Auguest 25-28, 2005: England beat Australia by 3 wickets at Trent Bridge.
https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/148 ... tland-2005The legendary Ashes series of 2005 wasn't so celebrated just because it was the first time England beat Australia in nineteen years, but as much for the thrilling way it came about. Every match after Lord's, including the two draws, were among their greatest performances of these 474 Tests. Which to choose? Well, Trent Bridge, because England went 2-1 up in the series with one to play, and because the conclusion felt hardly less tense than at Edgbaston.
The year began with a loss in Cape Town, but England rallied magnificently in Johannesburg and won their first series in South Africa since 1965, The year ended in losing a bruising encounter with Pakistan. But just mention the year 2005 to anyone with an interest in English cricket, and they will spontaneously recall the Ashes encounter before anything else. I suspect even if they got married or had a child that year. It was arguably England's greatest cricketing triumph.
In Nottingham, Simon Jones was declared fit, and so the classic line up stayed together for the fourth Test in a row. Australia brought in the boisterous, Larwoodesque Shaun Tait for his debut and recalled Mark Kasprowicz, leaving out Glenn McGrath with a sore elbow and finally giving up on Jason Gillespie. England had to get back on the horse after coming so close in Manchester and batted first. The Australians pace attack bowled without discipline and the fielders dropped catches and England clattered along at five an over, Flintoff reaching three figures before being whimsically dreamed out by Steve Buckner. Ponting picked up Michael Vaughan then jigged around like Walter Huston in Treasure of the Sierra Madre on having discovered gold. But England made 477 so had the last laugh.
England swung the ball around both ways, in and out, conventional and reverse. A magnificent catch by Andrew Strauss off Gilchrist stifled Australia's recovery as the pitch flattened and they were all out for 218 in 50 overs with Simon Jones taking five. They
followed on! But nevertheless, the pitch was flatter, and Jones was having an x-ray and wouldn't bowl again in the series. The Aussie middle and late order got stuck in, Geraint Jones (and everyone else to be fair) missed chances and England were set 129 to win which Shane Warne ground down to 13 for the last three wickets.
At a distance of fifteen years, that looks like no problem. Only 13 runs. At the time it felt England must lose. It was excruciating. A nation watched through a veil of terror. Or pretended it wasn't happening. If Australia won, they kept the Ashes.
But Giles and Hoggard saw them home. They survived the grinder. A country breathed again and went on as normal or drowned their nerves in alcohol. Australia hadn't retained the Ashes after all, England were 2-1 up and with only five days of rain between them and a series win.