England wins Ashes thriller by two runs - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

England wins Ashes thriller by two runs

By John Coomber 07/08/2005 10:41:09 PM Comments (0)

England has beaten Australia by two runs to win an astonishing Test match at Edgbaston and level the Ashes series at one match all.

It was the second closest margin by runs in Test history after Australia's agonising one-run loss to West Indies in Adelaide in 1993.

The match seemed a foregone conclusion when Australia needed to score 107 runs on the fourth day with only two wickets in hand, and no recognised batsmen left.

But Shane Warne (42) and Brett Lee (43 not out) chanced their arms and managed to whittle the target down to 62 with a partnership which ended in bizarre fashion when Warne trod on his stumps.

That left Lee and last man Michael Kasprowicz to score more runs than any last wicket pair has ever done to win a Test match.

They stood up to rampant England fast bowlers Steve Harmison and Andrew Flintoff, with Lee taking several stinging blows on the body and hands.

In an atmosphere of almost unbearable tension, the runs kept coming and the target kept shrinking - first to less than 50, then less than 20, then into single figures.

With just three runs needed to win, or two to tie, Harmison sent down a fast, lifting delivery to Kasprowicz, who ducked and tried to flick it away for the winning runs.

But the ball came from his glove and England wicketkeeper Geraint Jones gleefully clung onto the catch.

Kasprowicz, who was out for 20, sank to his haunches in disbelief while pandemonium broke out among the England players and the packed ground of supporters.

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