10 greatest Ashes Tests of all time

#9 Cardiff, 2009

England's last pair of James Anderson and Monty Panesar took them to safety

England 435 & 252/9 drew with Australia 674/6 declared

The Sophia Gardens in Cardiff experienced drama on its Test debut with England desperately hanging on to a draw late into the fifth evening. England batted first and compiled 435 runs, courtesy three half-centuries and a late dash from Graeme Swann, who smashed 47* off 40 balls. Mitchell Johnson took 3/87 before the real action arrived.

Simon Katich (122) and Ricky Ponting (150) strung together 239 amid rain interruptions; Michael Clarke and Marcus North added 143 and then another double century stand – this time between North, 125*, and Brad Haddin, 121 – swelled Australia’s score to 674/6, a handsome 239-run lead. The fourth day ended with the visitors having removed two England batsmen.

When the fifth morning began, Kevin Pietersen’s most astonishing act of his Test career left all perplexed – he shouldered arms to a straight delivery from Ben Hilfenhaus and embarrassingly got bowled.

Paul Collingwood kept England’s hopes alive with a crawling 74, but when he departed with the hosts six runs adrift, Australia sniffed a win. Only James Anderson and Monty Panesar to save them, England sent their twelfth man and their physio to consume time – very little of that was left and ten minutes would have gone had Australia batted again – but the tailenders ensured the series remained locked when they took England to safety by erasing the deficit.