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The fourth days play of the third Test at Headingley in July 1975 ended with the match balanced on a knife-edge. Australia, chasing a record 445 to beat England, and so retain the Ashes, had reached 220 for 3, with their opener Rick McCosker still there, within one hit of a maiden Test hundred. England still had their noses in front, however, with only Doug Walters, never happy on English pitches, and the incapacitated Ross Edwards of the mainline batsmen remaining. But the pitch was benign, and any one of three results were still possible.The last day - a Tuesday, in those days of rest days on a Sunday - dawned cloudy, but when George Cawthray, the groundsman, pushed back the covers, he was greeted with the sight of a pitch which had been vandalised. Several lumps of soil had been gouged out of the surface just short of a length at the Rugby Ground End. While Cawthray later admitted that he could have repaired those sufficiently to allow play to recommence, what sent a chill down his spine was that the holes had been filled with about a gallon of oil. Cawthray found the solitary nightwatchman, who had not heard anything unusual, and then summoned the police.As the players, officials, and keen early spectators arrived, the first signs that all was not well came when they were greeted by the sight of slogans daubed on Headingleys perimeter walls: George Davis is innocent. Inside, the number of policemen and officials clustered round the pitch soon brought home the reality.Tony Greig and Ian Chappell, the two captains, inspected the pitch and agreed that it couldnt be used. The umpires briefly considered a suggestion that the adjacent strip could be mown, but with no guarantee that it would play as the one used for the first four days had - slow, low and with little turn - that idea was quickly dismissed.Television viewers tuning in for the start were greeted by a sombre-looking Peter West. The reason for the lack of his usual genial grin immediately became obvious as he announced that the match had been abandoned. The details given were sketchy and brief. And whereas today endless replays would be shown, and petro-chemical experts dragged in to explain exactly what kind of oil had been used, in those more genteel times of 1975, the BBC reverted to transmitting a picture of a cricket ball with a two-line explanation as a caption.By lunchtime, the grey clouds had given way to a more persistent drizzle: the match would have been abandoned by tea-time anyway.A rumour began to circulate that there would be an extra Test - a fifth - slotted in after the Oval finale. But although the idea was discussed by the two boards, it was soon dismissed. The only spare date was for a match starting on September 11, and the Australians, who all had fulltime jobs back home, were committed to return before then.And what of the George Davis, the man in whose name the pitch had been dug up? Largely unknown until then, he was a 34-year-old London minicab driver who had been sentenced in 1974 to a 20-year sentence for armed robbery. Protestors had been campaigning for his release for about a year, and in 1976 he was freed after Merlyn Rees, the home secretary, decided that his conviction was unsound. But two years later he was found guilty of attempting to rob a bank and sent to prison for 15 years. Released in 1984, he again returned to prison in 1987 when caught trying to steal mailbags.Interviewed on the evening of the incident, Colin Dean, Daviss brother-in-law, who was later convicted of being involved, told the BBC that the act had been carried out to bring the subject to the publics attention. We can get the Ashes back anytime, he argued. What have we done? Dug a little bit of ground up. Is it sacred?Dean and three others - two men and a woman - were eventually taken to court and charged with vandalism. Three received suspended sentences and one, Peter Chappell, was jailed for 18 months.The fourth Test at The Oval ended in a draw, even though it was extended to six days, and so Australia, led by Ian Chappell for the last time, retained the Ashes. McCosker, stranded on 95 at Headingley, did manage to score a Test century at last.In the aftermath of the incident, security at major matches was reviewed. But just in case anyone thinks that this kind of thing couldnt happen today, its worth noting that in May 2004 vandals scaled the walls at The Oval and dug holes just behind the crease at the Vauxhall End, delaying the start.Footnote Picking on innocent pitches appears to have been all the rage in the hot summer of 1975. In the same issue of The Cricketer which reported on the Headingley vandalism, there was a story about police in Staffordshire being summoned to deal with a man who had repeatedly driven his car across the square at Silverdale CC. 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China NFL Jerseys . - Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie never doubted he would bring back coach Dennis Allen for a third year despite back-to-back 4-12 records. Wholesale Jerseys China . PETERSBURG, Fla. