Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

I remember the Edgbaston test very well. I was with a group of friends in Dundee that barely paid attention to the existence of cricket up to that point. It really did capture the imagination.

>>And what about that for a slower ball by Harmison to young Michael Clarke?

To be greeted by M.C.J. Nicholas (Hants, Channel 4, and 5) proclaiming: "One of the great balls!"

I love cricket, but this series has ruined it a bit for me; I know it will never get this good again.

I am a fan of cricket and still play but as posted before I somehow don't think this Ashes Series is going to live up to 2005. I think England have the better squad of players available for selection but I still have the haunting feeling that the Austrailians are going to win the series. I hope I'm wrong!

I'm Scottish but have followed English cricket, indeed supported them, since the 1989 Ashes, and the 2005 Tests were outstanding; everyone of them! I was watching the end of the 2nd Test in a state of adrenaline-filled fear, convinced those Aussies were going to squeak it, and when Bowden stuck up the crooked finger o' doom, well, I have never felt such relief in my life!

What about the 2006/07 series?

Take your hat off Ben Dirs, that was the best and funniest flashback of the Greatest ever series!!! I was in an Edinburgh hostel surrounded by Aussies on the last day of the 4th Test... and let's just say it was sweet!!!

As an Aussie in London I have found it amusing how often the 2005 series has been talked about, while the following whitewash is ignored! Not to take anything away from 2005, you thoroughly deserved the win, and I actually perversely enjoyed watching a few of our arrogant boys being taken down a notch (Pontng especially).
But perhaps you should be looking at ways to win THIS series? Australia is rebuilding and is relatively weak, and you have the chance to do it again. But you will never manage it by looking back over your shoulders ...

Great article, though the reference the Rumbelows made me feel somewhat old!

London Barnes - try and keep up. We don't talk about the 06 / 07 series as we got royally pasted. We much prefer to talk about the "Greatest Series of All Time" - the one we won by 2 runs at Edgbaston....
I assume all groundstaff are under instruction to leave cricket balls lying around near the aussie warm up area again?

Waldo0 Yes I noticed that. I wonder if the 2005 ashes would have been considered the greatest of all time had Australia won the Edgbaston test by 1 wicket. Thus the Aussies winning the series 2-1. I doubt it somehow.

Im a West Indies fan myself and I must say that series was fantastic to watch. In my opinion England won it due to 2 things: (1) Their excellent bowling attack and (2) Ricky Pontings poor captaincy at the time.

I remember Ponting putting England into bat on a flat track then watching the fast bowlers get creamed all over the park. Shane Warne didnt get a bowl until well after lunch when England had over a 100 for no wicket. That was key. Vaughan in comparison was much better tactically and England seemed to get a wicket with every bowling change.

Re point 2 - >>And what about that for a slower ball by Harmison to young Michael Clarke?

To be greeted by M.C.J. Nicholas (Hants, Channel 4, and 5) proclaiming: "One of the great balls!"

I believe the words were "given the moment given the man....." or something like that - gives me goosebumps just thinking about it!

My favourite Ashes 2005 memories:

Edgbaston I was glued to my seat in front of the telly on Sunday lunchtime. We're due to play a match a 2pm one of the players rings to ask what time our game is due to start totally oblivious to the classic finish taking place! Call yourself a cricketer?

Freddie working over Punter - one of the best overs you will ever see.

That catch by Strauss.

Time to do it all again and eradicate the nightmares of 2006!

No mention of Strauss' two centuries at Old Trafford and The Oval, then? :(

I think it's about time the English move on from 2005. Since the, the Aussies have whitewashed England 5-0 to regain the Ashes, and this series seems to be leading into a contest between two rather mediocre teams. The Aussies haven't replaced legends such as Warne and McGrath, while England simply lurch from one crisis to another.

Nevertheless, though, a good article.

preferable to be harking back to 2005 than to 1981 as we'd been doing for 20+ years prior to that series.

Let's hope we can pan the Aussies 5-0 and then spend the next few years harping on about the summer of 2009 !


but i've got a feeling this series is gonna be drawn 2-2

I was lucky enough not to be working during Ashes 05. After a decade and half bringing up my girls I was able to say the salads in the fridge and the washing machines the white metal box in the corner of the kitchen.

I re discovered my love of the game. What struck me was no mater how heated the battle on the field the spirit was wonderful off the field.I doubt that another series will be as close as this one. They say fortune favours the brave and that's what England were brave they never backed off.

I think we won because we played as a team. If somebody failed with bat or ball somebody else stepped up. Every player played their part to the full. Even Paul Collingwood who is for ever picked on for that MBE. Petersen need him to hold up and end while he was blasting from the other.

It confirmed for me that KP could play a bit especially at cruicial moments,that MV was a great Captain and our bowling attack for that one summer was masterful.

It was Crickets 1966 moment please lets hope we do not have to wait that long again to taste victory.

Great article Ben. Even though you're right in that the England team should let it go, the fans should never forget it. For me it was the greatest summer of sport in my life-time (to-date that is I'm hoping that 2012 will challenge it).

My favourite memory of that summer has to be the final day of the 5th test as I was lucky enough to have a ticket. Pietersen's first six of that day is a sight I'll never forget. In my mind's eye the ball was size of a football as it flew right over our heads. And it was in that very moment that I knew the Ashes had been won, utter joy.

There's no way on earth that this year's series (or any other series for that matter) can live up to 2005, but just knowing how good it was and remembering that brilliant summer brightens my soul on days like when England lose to Holland!

enland66 if you think that was sweet, you should experience winning a series 5 zip. Stop settling for a cheese sandwich man, when you should go for the all you can eat buffet. Then you`ll know satisfaction.

The blood trickling down Punter's face still brings a smile whenever I think of it.

there seemed to be a feeling around the 05 ashes that it was brewing into something special. i took loads of time off work and would walk down the road to buy the times each day - it invariably had a cover story relating to the ashes, great publicity!

the terrible feeling of gloom and tension watching day 4 of the second test is something i never felt quite as powerfully in my life, and i have suffered as a lover of peterborough united and the scotland football team in my time, and the feeling of joy when ksparowicz gloved it behind was just supreme!

i, like a lot of england fans, have felt my passion for the game drop a notch since 05 as it just felt like an unbeatable pinnacle and a long-time dream, but i expect this series to bring its own heroes, tragedies and moments of brilliance - it is the ashes after all.

Hai (Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ) , how about recalling the losses after 2005 ?

Allegedly the phrase 'and all that' is now a precursor to 'and what happened afterwards'. This is about the 2005 Ashes; not doubt the Aussies are remembering the 06/07 Ashes and not the 05 ones.

I guess this blog is paving the way for a McNulty "1966 and all that" extravaganza this time next year!

England to continue their streak of beating no top side since Pakistan in 2006.

The one thing that never seems to get a mention from the series is the caught behind decision that won the game for us at Edgbaston. I suspect that had the same decision gone against us we would still be moaning about it today. To their immense credit the Aussies have behaved with tremendous sportsmanship both during and in the years follwoing the series.

When we see the heated debate that continues to follow the British Lions series and practically every football match on the planet, the positive way this reflects on cricket and australian cricket in paricular should not go without mention.

ravi bopara,kevin pieterson, flintoff,and ian bell, all need to do well in the batting order and then freddie will be up and drinking at trafalgar square.