Australia vs England - Edgbaston

In the closest Ashes result of England and Australia cricketing adventures, following their 239 run defeat at Lord’s, it was England’s turn to take the series by the throat with a heart-stopping 2run win over Australia at Edgbaston. Needing 107 runs to win, Australia had just two wickets in hand when it started the 4th day’s play, momentum and vibe easily with England.

In the closest Ashes result of England and Australia cricketing adventures, following their 239 run defeat at Lord’s, it was England’s turn to take the series by the throat with a heart-stopping 2run win over Australia at Edgbaston. Needing 107 runs to win, Australia had just two wickets in hand when it started the 4th day’s play, momentum and vibe easily with England.

For one of the very few times through my years of cricket spectating, the ground was full at the start of play; not surprising as play might only have lasted 2balls. For the sake of the game, it lasted more than 2cherries and the capacity crowd was dealt absolute 100% cricketing value. Australia fought it out for 90mins, only to fall short of a miraculous win by 3runs. The ever-boisterous England crowd was silent as Brett Lee and Michael Kasprowicz added 59runs for the 10wicket, making England’s inevitable day 4 victory seem unlikely.

It was an exciting session of play. A truly nail biting session. Admittedly, Australia should never have got as close as they did. After Steve Harmison bowled Michael Clarke on the last ball of Day 3 leaving Australia 8-174, a quick mop up should have been the order of play for England on Day 4.

Brett Lee joined Shane Warne and they took it to the bowlers hitting 46runs with a series of classic text book shots, and some not so orthodox, but effective to reach 9-220 when Warne was out hitting his wicket. He never looked like getting out, so to fall in such a way was unjust. England’s bowlers were all over the shop this morning. Short-pitchers, wide deliveries, and an excessive amount of no balls kept Australia creeping closer and closer, helping to maintain a healthy run rate, considering the closeness of the match. (Below: Geraint Jones moves to is left to take the offer from Kasper down leg, and pandemonium broke out!)

Michael Kasprowicz was out first ball in the first innings, and if England delivered a similar ball in the 2nd, they’d have won the game with plenty to spare, but they didn’t and Kasper and Bing smashed up 59runs. The Barmy Army that were riotously vocal for most of the morning, joined the England team’s desperation, suddenly believing, if their silence was a gauge, the match could not be won, and waited for the absurd; another Australia victory from the jaws of defeat. But the house came down when Kasper flayed at a rising ball down leg side and gloved one to Jones, who finally held a catch sending the crowd into ecstasy.

I’ve seen many close finishes over my time in both forms of the game, and usually Australia prevails, so this was a new emotion for me. I threw my cap onto the ground, and dropped my head into my hands. I couldn’t believe it. Even as I write 24hours later, I can’t. If there was consolation, it was a 2run defeat, and not a one run. I guess from the predicament Australia was in, needing 107runs from the last 3 batsmen, getting so close would warrant a silver platter victory, and with the quality of the bowling this morning England didn’t deserve to win.

At the presentations, Michael Vaughan summed up England’s mindset at the game's end saying, “We didn’t think we would win it”. It would great if England brings that attitude to the 3rd Test in Manchester! But England did win the 2nd test, and regardless of the deservedness or not, it started when Ponting won the toss and bowled. England went to the crease and summarily pummeled 407runs off Australia. Without McGrath who was injured in a pre-match warm-up, Australia’s out of sorts’ bowlers were exposed, but England’s batsmen performing professional suicide, aside Freddie Flintoff belting a sensational 68, and Kevin Pietersen another superb 71, Australia did bowl them out. If you open the batting on day one, you still do want to be batting come day 2 surely.

Australia walked to bat on day 2, and a few minutes later Matthew Hayden was walking back, out first ball, and the Barmy Army was singing early! Punter made a blistering 61, Clarkey a confident 40, and Justin Langer looked as if he wanted to bat for 2days but alas, all three were out. The tail came and went and Australia handed England a 99 run first innings lead, 7overs before stumps. Making 25runs, Shane Warne gave England a taste of what was to come, mesmerizing Andrew Strauss with a ‘ball of the century’ that took out his middle peg, leaving Strauss to wonder if the ball was legit and both teams walked to the showers to ponder an extraordinary day 3 that started with a bang. (Below: The shot that should have won it for Australia! Alas, it only went for one as there was a man hiding at deep cover!)

At 1-25, England crashed to 9-131. What became the decisive innings as the game transpired was Flintoff’s 73. With Simon Jones, they added 51 runs for the 10th wicket and set Australia 282 runs to win with 2.5days to play. Heaps of time to get the runs, but history was not on Australia’s side with the highest 4th innings winning total at Edgbaston being only 211 (Uncle Pete told me this so it’s give or take a few!). At 0-47 Australia was looking set to play long into day 4 to secure the win, alas, talking of suicide, Australia was ok at 4-134, but in a blink were 7-137 and England were offered the extra overs at the end of play to wrap up the win. England was well placed to take the game and the crowd knew it too.

The atmosphere was fantastic, and there are times when the crowd does get a wicket rather the players the umpires are influenced by the intensity of the audience, and a decision rightly or wrongly is made because 15,000 people want it! Amidst the euphoria, Clarkey and Warney survived the extra overs until the last ball when Clarke was bamboozled by Harmison and we all went home with the score at 8-174 to come back tomorrow for one of the most enthralling match ends of the modern game. This game is now history and win or lose you can’t begrudge the value in the Edgbaston spectacle of the Edgbaston. 1-1 and off to Old Trafford!

Luke Gillian 09/08/2005 10:10:59