A piece of iconic Ashes history has been given a new lease on life, with Glenn McGrath's miraculous 2002 diving catch officially unveiled as the latest instalment in Toyota's celebrated Legendary Moments series.
From the Gabba to the Ad Screen
The legendary fast bowler's unlikely outfield grab to remove England opener Michael Vaughan has been recreated for television, marking cricket's second entry into the popular advertising campaign after Steve Waugh. It is the 18th Legendary Moment overall in the series, which also features iconic acts from the VFL/AFL and NRL, including Heath Shaw's famous 2010 grand final replay smother.
The catch itself was a pivotal turning point in the second Test of the 2002-03 Ashes series. Vaughan, who had hammered a commanding 177 in the first innings, was looking comfortable again in the second dig, unbeaten on 41. When he top-edged a slog-sweep off Shane Warne towards a sparsely populated deep mid-wicket region, he likely thought he had survived.
However, McGrath – renowned for his bowling mastery rather than his fielding – produced a moment of pure athleticism, sprinting and diving full-length to snare the ball in a spectacular, if unorthodox, fashion.
A Miracle Grab and a Sore Back
Speaking to 7NEWS.com.au, McGrath recalled the catch vividly. "I remember seeing the ball up and I start running as hard as I can," McGrath said. "I think, 'I'm going to have to dive for this'... This one day I did, so I put a big dive in."
He described the ball hitting his left hand before bouncing into his right as he slid along the turf. "Then you get up and throw the ball up and I'm running around and my teammates all come and jump on me. It was a pretty nice feeling."
The celebration, complete with his trademark early-2000s sunglasses and arms aloft, became almost as iconic as the catch itself. The victory was not without a personal cost, however. "Through the middle of the night, I had to ring the physio because my back was killing me," McGrath admitted with a laugh.
Teammates' Amazed Reaction
The catch was so unexpected that even his fellow Australian players were in disbelief. McGrath shared a humorous anecdote about his teammates' lack of faith. "I'd like to say that it was never in doubt, but Ricky Ponting said he's seen three miracles in his life, and two of them are me scoring 61 at the Gabba and me hanging onto that catch," he revealed.
He also recalled Brett Lee telling him afterwards, "That was the best catch I've ever seen!" McGrath modestly added, "For me, I was an OK fielder, but I'm not up there with Warnie, Mark Waugh, Ricky Ponting."
The wicket triggered a dramatic collapse, with England losing the Test by an innings and 51 runs, cementing the catch's place in Ashes folklore.
The new advertisement features McGrath alongside comedians Matt Okine and Ryan Shelton, who also starred in the Heath Shaw Legendary Moment recreation earlier this year. Toyota Chief Marketing Officer Vin Naidoo said the moment was unforgettable. "Toyota's Legendary Moments is all about honouring the moments in history that bring fans together and this one is truly iconic," Naidoo said. "We simply couldn't let this slip through to the keeper."
