. It maybe went a bit quiet for a moment there, which is crazy because, you know, it's a huge Ashes test match that just got us out after what turned into a tough innings for them. And you'd think the crowd would be elated.

but they were really disappointed. I mean, the only people who looked happy with the England fielders? Yeah, they were the only ones. You know, there's footage of it the same thing. I remember just going like a side sort of smile on my face. It's like, well, well, you know, that would have been good, but it was a beautiful moment, you know, and Graham Swan sprinted up to me, you know,

and he was the first one to congratulate me. He'd just taken a catch and giving it the big ones with a celebration, as it should, but he was the first one to come and congratulate me, and all the English players did. and I got a massive standing ovation from the crowd. Really, I cost Phil Hughes 100. He was batting so well, and he was a hero of mine to watch play

because he'd flay the ball through point and it was a stylish batter. But sort of romantic moment and pointing the bat on my parents as I was walking off the ground and it was cool. Because they were actually, Mom, she had a head in her hand. Yeah, yeah, they jumped up and then you get out and they're like, oh God, you know.

What was it like going back into the dressing room? Awesome, awesome, yeah. just you could tell that they were shattered for me but everyone I'm telling you everyone at the ground was more disappointed than I was and it still remains that way that's why it's such a great story I think everyone feels something about that day a lot of people know who are cricket fans exactly where they were watching that innings but the feeling for me has never changed you know it's never turned into regret or disappointment or I would have rather do something else it's it's always been happy happy memories and I'm glad I sort of fell on my sword and what about the

rest of that day and the reaction, I think there's a lovely picture when you went out to field, I think you might have got posted on the boundary in front of your, of your mum and dad. Yeah, I did. There's a great picture of you smiling, I think your mum's standing up. What was it like for the rest of that day? It was good, but... It's still a job to do. That's what it felt like. It was great, and the crowd were loving me, and I enjoyed that, you know, I made sure I didn't shy away from the crowd. You know, they'd still have their chance that I would dance along with them, and I enjoyed that much. moment.

But you've been taken to the heart to the crowd, I guess. Yeah. So it was a good way to win them over. But I really felt, I just wanted to get a wicket. So I was there to bowl. And that was the overwhelming feeling. Like, it was so great to get the runs and it was so exciting. It was important for the test match, no doubt.

But I wanted to get a wicket. Your mum and dad were on the radio. Our producer went and found them and got them on test match special at tea time. They're on everything. They're on, you know, um... You know, TV, we had an interview together after the day's play. They interviewed my brothers at the time. They were looking sharp.

You know, where's my younger brother? He's an absolute roosting. Maybe he had his hair done. He had a shirt on, his tight pants on, you know. It was the fashion at the time. And he was lacking it up. They spoke beautifully. They were just so happy for me.

But that's when, yeah, it was an absolute whirlwind of media. After that, I couldn't tell you how many interviews they did after that. The Prime Minister tweeted, Kevin Rudd. I know, it was, it was had pneumonia. How was your phone as well? The phone was crazy, blowing up. You know, Instagram was pretty new at that time. And I remember my father was a jump maybe from a few hundred to like 10,000 or something.

You're like, what is going on, you know, it's so stupid. But, yeah, it was non-stop. It's non-stop. You said you, you know, you just wanted that wicket because you were in the team to bowl. And they came the next day. Got Alistair and Johnny Barstow out for your first test wickets. But really, you're bowling in that test match is remembered for the wicket you should have had but didn't. That's right.

And that was, and again, Stuart Broad was part of this series, and he spoke about that moment, and he's spoken about it a lot. And his claim is that he is remembered as a non-walker because Bradd hadn't caught. Now, what's your take on this? Because this is the famous Stuart Broad, not walking at Trent Bridge. You were the bowler when he edged it, off Hadding's gloves, into Michael Clark's hands at first slip. Yeah. And that was the beginning, really, of Stuart Broad's love-hate relationship,

or the Australian. Yeah, I was on a bit of a role at the time. So I was bowling nicely, really nicely. I'd worked out a way to, my finger was ripped a piece, so we'd glued a flap of the skin down. It's basically like surgical blue with the doctor had on him at the time. And I'd found a way to bowl across the seam. So I wasn't bowling with the seam down, as you'd normally see.

I was bowling with a scrambled scene, because it's the only way I could hold it without cutting my finger. So it felt like I was starting to bowl up myself, and I was getting really nice shape on the ball. Got cook out with a ball that bounced heavily from over the weekend. Michael Clark, one-handed catch. Nice ball to get Birstow, outside edge to Haddon. Things were going good, and it felt like I'd just settle into a spell.

