Test matches in England in 2005 left stranded on an unbeaten 64 to have a Test batting average of 121 after the first match. The psychological battles before the match saw Australia planting many stories in the press about England already being in trouble. England kept quieter, until just before the game stories appeared about how the Edgbaston game would be decided at the toss: whichever side won it would choose to bowl first and would win. England's mind games paid dividends when Ricky Ponting did just that, as Michael Vaughan admitted that if he had won the toss, he'd have batted, and as the match
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