Flintoff's fling inspires England Ashes glory
England have regained the Ashes with a crushing 197-run victory amid jubilant scenes at The Oval
20/08Result
5th Test, Australia tour of England and Scotland at London, Aug 20-23 2009
-
![England]( "England")
332 & 373/9d -
![Australia]( "Australia")
160 & 348 (102.2 ov)
Player of the Match
20/08Result
5th Test, Australia tour of England and Scotland at London, Aug 20-23 2009
-
![England]( "England")
332 & 373/9d -
![Australia]( "Australia")
160 & 348 (102.2 ov)
Player of the Match
Day 4
Day 3
Trott buries Australia with debut ton
Jonathan Trott produced a debut hundred of the highest class to set Australia a huge 546 for victory, but they aren't about to give up without a fight
Day 2
Broad and Swann give England control
Stuart Broad produced a bowling performance to rival that of Andrew Flintoff at Lord's as Australia felt their grip on the Ashes being prised away, finger by finger, on a sensational second day at The Oval
Day 1
Siddle makes England rue missed opportunities
England have won the toss and elected to bat in the fifth and final Ashes Test at The Oval
Others
Strauss' Ashes ecstasy, framed
I've decided to jump on the Andrew Strauss bandwagon. He retired from all professional cricket just last week
'Shattered' Hussey determined for comeback
Michael Hussey hopes his career-saving century at The Oval will have a similarly revitalising effect as Matthew Hayden's corresponding innings four years ago
It was the allrounders wot won it
Andrew Flintoff, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann made a telling impact on the series with both bat and ball
Ponting's done well to keep the team afloat - Chappell
The former Australian captain has backed captain Ricky Ponting to stay on as captain, saying that he was impressed with his leadership of a team still in a rebuilding phase
'Everybody misread the wicket' - Hilditch
Australia's chairman of selectors, has said that Australia lost The Oval Test and subsequently the Ashes because all parties involved completely misread the pitch
Super Strauss at the forefront
A look back at how England's players contributed towards regaining the Ashes
Australia must face harsh reality
Ricky Ponting regularly says Australia play at their best when their backs are to the wall. It's not true with this side
'Sacking Ponting would be completely unfair' - Sutherland
Cricket Australia's chief executive has said sacking Ricky Ponting from the captaincy would be "completely unfair" and has praised his leadership through the Ashes
'This is just a stepping stone' - Strauss
Andrew Strauss insists England have learned from their post-2005 mistakes and will use their stunning Ashes victory as a springboard to higher honours
A captain strives, but fails
If there are to be calls for Ponting's head, they should be ignored. He remains the best man to lead the Australian team
Australia admit Hauritz error
Ricky Ponting and Tim Nielsen, the coach, have admitted they got Australia's XI wrong and should have picked the offspinner Nathan Hauritz for The Oval
How two run-outs turned the day
He scored few runs, took one wicket but Andrew Flintoff still put England on course for the Ashes with a rocket-like throw to remove the Australian captain
Hussey breaks out of his rut
Ricky Ponting knew from the moment he spotted Michael Hussey on the final morning he was in the mood to break out of an extended form slump
We love you really, Ricky
Peter English presents the final plays of the Ashes summer
Menacing Harmison kills off Australia
Harmison's second stint was the money shot, as he filleted Australia's tail with three breakthroughs in 13 balls but his first stint made the difference
Fifth Ashes Test, lunchtime chat, 4th day
Featuring Cricinfo's deputy editor Alex Brown, UK editor Andrew Miller and Australasia editor Peter English
Strauss's finest hour
He took over with England in turmoil, but in eight months has forged a team that has regained the Ashes. For Andrew Strauss there can be no praise high enough
Australia fall to No. 4 in Test rankings
Australia's 2-1 Ashes defeat, which culminated in a heavy 197-run loss at The Oval on Sunday, has cost them their No.1 spot in the ICC Test rankings
The one game that matters - Anderson
James Anderson is ready to put the Headingley nightmare behind him as he prepares for the match that will decide the Ashes series
Hurt Ponting may return to England
So acute is the pain of a second Ashes defeat that Ricky Ponting, the Australian captain, has declared himself amenable to the idea of a fifth tour of England in 2013
Pitch hasn't changed - North
Despite the team management discussing how bare the surface was in the lead-up, the selectors relied on four fast bowlers instead of calling on Nathan Hauritz's offspin
Calm Trott returns to scene of finest hour
It is a year to the week since Jonathan Trott made his Test debut in the Ashes decider at The Oval, and after a year of highs and lows that would have tested the mettle of any cricketer, he is back at the scene of his finest hour
Another Ashes scar for Ponting
Peter English presents the plays of the day from the third day of the deciding Test
Fifth Ashes Test, lunchtime chat, 3rd day
Featuring Cricinfo's deputy editor Alex Brown, UK editor Andrew Miller and Australasia editor Peter English
Trott destroys Australian hopes
What had been billed a farewell bash for Andrew Flintoff became a debutant ball for Jonathan Trott
Cox owns up to selection blunder
Jamie Cox, the on-duty selector at The Oval, has taken responsibility for Australia not playing Nathan Hauritz
Is there cause for English pessimism?
