2005 Ashes Series — The Greatest Cricket Series Ever Played
The 2005 Ashes between England and Australia is widely considered the greatest Test series in history. Learn what happened, match by match, and why it matters.
Why 2005 Is Called the Greatest Series
The 2005 Ashes series between England and Australia is universally regarded as the greatest Test series ever played. Five Tests, four different results in the first four matches, two victories by margins of 2 runs and 1 wicket, a draw featuring one of the most dramatic final days in Test history — and England ending 18 years of Australian dominance to win the Ashes 2-1.
Match-by-Match Summary
- First Test, Lord's — Australia won by 239 runs. Glenn McGrath took 9 wickets; Kevin Pietersen's debut was notable but England were outclassed.
- Second Test, Edgbaston — England won by 2 runs. The closest possible margin. Michael Vaughan's declaration, Andrew Flintoff's 68 and 3/52, Steve Harmison's bowling. Final day tension was barely watchable.
- Third Test, Old Trafford — Draw. Ricky Ponting's unbeaten 156 saved Australia on the final day. Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath held out the last wicket for 4 balls. Could have gone either way.
- Fourth Test, Trent Bridge — England won by 3 wickets. Flintoff's century, Ashley Giles' runs. Another tense final day.
- Fifth Test, The Oval — Draw. England preserved their 2-1 lead to win the Ashes. Kevin Pietersen's 158 the series-defining innings of a brilliant individual in his first summer.
The Key Players
- Andrew Flintoff (England) — all-round series-defining performance; 402 runs and 24 wickets.
- Kevin Pietersen (England) — 473 runs in his debut Ashes, including 158 at The Oval.
- Shane Warne (Australia) — 40 wickets in the series despite being on the losing side.
- Matthew Hoggard, Steve Harmison, Simon Jones (England) — pace trio that reversed the ball and took crucial wickets.
The Aftermath
England received an open-top bus parade through central London — the first for an English cricket team. The players were named in the New Year Honours list. Glenn McGrath retired a year later. Shane Warne retired after the 2006-07 Ashes when Australia reclaimed the urn 5-0. The 2005 series remains a high-water mark that English cricket has tried, with varying success, to repeat.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the 2005 Ashes?
England won the 2005 Ashes 2-1 — their first series victory over Australia since 1987. The series ended on September 12, 2005 at The Oval, where a draw was enough to secure England the urn.
How many people watched the 2005 Ashes?
The 2005 Ashes was broadcast on Channel 4 (free-to-air) in England, drawing huge audiences — the final day at The Oval attracted approximately 7 million viewers, an extraordinary figure for cricket on free-to-air television. The series is credited with reigniting cricket interest across England.