10 greatest Ashes Tests of all time

#5 Old Trafford, 2005

Australia survived with Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath negotiating the final four overs on Day 5 after Ricky Ponting fell for 156

England 444 & 280/6 declared drew with Australia 302 & 371/9

The second Test at Edgbaston had just concluded amidst extraordinary tension and the third one followed a similar pattern. Captain Michael Vaughan led from the front with a brisk 166 and added 137 with Marcus Trescothick. Vaughan utilised decent batting conditions to script his most memorable Test century; Trescothick and Ian Bell made 63 and 59, respectively, before Andrew Flintoff and Geraint Jones’ decent contributions took England to 444.

Brett Lee and Shane Warne shared eight wickets. However, in reply, Ashley Giles’ three early blows and then Simon Jones’ twin strikes meant Australia were reduced to 201/7. Warne, however, remained firm to drag Australia to a competitive total. He added 86 with Jason Gillespie and fell for a courageous 90, fifty of which came in boundaries.

Simon Jones got a career-best 6/53 to give England an advantage of 142, which Strauss thoroughly utilized in the second innings. Despite Lee hitting him on his right ear with a bouncer, Strauss remained unperturbed to strike 106 before Geraint Jones’ free-flowing 27 off 12 balls set Australia a target of 413.

It was now the turn of the opposition captain Ricky Ponting to score big – he got 156 and was the ninth to fall with just four overs remaining. Lee and McGrath, though, successfully defied the bowling to end what was an absolute humdinger of a match.