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So, what to say?

Simon Jones wasn’t fit for the final match at the Oval, and Glenn McGrath (England’s destroyer in the first match at Lords) was. Things looking gloomy from the outset. England picked Collingwood for Jones, which wasn’t a like for like replacement, as Collingwood is an allrounder who bats better than he bowls, although he has increased his bowling speed to 80mph or so and he can be a useful stopgap.

England need to draw or win the match to win the series 2-1 or 3-1 and regain the Ashes. Australia need to win the match to tie the series 2-2 and retain the Ashes.

England win the toss and bat. Things are looking fine with a brisk start until the wheels start to come off and we lose quick wickets. Andrew Strauss demonstrates that he’s perfectly capable of dealing with Warne as he gets a crucial ton and Freddie produces another brutal innings (of 72) to give England a total of 373. Not enough on this pitch, but a lot better than it appeared we were going to get. Australia get into bat and Hayden, who couldn’t score in a brothel up until now, and Langer (who’s been reliable) both get tons and England look to be toasted by end of day 2. The wrinkle, however, is that when offered the light the two in-touch openers take it and don’t play again that day. Given that they have to win the match, and given that there is rain forecast for the third and fourth days (Saturday and Sunday), this seems a bit odd. Saturday is seriously restricted by rain, but Australia finish it with their only enemy, apparently, as time; they are 277-2 and look set to bat up a huge total and then try to bowl England out and win by an innings.

Sunday dawns, overcast and with threat of rain and bad light. England fans are praying for rain to make the series a draw, but, mirable dictu, the aussies collapse in the face of some agressive bowling from Freddie and great swing bowling from Hoggie and finish six runs behind England all out. Incredible stuff.

England lose a wicket on Sunday evening before they are offered the light and make a beeline for the pavilion. A fascinating Monday awaits; people who’d bought tickets for the last day of the last test back in November 2004 and paid 10 pounds for them have a chance that others are paying a thousand pounds to see. Disaster strikes fairly regularly with some great bowling from Warne and England are on 126 for 5 with the talisman Freddie gone when Kevin Pieterson, erstwhile saffer, who has faced some bruising chinmusic from Lee and been dropped on 0 and 15 (the second time a gimme grassed by Warne hisemlf), suddenly hits out and utterly brutalises the australian bowling. Joined by Wheeliebin, who got 32 in the first innings, he carts the aussies all over the ground and gets 158, 102 of which come in boundaries including 7 sixes. By the time he’s out, the match is beyond the aussies; Giles gets a nice 59, during which he got to swat McGrath around, before England are all out for 335. The aussies start a reply before coming off for bad light and the celebrations eventually begin. Unbelievable, but the Ashes have come back to England, despite predictions of a 5-0 whitewash by some of the aussies.

All over the world, Brits have been listening to this through the BBC website, and emails have been pouring in from some of the unlikeliest place. In the UK itself, it’s apparently been as big as anything since at least the World Cup of 1966 and even people who have never watched cricket before have become hooked (my stepfather, who despises sport, has even been watching it). Grown men are crying, apparently. For myself, of course, with stiff upper lip, a quiet beer this evening is the order of the day.

An amazing series, guts, determination, good sportsmanship despite fierce and physically agressive play, some great bowling by Shane Warne that wasn’t quite enough to save it for his team. I’ve been waiting all my adult life for this; I was still at school when England last held the Ashes and I’ve watched nearly every ball of every televised test match since long before then. This is, ridiculously, one of the best days of my life. After so long, so many disappointments and false dawns, we’ve done it. Maybe it’s not going to last long and the strength in depth isn’t there, but, man, it’s sweet at the moment. Cheers.

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England lose Simon Jones to a heel injury yesterday, while bowling to the Australians after they were made to follow on. Australia do well and get to 387 to leave a small target of 129 for England to chase. Things go great until Warne starts bowling and then the wheels come off. In the end, after a great deal of tension, Hoggie and Wheeliebin bring England through, for 7 wickets down. It looked like Australia were going to snatch an unlikely victory right up until the last few balls. Nearly stopped my heart.

So now, the series is 2-1 to England, with one test (at the Oval) left to go. Simon Jones may well miss the last test, and McGrath may well make it. If Australia can win it, they’ll draw the series and retain the Ashes. England need a win or a draw. Frankly, I’ll accept five days of rain and a washout draw, because this series is going to be the end of me if we get another tight game.

Australian captain, Ricky Ponting, is in some trouble having blown up after being run out by a sub fielder; the Australians have been unhappy with the England use of specialist sub fielders on for bowlers at the end of their spell. Ponting was run out by Pratt going for a dodgy run as called by Martyn, his crucial second innings of 48 ended prematurely, and exploded into a stream of obscenities, accusing the England team of cheating and then, finally, shouting at the England manager who’s out on the balcony applauding the runout, as he walks pack into the pavilion. He later apologises.

Test Match Special have an interview with Hugh Cornwell (founding member and former frontman of The Stranglers) at lunchtime which includes a live performance of Golden Brown on Mike Selvey’s guitar.

I think that Australia might make a fist of this. Batting seems to have become rather easier for them. Australia are 23-0 and seem to have settled in well following lunch.

This has been a somewhat extraordinary series, so who knows what is about to happen; Australia would certainly appear to be on the rack, however. Hoggie took 3 wickets (after a lean spell so far in this series) and unless Hayden does something good in the second innings, Hoggie might be ending his career for him.

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Jones fell on 85 then there was some wagging in the tail before Hoggie (Hoggard) finally fell to Warne, who gets 4 wickets in the innings. Some interesting cricket to come, oh yes.

However, back to the cricket. England were in trouble when Pieterson got out and left us at 241 for 5, but then Freddie flayed the aussies around the ground and got a ton before falling LBW to Tait. The crowd are drunk on excitement. And a lot of beer. Geraint Jones, the Aussie Taff, has scored 70-odd runs. England are 428-6 and anything above 450 would be fine. Over 500 and Australia will be batting to save the game from 3 days out, but I’m not convinced that we’ll get that many runs, as things have slowed up a bit. Wheeliebin and Jones batting at the moment, but with the bat in their hand, like some butterflies, our lower order are spectacular and shortlived. Next wicket may be followed by 3 more in short order.

Good news for England is that Tait is getting some reverse swing, and when it reverse swings the England bowlers have made life hard for the Aussies.

If Shane Warne cries, you can have the Higgs to boot.