Six sessions remain in which the destination of the Ashes will be decided, and England must surely believe that the litany of surprises that have been strung out across this summer have finally run their course
Fifth Ashes Test, lunchtime chat, 2nd day
Featuring Cricinfo's deputy editor Alex Brown, UK editor Andrew Miller and Australasia editor Peter English
Strauss on song, Ponting not
Australia's openers stood firm during a torrid 20.2-over session on the second morning at The Oval, employing luck and skill in equal measures to chisel their way to 61 for 0
Australia's heads left spinning
Australia tried to talk a good game after their second-day collapse, but even their confidence seemed to have a hit as they face a massive challenge to retain the Ashes
Ashes climax watched by a fraction of 2005 audience
Just under two million watched the climax of the 2009 Ashes compared with 7.4 million when it was on free-to-air TV in 2005
Broad reaches hero status
Stuart Broad's five wickets after lunch gave England a chance to regain the Ashes, helping him join an impressive list of England allrounders who have floored Australia in their favourite contest
Pitch causes a dust storm
There's nothing quite like a pitch imbroglio to stir the passions, and even moreso when that strip is playing host to an Ashes decider
Whither Michael Hussey?
The latest duck for Australia's No. 4 has raised further questions over his future in the team
ECB quiet on Flintoff surgery report
The ECB has refused to comment on a newspaper report that Andrew Flintoff will undergo major knee surgery straight after the final Ashes Test and be out of action until next season
Perseverance in Siddle pays off
Mitchell Johnson, Ben Hilfenhaus and Stuart Clark all struggled at various junctures and, if not for a succession of muddle-headed strokes, Australia might have faced a more treacherous path over the coming four days
Bell rediscovers his ugly side
Ian Bell and Churchillian rhetoric do not tend to belong in the same sentence - in fact, chinchillian would be an adjective more befitting of such a mousy character - but his 72 provided much needed evidence of a batsman willing to tough it out
Bell optimistic on dusty pitch
An unfamiliar and subcontinent-style pitch has revived England's hopes of capturing the Ashes despite the hosts falling away after a useful start to the deciding Ashes Test
Trott stays calm during pressure debut
He's not the new Kevin Pietersen, but Jonathan Trott had good reason to feel like his fellow South African-raised, England batsman
Lily fails to hear Warne, and Flintoff fails to entertain
Plays of the Day from the first day of the final Ashes Test between England and Australia at The Oval
Fifth Ashes Test, lunchtime chat, 1st day
Featuring Cricinfo's deputy editor Alex Brown, UK editor Andrew Miller and Australasia editor Peter English
Lacklustre bowling succeeds against muddle-headed batting
Mitchell Johnson, Ben Hilfenhaus and Stuart Clark all struggled at various junctures and, if not for a succession of muddle-headed strokes, Australia might have faced a more treacherous path over the coming four days
Nielsen wonders where it all went wrong
Tim Nielsen, the Australia coach, has begun the soul-searching after his side's Ashes defeat, wondering what he could have done differently
Punters stake $70 million on Oval Test
Informed estimates suggest that punters around the world may have stakedwell over US$70 million on the result of the Oval Test - and thus the series -beginning today
Ponting piles pressure onto Trott
Australia's captain, Ricky Ponting, has accused England of showing 'a bit of desperation' in their selection of an uncapped batsman, Jonathan Trott, for this week's Ashes decider
Bloodied and nearly beaten
For most of Ricky Ponting's life a tour of England was the highlight for an Australian player. The experience has not been as enjoyable under his leadership