You know, it just felt like good test-match bowling, which is really nice. And I was starting to feel more comfortable out there, and like I belonged. Sun was out, I mean, all of that stuff. And there was a bit of rough out there, and I was just trying to hit this rough. And there were two patches. It was quite a short patch and a fuller patch. And I just knew, even if I missed a bit short, it would get in that. And that ball hit that shorter patch and spun a lot.

And he went to cut it. It spun in massive edge. Into Haddon's Club, straight to Michael Clarke. And it was just like a non-event. Like, it's just out. ultimate off-road challenge, perfect for the ultimate defender. The high-performance defender, Octa, 626 horsepower twin turbo V8 engine and intelligent 6D dynamics air suspension.

Learn more at landrover.ca. Through the ball up and you can just see me in the footage, I'd just start walking down the wicket to celebrate with them. And they're still appealing and had just going like this. And Michael Clark's got his finger up, you know, shaking his head walking at, pace to Aline Dar and I'm like isn't doing this out what I was so confused as to what was happening I didn't understand how the one bloke was the best view in the game somehow thought that it wasn't out and it's confusing I know I'm playing it's a tough job

but it was a pretty obvious one by a guy abroad's out he's out he's flicked that away to slip I think he's been taken by Clark they're appealing and Alan Dar, hang on, Alan Dar is saying not out. Australia have got no reviews left. Broad's coming up, leading on his back. That looked to me as a bit edged it straight to slip. And Alan Dar's saying, not out. And Australians are furious.

I was so confused as to what was happening. I didn't understand how the one bloke was the best view in the game. Somehow thought that it wasn't out. And it's confusing. I know I'm playing it's a tough job. but it was a pretty obvious one and I was just really confused I wasn't going to say anything to the umpire

because I was new I was horribly disappointed because it's really hard to get wickets and test match cricket and I was on a bit of a role and it could have been interesting to see how many wickets I might have been able to get you never know when you're on a roll like that

and you keep going you might get five who knows but only what happens can happen and I remember asking Stuart Boy he probably spoke about this I don't know if he did, but I was at short cover. I was like, smash that, didn't you? And he goes, yeah, I thought so. You know, but it was a friendly interaction.

It was like, yeah. And that was it, but you know what? Like, everyone gets into Brody for not walking. There's no way. I wouldn't walk. You know, I'm not going to walk at that stage, no matter how obvious it is. That's what he said. No one's a walker.

No, I'm not walking. Some guys have walked in their careers before. Cricket's hard, and you need luck. And, you know, that luck potentially changed that chess match. He got runs, and we lost by 17. runs. See, he made a few runs after that. You know, to say I haven't been lucky at times in my career, well, I got lucky maybe in the first innings and I got given not out and I make 98 instead of six. So how I look at that is, yeah, I wanted that wicket and it

wasn't a good decision. Alameda apologised to me the next morning. As you were going out, he goes and he goes, and sorry, he said, he came up to me, shook my head and said, I'm sorry young man, but it's a bad decision and I're respecting for that. is trying his best that he made a mistake. And that's all right. Like, it doesn't change my life. Like, it doesn't make any difference to me other than a great story.

It's probably changed Stuart Broad's experiences in Australia. But Brody's a good guy and he's a great competitor. I mean, that's the hallmark of his career, just competing. I can't imagine that your teammates took it quite so, I know, flagmatically as you did. Oh, they were furious. You can see it feel huge. Like, there's a great photo, it's like Haddon, Hughes and Clark, all just with their hands out, you know, basically yelling out what?

And, yeah, they were furious. That Michael Clark, he was so angry, just in his facial expression. Brody copped it? Well, to an extent, but they knew they wouldn't walk in that situation either. So they probably didn't expect anything different from him. They were more just in the decision, but it's a good story. Is that a bit of a sliding doors moment for your career, though, because you've just said, you know, if you'd got that wiki,

you could have got a role, on a roll, you could have got four or five, who knows. Because you played in the second test, and that was harder for you, and you didn't play again in that series. Yeah. And you only played three more test matches. Do you look at that as like, God, if you've given that out, who knows what might have happened? Not at all.

My finger was ripped to pieces. I was in a lot of pain, like trying to bowl. I knew that my action was falling apart because I could feel it out there, and I knew I could bowl so much better. I mean, it was really difficult to deal with. Mentally, you know, you've got to be pretty resilient. As a 19-year-old trying to bowl out in the middle in a test match, knowing that you're knowing you're best,

with no experience behind you, and you're trying to work it out in a test match. And you don't know how to work it out. You have no blueprint for how you go about things. You've just bowled. um as a kid your whole life and you've enjoyed it so that's a insight into my mindset i've never believed in what if could have what if this happened what if that happened i'm literally never believed in that so no i wouldn't say it's a sliding door's moment at all i think even if i got

six for that game i don't think i would have bought any differently in the next test match you know i went in the next test match with a ripped up finger but i was trying to not i didn't want to say anything you know i wasn't going to pull myself out on the test match but it was a pretty bad feeling going to the next test, I must admit. It's really difficult being out there at Lords, sort of wishing that I wasn't bowling because you're the one that the spotlight's on, everyone's watching you.

