In a long and drawn out series, fought over 3 different formats of the game between the 2 old foes, England came out on top against the odds to regain the urn. Australia may have restored some pride, by nicking the one-day series 3-2, but the summer belonged to the hosts – who won their 5th Ashes series in the past 10 years.
The build-up to the Ashes was one of great uncertainty for England fans, who with a new coach in place beginning at the start of the series, were concerned that their side may face another pasting at the hands of a highly talented Australia side. The last series down under had been as one-sided as they come. The Aussies wiping the floor with England, reigning victorious in a 5-0 whitewash.
Cardiff would play host to the first test and the opening stages would have filled all Englishmen with fear, as their team lost 3 early wickets. ‘Here we go again’. Although the series would change on the back of a rare Brad Haddin dropped catch from Joe Root shortly after, before the Yorkshire batsman added a dominant hundred. At the close of play on day 1, I thought to myself ‘that wasn’t so bad’ and contemplated winning back the urn for the very first time after it had previously seemed a pipe dream.
England would go on to win the match comfortably, but the 2 sides would play reverse roles at Lords next time out, as the Aussies romped to a huge comeback victory on the flattest of pitches. The next 2 tests – played in the successful Midlands hunting grounds of Edgbaston and Trent Bridge – were the ideal traditional English pitches that would maximise the chances of a host victory. Australia just couldn’t handle the swing in either game, as on both occasions they fell to humiliating defeats. A win within 3 days in Birmingham seemed like a hammering but paled in comparison to the cruise in Nottingham.
It was in that fourth test that the Ashes were won back for England. It was all over before lunch on the opening day, really, as a pitiful Australian side were bowled out for 60. Stuart Broad on his home ground finishing with simply remarkable figures of 8-15. It was truly the stuff of dreams!
England had to wait until after the 5th test to lift their miniature prize in anti-climactic circumstances as they were comprehensively beaten back down in the capital at the KIA Oval. Broad and Root were the stars of the show, though, as the latter claimed the player of the series award. Moeen Ali and James Anderson performed admirably whilst Alastair Cook and Ben Stokes also had a good series. Coach Trevor Bayliss (an Aussie himself) also deserves credit for the way in which he provided a relaxed atmosphere around the dressing room in which the players could go out and express themselves.
On the ODI front, England won the single T20 game at Old Trafford before falling just short in the one-day series – having made a comeback from 2-0 down going into the finale earlier today. Captain Eoin Morgan, who had taken a break from county Middlesex to focus on this white ball series, led from the front as he shone in the 2 shorter formats. Overall, it was obviously England reigned victorious, claiming 2 of the 3 series and winning the one that really mattered. Next up is a tricky assignment against Pakistan and then the simple task of facing South Africa away over the festive period.