10 greatest Ashes Tests of all time

#6 The Oval, 2005

Kevin Pietersen's aggressive 158 laced with seven sixes ensured England drew the match and regained the Ashes after 16 years

England 373 & 335 drew with Australia 367 & 4/0

This was the most important draw England have ever contested. After winning a thriller at Trent Bridge in the previous game and going 2-1 up, England batted first at The Oval and were rescued by Andrew Strauss and Andrew Flintoff. From 131/4, the left-right combination blunted the opposition after Shane Warne continued from where he had left off in the last game.

Strauss struck 129 while Flintoff hit 72, with their partnership of 143 being broken by Glenn McGrath. In a must-win encounter, Australia started positively despite rain playing spoilsport. Both Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden hit hundreds. However, Flintoff hurt Australia with the ball and took 5/78 as they fell 6 short of the English total.

Then arrived the innings of the summer: Kevin Pietersen bludgeoned 158 with seven massive sixes, reducing Brett Lee to a toddler. Word went around that while his captain Michael Vaughan was at the other end, he asked him, “How should I play?”, to which Vaughan responded, “The way you want to”. That was it for the match. England raced ahead to set Australia the most unlikely of targets and the match ended in a draw with the urn returning home.