5 closest test match encounters: A detailed analysis

#4 England v Australia, Edgbaston, 2005

The Ashes had ceased to be a competitive contest for more than 16 years when Australia’s powerful team reached England in 2005. Although England had played some solid cricket in the previous two years, the Australian juggernaut was not expected to be really troubled. A comfortable 239-run win for Australia in the 1st Test at Lord’s demonstrated a gulf in class between the sides. But there was something different about this England team. With McGrath slipping on a stray ball and hobbling off, England received a shot in the arm they needed badly ahead of the 2nd Test at Edgbaston.

With Ricky Ponting making a surprise choice to bowl first, England capitalized. The McGrath-less Australian attack was struggling to make an impact early on as England’s RPW was well and truly above their RPW – R (diff of 37.5 at the fall of the 2nd wicket). Despite a mini wobble, England ensured that their RPW stayed high and ended with an RPW of 40.7, nearly 9.1 above their RPW – R.

After an early wicket, Australia set about repairing their innings well. Their RPW at the fall of the 6th wicket was only 5.1 behind England’s at the same stage. However, a late collapse saw their RPW plummet to 30.8, a deficit of 9.9.

England’s advantage was to prove extremely crucial. They had a terrible start to their 2nd innings and lost wickets in a heap. Their RPW at the fall of the 6th wicket was still only 29 (despite the lead of 9.9 per wicket). The RPW fell away even more to 25.6 at the fall of the 9th wicket but a vital 51-run stand for the last wicket moved the RPW to 28.1 which was not too far from their RPW-R (31.2).

Australia started well but steadily lost wickets at the top to find themselves with an RPW of 26.8 at the fall of the fifth wicket. At this stage, the D1 was -1.4 but more significantly, D2 was -14.9. This clearly suggested that Australia were under pressure and that their performance was well below the exceptional level they had maintained for years. Three more wickets fell and Australia seemed dead and buried at the fall of the eighth; their RPW was down to 21.9 and the differences, D1 and D2 were -6.3 and -16.9 respectively.

The last two wickets, however, turned the game on its head. When the ninth wicket fell, D1 and D2 for Australia looked much better at -3.8 and -13.1. The last pair of Brett Lee and Michael Kasprowicz moved the score to 279 and Australia’s RPW at that stage was 31 (D1 was 2.8). England, who could not believe what was happening, badly required a stroke of luck. And that is exactly what happened. Kasprowicz failed to get his gloves out of the way of a Harmison lifter and was caught down the leg side by a diving Geraint Jones.

England had won a thriller by 2 runs and kick started a run that saw them clinch a classic Ashes series 2-1. Australia had dragged themselves back from nowhere into the contest twice: once by bowling England out cheaply in the 2nd innings and in the final two partnerships in their 2nd innings. However, England’s exceptional 1st innings display with bat and ball just about gave them the margin needed to pull off this triumph.