Photo courtesy of Channel 9

There are few figures in the Australian sporting pantheon who require a shorter introduction than Mark Taylor. A technically gifted opening batsman who shaped his game around an unerring knowledge of where his off-stump stood; a tactically supreme captain who built the finest Test team this country has ever witnessed; a gifted commentator whose measured wisdom in the Channel Nine box has lifted him to the top tier of Australia’s sporting statesmen.

In short, a national treasure.

While Tubby’s cricketing legacy may be founded on his success against the West Indies, his legend was established during the 1989 Ashes Tour. Recall the scene: the Australians hadn’t won a series in England since 1975. Over its past 11 Tests, Allan Border’s team had recorded a bare two victories. The English press was branding the young squad the “worst ever” to

leave Australian shores. In the end, however, it was scarcely a contest. The Australians eviscerated the Poms in the first two Tests before marching to a 4-1 series victory. Amidst the carnage, none stood taller than Taylor. A century in the first Test and a sparkling 219 in the fifth paved the way for a series tally of 839 runs – the highest since Don Bradman’s 930 on the 1930 Ashes tour. With this month’s Ashes series in full flight, we collared the great man for a yarn.

What was the defining factor behind the Australian success on that 1989 Ashes tour?

I think it probably started back in the previous series. I’m not sure how good your memory is, but in the series before that Ashes, we’d played the West Indies in Australia and got belted by a very good side in the first three Tests. Now, I came in for the Sydney Test, which was the fourth match of the series. And we won, with Allan Border taking 11 wickets bowling his left-arm finger spin. After that match we went to Adelaide, where we had the better of that game as well. So I think we gained a lot of confidence from those two Tests. Even though we lost the series 3-1, we went to England confident. People had written us off, but we felt we were a much better side than people were giving us credit for. We went over there with a lot more confidence than people thought we deserved to have.

English ‘keeper Jack Russell cuts a helpless figure as Tubby marches to 219 at Trent Bridge in ‘89. Photo: Getty

Do you see a similar confidence in the current Australian team?

To be honest, no. It’s certainly not there at the moment. But, on a positive note, it can change pretty quickly. When I went over in ’89, I really didn’t know how I was going to go. I wasn’t sure I was good enough to be in the team. It wasn’t until that first Test at Headingley – where I made a hundred and Steve Waugh made his first Test hundred – that everything turned around. We suddenly realised we were Test cricketers – good Test cricketers. So confidence can change very quickly. That’s all a couple of members of the Australian top order need to turn things around for them.

You achieved incredible immediate success on that ‘89 series ... Well, I was over there the year before, playing in the Bolton league for a side called Greenmount. Although the pitches were very different to Test wickets, it meant I wasn’t totally surprised by the conditions I would get on that Ashes Tour. I’ve always found English pitches very good to bat on, full stop.