Fifth Test: The Oval
(September 8-12)
England 373; Strauss (129), Warne (6-122) & 335; Pietersen (158), Warne (6-124)
Australia 367; Hayden (138), Flintoff (5-78) & 4-0
MATCH DRAWN (England win series 2-1)
And so it all came down to a decider at The Oval.
England would need only to draw the final Test to secure a first Ashes series win in 18 years and finally get their hands back on that famous urn. Australia, on the other hand, could ensure it remained in their possession with a series-levelling win.
After England won a third toss in a row and opted to bat first, Warne again stole the show for Australia.
On a day one pitch perfect for batting, Warne claimed five-for, on his way to 12 for the Test. His exploits just about managed to keep Australia in the hunt, after Strauss and Trescothick had got the hosts off to a cracking start with an 84-run opening partnership and with the former building on that platform to score his second century of the series.
Strauss (129) was also superbly supported by Flintoff (72) in a 143-run partnership for the fifth wicket but he fell to Warne (6-122) late in the day for his fifth, and the Aussie great returned to wrap up the innings early on day two.
England’s 373 didn’t look to be enough as, albeit interrupted regularly by rain over the next two days, Australia pulled to within 100 of their total off the back of centuries for both Hayden (138) and Langer (105).
But up stepped Flintoff to again leave another indelible mark on the series and on Australia’s batters as he finished with 5-78 to inspire an almighty collapse from the tourists on the fourth morning – their final seven wickets falling for just 24 runs.
It earned England a precious six-run lead entering the second innings. Every run absolutely vital as they looked to bat out the final day for a draw.
Strauss again fell victim to Warne late on the fourth evening, this time for the addition of only one run, and Vaughan and Bell were swiftly snaffled to consecutive McGrath deliveries the following morning.
Australia had an opening, and they nearly forced that door wide open with a McGrath hat-trick, as Pietersen came oh so close to gloving his first ball to second slip. Despite the boisterous appeals from the Aussie infielders, ball hit shoulder and he survived – just as he did when dropped twice early on in his innings.
Gilchrist and Hayden first combined to put down a difficult chance with KP still on nought, off Warne, while the great man himself shelled him on 11, a much simpler opportunity that flew straight to him at slip. Dumbfounded by his error, Warne was left to ponder if he’d ‘dropped the Ashes’.
Those early reprieves prompted Pietersen to go into full attack mode and he swiftly launched Warne for two sixes – the first of seven for his innings – in the very next over. The pace of Lee was proving trickier to tame, however, until a spot of encouragement from Vaughan at lunch to take on the short ball.
Lee’s first three overs after the interval cost him 37 runs and he was withdrawn from the attack. Battle won, but the Test match and the Ashes were still far from secured, with England five wickets down by this point and leading by 177 with plenty of time left.
Paul Collingwood – in for the injured Simon Jones – dug in for 51 MBE-worthy deliveries before becoming Warne’s 10th victim of the match, while Geraint Jones was quickly cleaned up by Shaun Tait.
Enter Giles, for his second stellar batting cameo in as many Tests. He and Pietersen teamed up for 109 crucial, Ashes-clinching runs, with Pietersen (158) motoring through to the finest of maiden Test hundreds – his first of 23 for England – and Giles (59) marching on to a majestic half-century of his own.
Warne (6-124) and McGrath (3-85) combined to end the innings but far from bidding farewell to their fans with Ashes urn in hand, the two greats bowed out for the last time on English soil with that rarest of feelings, defeat.
In the fading September light, just four deliveries of Australia’s innings were possible before that now-iconic moment which saw umpires Rudi Koertzen and Billy Bowden remove the bails.
England, Ashes champions.
