The Ashes 2013: 1st Test - 5 key moments of the match

3. The unexpected exploits of Ashton Agar

A dream debut for Agar, which almost finished on the perfect note

The 19-year-old was a surprise selection on the morning of the first day of the Test match as he received his baggy green from Glenn McGrath.

His dogged resistance against the stellar English bowling line-up came at a time when Australia were down in the dumps. The occasion of the innings certainly had all the attributes of becoming a part of the Ashes folklore, and this one had its share of a few surprising elements too.

His selection was prompted by the possibility of him being a threat to Kevin Pietersen as a left-arm off spin bowler. Captain Michael Clarke talked about how he was drafted into the batting line-up as the number-eleven only because they wanted to ease his nerves before his debut in the Ashes and in international cricket, but he couldn’t conceal the fact that he himself was surprised by the manner in which he scored his runs.

It was not a typical number-eleven scratchy innings but was marked by a surprising competence against spin-bowling. Agar continued to live his dream debut as he picked up the critical scalp of Alastair Cook in the second innings when he was threatening to score big.