5. Edgbaston, 1981
The Edgbaston 1981. (Photo Source: Twitter)
The 1981 Ashes Test at Edgbaston saw England register a miraculous win after coming from behind. Batting first, England were all out for a modest total of 189. Terry Alderman starred with the ball for Australia, taking 5 for just 42 runs.
In reply, Australia scored 258 runs to take a handy lead of 69 runs. For England, John Emburey picked up 4 wickets while Chris Old picked up 3 scalps. England had their back against the wall when they began their second innings. Trailing by 69 runs, the home side needed to bat out of their skin to post a big score. However, their batting failed to deliver once again and they finished on 219 runs.
Ray Bright was the pick of the bowlers for Australia in the second innings, picking up 5 wickets 68 runs. Set a target of 151 runs, Australia were the favourites to chase down the total. However, the visitors were in for a rude shock. Ian Botham, who had failed to make any impact in the game till that point, decided to turn up in style.
The legendary allrounder picked up 5 wickets for just 1 run in 28 balls to blow away Australia. The Kim Hughes-led side was no match for Botham's heroics as England bowled out Australia for 121 to register a stunning 29-run victory.
4. MCG, 1982/83
1982-83 MCG Ashes. (Photo Source: Twitter)
The MCG Test in the 1982/83 season saw England beat Australia by just 3 runs in a thrilling Test. After a poor start with the bat, England scored 284 thanks to fifties from Chris Tavare and Allan Lamb. In reply, Australia scored 287 with Kim Hughes, David Hookes and Rod Marsh scoring fifties.
In the second innings, Graeme Fowler's 67-run knock at the top of the order laid the foundation for England's total of 294 runs. Set a target of 292 runs, Australia were reeling at 71 for 3 before Hughes and David Hookes shared 100 runs for the fourth wicket to revive their team's hopes.
However, the floodgates opened once Geoff Miller dismissed Hughes for 48. Two runs later, Hookes departed too after scoring 68. Soon Australia found themselves reeling at 218 for 9. With 74 runs still needed, England looked set to register a comfortable win only to see Allan Border and Jeff Thomson gave them a huge score. The duo added 70 runs for the final wicket and when Australia needed just 4 runs to win the game, Ian Botham dismissed Thomson.
3. Headingley, 2019
Headingley, 2019 the ashes. (Photo Source: Cricket Australia)
Current England skipper Ben Stokes played one of the best Test knocks of all time in the 2019 Headingley Ashes Test to fire his team to a thrilling win. Down 1-0 in the series, England looked set to lose the third Test too before Stokes' heroics helped the hosts level the series at 1-1. Australia were all out for just 179 before bowling out England for 67.
The visitors then scored 246 in the second innings to put themselves in the driver's seat. Chasing a record 359, England were still 73 runs short when Stokes was joined by number 11 Jack Leach. Not many were expecting the home side to win the clash but Stokes had other ideas. The ace allrounder launched a stunning assault to revive England's dwindling hopes.
When England needed only 17 runs to win, he was dropped by Marcus Harris. And when they needed only 2 runs, Nathan Lyon missed an easy chance to run Leach out. On the very next delivery, Lyon trapped Stokes in front of the stumps but the umpire adjudged him not out. Replays showed that Stokes was out but Australia were out of reviews.
In the following over bowled by Pat Cummins, Leach took a single to give Stokes the strike. It was his first and only run during the partnership. Stokes then hammered a four through covers to trigger wild celebrations in the stadium.
2. Headingley, 1981
Headingley, 1981 the ashes. (Photo Source: Twitter)
The Headingley Ashes Test of 1981 is one of the greatest Tests of all time and the man who made England win it was the legendary Ian Botham. Australia looked destined to win the game after taking a huge lead of 227 runs in the first innings. Century from John Dyson and fifties from Kim Hughes and Graham Yallop helped them score 401/9 (declared) despite Botham's six-wicket haul.
In reply, England were all out for a paltry 174 with Botham's 50 being the best effort. Australia asked England to follow-on and Botham came up with one of the finest Test knocks of all time. The former England allrounder smashed an unbeaten 149 off just 148 balls to help the hosts recover from 135 for 7 and post 356 to set Australia a target of 130 runs.
Australia were still the favourites to chase down the modest target. Australia were 56 for 1 at one stage before Bob Willis' devastating spell had them reeling at 75 for 8. The tail wagged for a while before Willis returned to pick up the last two wickets and help England bowl out the tourists for 111 to register a famous 18-run win.
1. Edgbaston, 2005
Edgbaston, 2005 the ashes. (Photo Source: Twitter)
The Ashes Test at Edgbaston in 2005 is widely regarded as the best Ashes Test of all time. England had their back against the wall after Australia won the first Test and looked set to register another series win to continue their domination. England received a huge boost just before the game when their tormentor Glenn McGrath pulled out of the Test at the last minute.
In the first innings, England scored 407 runs before bowling out Australia for 308 to take a 99-run lead. Australia, however, clawed their way back into the game by bowling out the hosts for 182 in the second innings. Spin legend Shane Warne was the destructor-in-chief for Australia, taking 6 for 46. Australia needed to chase down 282 runs in the second innings to take a 2-0 lead.
Australia's chase, however, never really took off and their chances of chasing down the total looked all but over after they were reduced to 175 for 8. However, Australia's tailenders were not ready to give up yet and nearly pulled off a miraculous win for the team. Warne backed up his stunning bowling display with a gutsy batting effort, scoring 42 runs before departing when Australia needed 62 runs.
Brett Lee and Michael Kasprowicz then gave England an almighty scare by taking Australia to within three runs of one of the best comebacks in Tests. But before they could score those 3 runs, Steve Harmison's short ball was edged behind the stumps by Kasprowicz. Australia finished on 279 to lose the game by mere 2 runs.