Gladstone Small recalls Ashes experience: "Are there challenges or opportunities?"

NICK HOWSON: Player of the match from the 1986/87 Boxing Day Test at the MCG, the former England quick says Australia presents the perfect platform to perform

Former England seamer Gladstone Small says an Ashes series in Australia is the biggest test of a cricketer.

Small was just two Tests into his international career when he was selected for the now-iconic 1986/87 tour.

He had to wait until the Boxing Day Test, the fourth of the series, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to break into the team, replacing Graham Dilley who suffered a knee injury in the warm-up.

The Barbados-born seamer took to Ashes cricket with aplomb, finishing with career-best figures of 5 for 48 as Australia were dismissed for 141 on the first afternoon.

"Are there challenges or are there opportunities? I look at is as opportunities quite frankly," he told The Cricketer. "You've got to get in tune, it's going to be hostile - they're not that welcoming - that's the first thing you need to put up with. 

^{The class of 86/87 worked hard on and off the field}

"You have to get your head together that you're not going to be that welcomed. But when you play an international you've got to believe that you're there on merit.

"You've got to buy into that and once you do you've got a chance of doing what you're capable of. 

"There are challenges, it's Test cricket it should be a challenge - but as we all know it is not easy for our teams to win in Australia. 

"Micky Stewart (England coach for the 86/87 series) told us that history tells us that Australia have always beaten England more often than not.

"They've got a better record but if you believe that you're good and can get ahead of the game and you transfer the pressure onto them and chances are they can come unstuck as well."

Small expects Ben Stokes and Stuart Broad to be among those to grasp the nettle this winter.

He added: "The guys have a great opportunity to make a name for themselves and set their name in folklore as Ashes heroes.

"It is the series every Englishman wants to win, as every Australian wants to as well. To be able to go out there and produce your best stuff is a great feeling."

^{Elton John joining the celebrations}

A combination of experienced players - David Gower, Ian Botham, Mike Gatting, Phil Edmonds, John Emburey - and emerging youngsters such as Small and Phil DeFreitas helped deliver that series win 35 years ago.

England had to wait another 18 to win back the urn and wouldn't prevail in Australia again until 2010/11.

Celebrations were, therefore, understandably rowdy and there was another superstar performer who muscled in on the festivities.

"We had a lot of fun, probably too much fun," Small, who has spoken about his experience in-depth for a new podcast, Inside the Tour – The Ashes 1986/87, explained.

"It was the best tour, cricket wise we won the Test series, the one-day series, the Benson and Hedges Perth Challenge, we had a super three months. It was a long but fabulous tour. 

"The cricket was serious but as soon as we'd finished we'd enjoy the ride while we could. 

"Then we had a megastar like Elton John, who I remember fondly from the times he would burst into the dressing room.

"He was always welcome and was such an infectious character. That bit of distraction helped us on the way as well.

"When you have that kind of support in your ranks that gives you a bit of a lift as well."

Inside the Tour - The Ashes 1986/87 is available on all major podcast platforms. For more information and to subscribe to the series visit auddy.co/ITT and follow @InsideTourPod on Twitter.

Our coverage of the Ashes is brought to you in association with Cricket 22