Sporting drama

Sporting drama

Watching sport can be bad for your health

Forget the choreographed antics of The X Factor; the authentic realism of The Wire; heck, you can even cast aside the over-the-top nonsense of Dallas, Dynasty and co. If it’s real drama you’re after – drama that sends your heart pounding at seriously scary levels – then sport delivers like nothing else.

This year’s Ryder Cup is proof positive – Europe hanging on in the last match between Northern Ireland’s Graeme MacDowell and American Hunter Mahan to regain the trophy by a slender 14 and a half to 13 and a half margin.

So, just to maintain that heady delirium a little while longer, let’s remind you of five other sporting contests that define the term ebb and flow and encapsulate drama worthy of William Shakespeare.

1. The Ashes, 2005

Heading into the last day of the 2005 Ashes the result was on a knife-edge. All summer England and Australia had duked it out like sporting gladiators, with England just shading it 2-1 going into the fifth and final test.

However, Australia – with an attack headed by Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, two of the greatest bowlers of all time – had plenty of time to skittle out England’s batsmen and give the Aussie batsman the chance to knock off the runs needed to win the test, draw the series and thus retain the Ashes.

And just before lunch that’s what predictably looked like happening. But cometh the hour, cometh the man. Kevin Pietersen sensing a date with destiny hit a majestic century to put the match out of Australia’s reach. An unforgettable denouement to arguably the greatest cricket series of all time.

2. Liverpool v Arsenal, 1989

It’s up for grabs now! And it certainly was: going into the final game of the 1988/89 football season, Arsenal needed to beat Liverpool by two clear goals to ambush their northern rivals.

Most commentators didn’t give George Graham’s side a prayer – Liverpool were the traditional powerhouse of English football and were playing at home; Arsenal hadn’t won the league in nearly 20 years.

With a minute to go, the experts looked like being proved correct. Although it was much closer than expected - Arsenal were winning 1-0 – that scoreline would have still proved enough for Liverpool. Then, in the second minute of injury time, Arsenal midfielder Michael Thomas raced onto an Alan Smith header and coolly dispatched the ball past Bruce Grobbelaar.

Arsenal had won the league by virtue of a greater number of goals scored over the entire season.

3. Lewis Hamilton, Formula One, 2008

Throughout 2008, Lewis Hamilton had looked odds on to become the youngest Formula One champion. And although Brazilian driver Felipe Massa clawed enough points back to take the championship into the final race – Massa’s home Grand Prix – Hamilton would surely take the minimum fifth place required to secure the title.

That was how it was meant to pan out anyway. Come the last lap, Massa had won the race and Hamilton was sixth. It was slipping away from Hamilton.

However, Hamilton conjured up one last push and on the final corner – the FINAL CORNER for chrissakes – he sped past Timo Glock’s spluttering Toyota to gain the fifth place he needed. Even Hollywood would have rejected such a script as too overblown.

4. Dennis Taylor v Steve Davis, World Snooker Championship, 1985

Steve Davis was the Manchester United of his day – perennially successful, albeit not very popular. Dennis Taylor was the playful Irishman beloved of the crowds at the Crucible, but, realistically, without a hope against the unremitting might of Davis.

Their final looked a horrible mismatch. And so it proved. At first. Davis taking an 8-0 lead in the best-of-35 final. Miraculously, Taylor hit back. However, at 17-15 to Davis, all looked lost.

Again, Taylor, his glasses appearing to have been placed on upside down, levelled the match. So it went to the final frame. And then, incredibly, to the final black. Both men missed chances to sink the ball, before Taylor, memorably, potted, raising his cue above his head in iconic celebration.

It was the only time he had been ahead of Davis the entire match

5. Bjorn Borg v John McEnroe, Wimbledon, 1980

Before Federer and Nadal, there was Borg and McEnroe. Ice-cool, Swedish precision versus brash, American rebellion. Their 1980 Wimbledon final has gone down in the annals of tennis history as the greatest match ever played.

Firstly, there was the epic 22-minute fourth-set tiebreaker – a battle that McEnroe eventually won. There was more drama to come. The seesaw final set saw Borg prevailing 8-6. He had won the war. It was his fifth – and final – victory at the home of tennis. Upon victory, he sunk to his knees, as much in relief as joy.

The following year, McEnroe would exact stunning revenge.

Tags: sport, lists, golf

Sporting drama - ShortLists - ShortList Magazine

Sporting drama

Watching sport can be bad for your health

1. The Ashes, 2005

2. Liverpool v Arsenal, 1989

3. Lewis Hamilton, Formula One, 2008

4. Dennis Taylor v Steve Davis, World Snooker Championship, 1985

5. Bjorn Borg v John McEnroe, Wimbledon, 1980

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