The final Tests of the past five Ashes series have had it all...
Wednesday 19 August 2015 06:47, UK
The final instalment of the 2015 Ashes is almost here with the Ashes already won by England.
But don't rule out another blockbuster finish to the series.
Here are our top five moments from Oval Tests past...
Tufnell spins England to a win
England bookmarked another ultimately disappointing series in 1997 with a couple of sensational wins. They went 1-0 up at Edgbaston after dismissing Australia for 118 on the morning of the first Test before Nasser Hussain scored a double-hundred and England won by nine wickets.
The series and the Ashes were lost by the time their second win came about in the sixth Test at The Oval. It was another stunner though as Phil Tufnell - yes, Tuffers - tore through Australia with a Test-best 7-47 and remarkable match figures of 11-93.
England too had offered little with the bat - Graham Thorpe (62) hitting the only half-century in the match to help them set the visitors a hardly imposing 124-run target. But Tufnell's four wickets on day three - along with an Andy Caddick five-for - earned England a consolation win.
More misfortune for England
Tufnell's Oval exploits four years prior saw him surprisingly recalled to the Test side at 35-years-old when the two sides met again in 2001. He wasn't the only shock selection as England fielded a side also containing Usman Afzaal and Jimmy Ormond.
'Who are you?' was the gist of Mark Waugh's jibe as he told Ormond he wasn't good enough to play for England, prompting one of the best cricketing sledges from Ormond in reply, saying 'maybe not, but at least I'm the best player in my family'.
Waugh had hit 120 earlier in the Test, but once again was outshone - as often happened - by his older brother Steve, who finished unbeaten on 157 despite batting on almost one leg towards the end of his knock, suffering from a calf injury. Australia scored an incredible 641-4 declared in their first innings and would go on to win by an innings and 25 runs.
KP arrives at The Oval
Kevin Pietersen actually arrived on the scene four Tests earlier at Lord's, or arguably earlier that year with his three centuries in England's ODI series in South Africa. But it was at The Oval in 2005 as England won the Ashes for the first time in 18 years that Pietersen truly announced himself on the world stage.
His stunning 158 on the final day helped seal a final Test draw and a 2-1 series win, made all the more remarkable by the fact that England had stuttered to 127-5 at lunch - leading by 133 - and Pietersen was in the firing line of a ferocious spell from Brett Lee.
Shane Warne dropped him off Lee while on 15 and the angered fast-bowler had him ducking and diving prior to the interval. After a chat with captain Michael Vaughan at the break, Pietersen came out on the offensive, a plan which handsomely paid off, taking Lee apart for 37 from his next three overs and taking him out of the attack.
Trott's turn and Freddie's farewell
With another home Ashes series sealed in 2015, it would be easy to think they have come as a given over the last few years, but 2009 was one of the edgier of England's successes.
Jimmy and Monty held out for a famous draw at Cardiff, Freddie fired them to victory at Lord's and rain intervened at Edgbaston. But a hammering at Headingley meant the series was level and Australia - having whitewashed England in 2006/07 - had the upper hand, needing only a draw from The Oval to retain the Ashes.
England had no Pietersen to save them this time, lost to injury earlier in the series, and their 102 all out on the first morning at Headingley prompted the selectors into a change from Ravi Bopara at No.3. But who to turn to? Step forward Jonathan Trott, who hit a second-innings hundred on debut to give England a healthy lead from which they would win by 197 - Freddie bowing out from international cricket with a crucial run-out of Ricky Ponting.
Dancing in the dark
With the urn already in England's possession after home victories at Trent Bridge, Lord's and Chester-le-Street, Australia had little to lose in coming out fighting and after winning the toss racked up 492-9 declared with Shane Watson (176) and Steve Smith (138no) to the fore. Debutant Simon Kerrigan's international aspirations disintegrated amidst the carnage as Watson climbed into his bowling - the spinner's first two overs vanishing for 28.
In contrast, England's first innings chugged along at a little over two-an-over for the duration - Alastair Cook's side determined not to hand over a consolation victory to Australia at any cost. Mercifully, Michael Clarke changed the entire tempo of the Test by declaring Australia's second innings closed on 111-6 off 23 overs - tempting England to go for an historic 4-0 series win by chasing down a target of 227.
Kevin Pietersen plundered England's fastest Ashes fifty off 36 balls with nine fours to help the home side into a position where they needed just 21 runs from four overs. But just when a delirious Oval crowd thought victory was theirs to witness, the umpires took the players off for bad light on 206-5. Not that England cared one jot as fireworks lit up the Kennington sky.
Watch coverage of the fifth Ashes Test live on Sky Sports Ashes HD from August 20. You can also watch the fifth Test with a NOW TV Sports Day Pass. Plus, our Ashes Events Centre - the best of Sky Cricket's analysis at your fingertips - is available on our iPad app.