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- For the first time in five seasons under Urban Meyer, Ohio State lost a Big Ten regular-season road game. And its 20-game road winning streak also ended last Saturday night in State College, Pa., when Penn State pulled off a 24-21 upset.After a rare conference loss and a narrow overtime win on the road the previous week, the Buckeyes dropped from No. 2 to No. 6 in the latest Associated Press poll. They now trail Michigan by a game in the Big Ten East Division standings.It was the first defeat for Ohio State in October under Meyer, whose record dipped to a still-spectacular 56-5 with the Buckeyes.The good news for Ohio State (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) is the loss doesnt damage its title aspirations. Win out the rest of the way, including a victory over Michigan in the traditional regular-season finale, and the Buckeyes will go to the Big Ten championship game in December in Indianapolis.Every goal is still alive, Meyer said after the loss. Were not a great team right now.Ohio State returns home this weekend to face Northwestern (4-3, 3-1) on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) in the first of two straight games in Ohio Stadium that could define the season. The following Saturday, the Buckeyes play host to No. 7 Nebraska.Neither game figures to be easy. Northwestern brings a three-game winning streak to Columbus. Nebraska, which plays at Wisconsin this weekend in his first reason test of the season, is unbeaten.Wow, that is as improved a team as Ive ever seen from beginning to now, Meyer said of Northwestern. Theyve had three big wins with two on the road. Their defense is outstanding.While the Wildcats are on a roll, the Buckeyes are licking their wounds after falling at Penn State. Though the Buckeyes have lost only five times since Meyers first season in 2012, they do have some experience bouncing back from tough losses.Last year, they fell at home to Michigan State late in the season but responded the following week with a win over Michigan. In 2014, after the stunning early-season loss to Virginia Tech at home, Ohio State ran the table and won the College Football Playoff national championship.Meyers Ohio State teams have lost two straight only once -- in 2013 when the Buckeyes were beaten by Michigan State in the Big Ten championship game and Clemson in the Orange Bowl.We have to move forward, Meyer said. You have to let it hurt for a while. If you lose a game, youre not a loser. If you lose a game, you accept it. That was the message to our players. ... It happened, so move on and get ready for a very good team coming iin here.ddddddddddddNorthwestern has rebounded after losing three of its first four games to start the season, winning three straight Big Ten games against Iowa, Michigan State and Indiana.Wildcats coach Pat Fitzgerald realizes the Buckeyes are a little different animal than their previous opponents.Now the heavy lifting starts, Fitzgerald said. Nobody has a stiffer challenge than us. We have to take on the Buckeyes.Northwestern has some weapons on offense to throw at Ohio State. Justin Jackson leads the Big Ten in rushing with 792 yards, Austin Carr is the conferences leading receiver with 50 catches for 720 yards and nine touchdowns, and Clayton Thorson is the third-leading passer, averaging 240.9 yards per game with 14 touchdowns.On defense, Columbus-area native Godwin Igwebuike is sixth in the Big Ten in tackles and Ohio native Ifeadi Odenigbo leads the conference in sacks with eight.Odenigbo definitely will catch Ohio States attention after the offensive line struggled against Penn States pass rush, giving up six sacks.The Buckeyes uncharacteristically let a 21-7 lead slip away against the Nittany Lions, when they were outscored 17-0 in the fourth quarter.Ohio State outgunned Penn State 413-276 in total yards and had a 17-minute advantage in time of possession, yet still couldnt come away with a win.The loss raised questions about Ohio States passing games -- in particular its offensive line play -- that had been bubbling toward the surface the past two games. Quarterback J.T. Barrett doesnt believe its a catastrophic issue.Overall, the passing game, I think we put our O-line in bad spots early on in drives, so we were second-and-long, said Barrett, who is closing in on a Big Ten career record with 90 combined touchdowns rushing and passing. I think that harmed us.Meyer doesnt expect any personnel changes this week on the offensive line, which gave up two sacks at the end of the game that stopped Ohio States final drive.There are a multitude of things (that went wrong), Meyer said. We did not play very well in a couple of areas on offense. What do you do? You identify it and work on it.(The offense) has regressed a little bit. Certainly there were plays to be made. If we hook up on those plays, we go on and win the game.Ohio State is a three-touchdown favorite to get back on track against Northwestern, which hasnt visited Columbus since 2007 and has lost 29 of the last 30 games between the teams. ' ' '