You know that you're so much better than what you're delivering. And the spotlight's been turned up because of what's happened at Trembuds. Absolutely. And you know you're better than what you're delivering. And you just wish you could showcase it, but confidence wasn't there.

The feeling my hand was completely gone from that feeling in my finger. so I had no real control over what I was delivering and it was a pretty lonely place I'll be quite honest it was really difficult and I was so relieved when I got dropped for the third test incredible sense of relief

it was pretty exhausting after that week getting through that because you have to you just have to put on a brave face and you keep going and try and do a job for your country because I understood that's such an important thing and I wasn't taking that for granted and I realistically look at the figures I didn't bowl that bad. You know, probably went at two and a half and over for the

test, but I knew that I could have done a lot better and that was tough. How long did you struggle with your action for? After that, probably a year, I would say. I was trying to piece it all back together because it got thrown out of whack. My stride got a bit longer, which meant I was delivering the ball from a bit further behind myself, which meant I didn't have the up and down shape that I'd had the year before to spin and bounce and the shape through the air so there's a big flow and effect of that

and I guess what it does for your confidence and the thing is I came home and I was playing again for WA and I was still trying to work it out in the middle with no real help I had no help in WA

I mean Michael Beer wasn't helping me because he was my competitor spin and he'd been to play for WA and there were no spin coaches at the time like I had no resources that would help me so I was trying to work it out

for my son It was very difficult, very, very difficult. But the good thing is I'd always put time in other disciplines and I was trying to bat well and field well and just try and do my best at the ball while I could. The Lord's test was tough because I knew I wasn't where I wanted to be cricket wise and felt like I wasn't going very well. It was a lonely place to be and I wanted to experience Lords as the most magic of place on earth and at the time it was the worst place on earth. the worst place on earth, you know, if that makes sense, was tough. But the best part was meeting the Queen. That doesn't happen all the time.

She only went to certain test matches. Yeah, it was before the game. It was before the game. The game, I'm pretty sure, started late because the Queen was late. And obviously you're going to wait for the Queen of England. And she arrived, Michael Clark introduced her to everyone and we had to address her as, Your Majesty. And she came to me and shook, she shook my hand. She goes, this is your first time here, isn't it?

And I said it is. She goes, oh, well, good luck then. Have a good time. And I could not believe it. I was like, oh my God, the Queen knew it was me and knew that it was my first time at Lords, which is pretty special. So that's a very important moment.

Because Queen Elizabeth, I mean, you ask anyone from England, they absolutely adore her. And a lot of Australians adore her as well. I'm one of them so to meet the Queen I'm pretty proud of that moment and the fact that she said that to me is you know that's that's pretty big looking back on it well it shows just how much you captured the imagination in the previous week the queen knew it's it's nice I mean that's the thing if you to feel something is good and I felt the same way watching Sam Consters play in his debut took a lot of

inspiration from that because I think I felt a bit of what he was feeling he was just riding the wave man and he went for it and he just fully expressed himself out there on the biggest stage at the time and that's how it felt for me so you know hopefully you know hopefully it made someone feel something positive and that third test when nathan lyne came in yeah that was his start of well beautifully that was the start of his running team and you know it's hard to get past Nathan Lyon and you only played three more test matches after that thing they'll start of him playing a hundred

consecutive tests for Australia yeah and he, any bold beautiful I remember watching him in his first over in the game at Manchester he spun one past the bad and you could just tell like he'd changed his action he had, that's when he started turning himself side on and using his back leg

quite a lot and it was just a lot more efficient and the shape who was getting on the ball was quite special and you felt like the evolution of that was going to be pretty good and he also started bowling around the wicket in the Durham test match which has kicked off a lot of his bowling to right handers at that time he'd come around the wicket and target the outside edge really well

there are a couple of big moments for him there and you know to nath's credit he was so supportive of me the whole time he has been throughout my whole career that would have been really tough for him being dropped for the first couple of tests and I know that really hurt him but it never changed his attitude towards me He was just there to support me as much as he could with bowling. So, you know, I've always be grateful for that and for his character.

