Australian cricket team in England in 2005 through and the covers were taken off. It only took ten overs for Australia to wrap up England's innings, McGrath taking four of the five wickets required and Warne the last – Giles, Hoggard, Harmison and Simon Jones all gone for ducks – as England could only add 24 runs, 22 of them from Pietersen who was left stranded on an unbeaten 64 to have a Test batting average of 121 after the first match. Match drawn The first day only allowed one over of play, after Vikram Solanki sent Australia in to bat and Justin Langer hit a four
Australian cricket team in England in 2005 a pitch suited for batting. England batted quickly and aggressively, scoring over 400 runs on the first day. England finished with a 99 run lead after the first innings, and although the Australians put up a fighting tail-end batting display on the fourth day (they needed 107 runs with only two wickets in hand at the end of the third day), England held on to win by two runs – the closest runs victory in Ashes history. The third Test match was held at Old Trafford, and again England took a large first innings lead, the England innings notable for