Twenty20 in England in 2005 some control for Durham, taking two for 14. Lancashire (2pts) beat Yorkshire (0pts) by five wickets Phil Jaques, an Australian, was the dominant figure for the Yorkshire Phoenix in the Roses battle, scoring 72 from number three before being out to countryman Brad Hodge. That lifted the hosts to 165 for 7, but that was not enough to defend. Matthew Hoggard, the England Test bowler, showed an uncanny knack of being uneconomical, conceding 65 runs in his four overs, and despite two wickets he lost the game for the Phoenix. Brad Hodge ended with 64 not out for the visiting
Graeme Swann match Test series which England won 3–1, although he was only needed to bowl two overs in the first Test as the seamers bowled Pakistan out for 182 and 80. Swann also was not required in the first innings of the second Test at Edgbaston, before taking Test-best figures of 6–65 in the second innings as England took a 2–0 series lead. At The Oval, Pakistan won by 4 wickets, though Swann did take match figures of 7–118. In a remarkable Test at Lord's, England won by an innings and 225 runs victory, despite being 102–7 in their innings, with