One thing we haven't touched on, I guess, just as a bit of a final thought, was the man that you shared that partnership with? Because Phil Hughes lost his life just over a year later. How do you sort of reflect on that as having shared that experience with him? Lucky. Very, very lucky. There's more to it. I had a photo of Phil playing for New South Wales

up on my bedroom wall when KFCT20 in Australia before it was a big bash and he was playing one of his signature like windmill cut shots and my brothers and I loved how he played the game particularly my brother Will. My brother Will loved Phil so much

he was his favourite player and he actually has one of Phil's bats that Phil gave to me during that time and Will still has it You know, sits prior to place in his house and he's, the world's 30 now, that's one of his prized possessions. So in the lead up to batting with Phil, it was like I was batting with someone I looked up to,

you know, I remember watching his first test series against South Africa where he made those hundreds and it was amazing. And then getting to share one of the biggest moments of my life so far with him and credit him for teaching me something about resilience and staying present and what that does for you in terms of performance.

That was a huge, huge lesser. And he showed me that in real time. And that's a mature thing to do for a young man. So, and it's just a special time to spend together. And he's gone now, and everyone loved him. You know, he was such a fun guy, so funny. He would finish the game. And I remember one day he was just on his phone

looking at cattle auctions back at home for his farm trying to buy cattle that that's what he really cared about and he was a good cricketer as well just a beautiful man so I feel lucky to spend that time with him

and grateful for the lessons that he taught me and coincidentally I think not long after he lost his life you made 98 in a grade game yeah it was kind of spooky actually it was the first game back that any cricket game was played and there was a big 408 like painted on the ground at uni

and at every ground we had a minute of silence before the game and it was tough you know a lot of blokes are in tears and stuff and I remember just trying to be like pretty strong that day and I remember feeling like quiet but focused and when I was batting I was actually thinking about our innings sort of thing and what he was telling me at that time and it's just so happens

like I was on night he had a nicked a ball to second slip and yeah who knows I don't know if anything happens for a reason or not I don't think about that too much but it's kind of scary

that it happened that way it was nice that it happened that way we've spent an hour talking about that day and that in and it seems to me like your memories of it are really really vivid but I think you also just said

You'd watched it a lot. Yeah. How many times you're I reckon you've watched it? True, man. Hard to say. In the last eight years, like, for five times, you know. More, in the last ten years, hardly any.

In the year after that, a lot. You know, you'd watch it with family and friends, and I'd watch it back for confidence, and I'd actually watch it back as a reference point to the way I was batty. It was all about the reason I'd watch it it wasn't to make myself feel good about the moment. It was because I played really well.

And I actually loved how I was picking the bat up. I was ripping the bat up when it was like flying up past my ears and then I'd just fall down the ball and I'd either just stop the ball or I'd go through it. So technically the way I was batting was great. And I'd probably been trying to get back to that ever since. It's really hard to replicate a single moment in time. So yeah, that's why I'd watch.

and then it's nice to, like you said, here in Botham's voice. That's the really memorable part about watching it and that makes you feel good. Judging by the smile on your face throughout talking about it, I think I know the answer to this question, but I'm going to ask it anyway because it's written down. Is it the 98 you made or the two you didn't make? The 98 made, yeah. I never really thought about the two that I didn't. I don't really believe in what could have happened. could have happened, just really happy for what happened that day.

Glad it's made a lot of people happy and glad we can talk about it now with her fondness and hopefully it inspired some people. And I'm sure you would have wanted more from your test career, but not many people. You know, there'll be a lot of people who've played more Ashes tests. Yeah. And not got that place in history that you have. That's right. It's not about that.

You know, you just do the best with what's in front of you, and I did a good job that day. And I rode the wave, and that's how it happened. I felt like I was courageous and brave, and that's what I'm most pleased about. But, you know, it doesn't speak anything of anyone else's time. playing an Ashes Test, I think you've played an Ashes Test which was a pretty cool experience and that's a

that's a pretty important shared experience to have for this crowd club to be a part of. Well, that was from The Ashes with Ashton Agar, the final episode in this series. If you want to hear the rest, find them on BBC Sounds and you can read

more about Ashton's story and the others in this series on the BBC Sport website and app. Remember, BBC Sounds is where you can hear live ball by ball commentary every day of the Ashes series. The Test Match Special team will be in place at Optus Stadium on Friday morning. There will also be a daily podcast from the team in Australia throughout this series.

So make sure you're subscribed to get a notification every time we upload. That's all for now. We'll speak to you next time. Welcome to the team behind the team. podcast series in partnership with the Open University, where we'll be showcasing the people, the tools and the techniques that help athletes and teams reach elite level. Like all elite sports, it's a pyramid and everybody's trying to get to the top.

It's not just my vision. It's a shared vision amongst the team. What is this? This is not the way I see the game. The team behind the team with Katie Smith. In partnership with the Open University. Listen on BBC Sounds.