Memories of 2005 stir rivals as Edgbaston thriller looms

As much as Australia fans will tune in with genuine hopes of bearing witness to history when the first Test reaches its denouement at Edgbaston this evening, it should be accompanied by a trigger warning for those who experienced the eerily similar scenario at the same venue 18 years ago.

In case it's been blacked out of many a collective memory, the 2005 Test remains one of the most eulogised of Ashes battles of recent times, with England fighting back after being belted at Lord's to clinch a last-gasp win by two runs amid scenes that vividly endure.

Its resonance for both countries is partly due to timing, with Australia's pursuit of 282 to win ending agonisingly short in the morning session of day five which meant it fell neatly into prime time back home.

It retains far greater nostalgic importance for British cricket fans – who crowded London's streets to glimpse their heroes being paraded in an open-top bus at series end – and is joyously re-run on television at every available opportunity, including during last Sunday's rain delay at Edgbaston.

But the true impact of that drama-filled final morning before Michael Kasprowicz famously gloved a Steve Harmison bouncer to 'keeper Geraint Jones after hauling his team to the brink of victory in partnership with Brett Lee, who was then consoled pitch-side by rival bowler Andrew Flintoff, is still playing out.

The closest finish in 146 years of men's Tests between Australia and England also set the latter on course for their first Ashes series win in almost two decades, which is cited as the catalyst for the game's revival in the country that now holds cricket's ODI and T20 World Cups and is re-defining how Tests are played.

Even before Australia began their chase of 281 – one run fewer than 2005 – for victory at Edgbaston on Monday evening, it was impossible to ignore the parallels with the win that underpinned England's 2-1 triumph back then and earned Michael Vaughan and his men MBEs.

The 2023 iteration of England's team hustled to 8d-393 late on day one before Australia's openers reached 0-14 – a day total of 407 – which mirrored day one of 2005 when the hosts were bowled out on the dot of stumps for … 407.

And while the disparity between first-innings totals was stark – Australia trailed by just seven on Sunday, but by 99 in 2005 – England's second dig 18 years ago was characterised by some brutal hitting from Flintoff who clubbed 73 from 86 balls, strewn with fours and sixes.

Yesterday's runs were more evenly distributed but no less frenetic, as exemplified by Joe Root's opening salvo when he tried to ramp the first ball of the morning from Pat Cummins over slips even though he was on nought at the time.

And then came the dramatic late-day bowling spell by right-arm quick Stuart Broad that knocked over the world's two top-ranked batters Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith within three overs.

It set the crowd in the Hollies Stand and packed into terraces rocking in a manner redolent of 2005, when Harmison did likewise to Australia's last realistic batting hope, Michael Clarke, from the day's ultimate ball.

That meant Australia went into day five 2005 as underdogs, which in turn, ensured the stadium was packed with England needing two tail-end wickets and their foes an unlikely 107 runs.

The equation for today in Birmingham is as different as the Midlands forecast – in 2005, the ground was bathed in sunshine whereas morning rain is tipped for 2023 – with Australia boasting significantly greater batting weaponry to launch their assault on the 174 separating them from victory.

But Broad, who 18 years ago was taking the initial steps in a first-class career that would eventually carry him to 587 Test wickets and counting, sees similarities not only in the match position, but the national fervour that has grown around England since they embraced their 'Bazball' philosophy.

"It does feel like there's a slight same energy as '05, and if we have a series like that we're going to inspire a lot of kids to play the game aren't we?" Broad said after day four, with Australia 3-107 following his devastating late-in-the-day spell.

"It feels amazing, as a group we've got so much energy around and we can feel the energy of the country.

"When it was raining yesterday it was being played on the big screen and on the tele and we were watching it, so we were aware that it (the victory target) was around 280-odd.

"You can tell this group is massively inspired and motivated by that series.

"It's all the sort of era that were watching and … it's great this series is being related in a way because '05 inspired our group to want to play and win Ashes series.

"To have this series being talked about in the same sort of sentences as '05 gives us a huge boost.

"And if this series can be half as good as that one, I think we'll be inspiring the nation."

The memories might not be as fond in the Australia camp, where only 23-year-old allrounder Cameron Green is perhaps too young to carry clear recollection of that chill Sunday night in early August when Australian fans huddled around TV sets nursing slim hopes that steadily rose before being rudely crushed.

Nathan Lyon recalls being a student in Year 12 at Hennessy Catholic College in the New South Wales country town of Young as the late Shane Warne, and then last pair Lee and Kasprowicz inched Australia towards victory before Harmison struck and pandemonium erupted.

The 35-year-old shared Broad's hopeful view that day five in 2023 doesn't go quite as close to the wire, albeit with divergent preferred outcomes for the pair.

"I've seen the game, it's always on Sky Sports here in England," Lyon noted when asked of his recollections of 2005.

"They seem to only have a couple on replay.

"This is the type of cricket we want to play, we want to be playing in tight series.

"It's set up to be a thrilling Test match and it's one helluva way to start the series.

"It's been exciting to be a part of, but there's going to be nerves and there is probably a few similar things (to 2005) in that.

"Hopefully this time it doesn't go down to 10 and 11 and we don't have to worry about me putting the pads on.

"Saying that, we'll see how we go and I'll give it a crack if I have to."

If there is solace for Australia supporters who still recoil at the memory of watching those final overs unfold 18 years ago between fingers clasped over eyes, or peering around doorways unable to sit still amid the mounting tension, it's the knowledge then 19-year-old Broad was doing likewise.

But if the weather holds, and Australia's remaining specialist batters – first-innings hero Usman Khawaja (34no), Travis Head, Cameron Green and Alex Carey – get close to the target, Broad believes he will be in much better shape to cope.

"I was at my mum's, it was my first season of professional cricket and I remember watching it almost like hiding behind the sofa," Broad said of his Edgbaston 2005 memories.

"It's one of those that I find really difficult to watch, and now that I've played a lot of tight games myself it's way harder watching than playing.

"It's weird. You feel the nerves and the anxiety way more when you can't control anything about it.

"When you're involved in the games, you're just focused on your style and your process really, so I'm quite conscious I don't want to build up too much hype of that Edgbaston (2005) game.

"I'm not sure we want it going to two runs tomorrow, from our point of view."

2023 Qantas Ashes Tour of the UK

First Test: Friday June 16-Tuesday June 20, Edgbaston

Second Test: Wednesday June 28-Sunday July 2, Lord’s

Third Test: Thursday July 6-Monday July 10, Headingley

Fourth Test: Wednesday July 19-Sunday July 23, Old Trafford

Fifth Test: Thursday July 27-Monday 31, The Oval

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, David Warner

England squad: Ben Stokes (c), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood