The Ashes has returned to England after the home team broke Australia’s 16-year hold on one of the most coveted trophies in world sport on Monday.
Kevin Pietersen scored his maiden Test century, allowing England to draw the decisive fifth Test at The Oval and win cricket’s prized urn for the first time since 1986 with a 2-1 series victory.
Pietersen survived three dropped catches to belt 158 runs from 187 balls, including seven sixes and 15 fours.
”It’s remarkable, today has been fantastic, the whole summer has been fantastic,” Pietersen said. ”It’s just been absolutely amazing what’s happened, the transformation of the game here in England, thanks to a great Australian side and a great England side at the moment as well.”
Australia, needing to win the match to level the series and retain the Ashes it had held since 1989, still held hope at tea when England was 221 for seven, and with 49 overs remaining. But the Australians needed Pietersen’s wicket immediately after the break.
Pietersen responded by lasting nearly 20 overs more and piling on another 53 runs before he was bowled by Glenn McGrath. By then, Australia had no chance of reeling in the deficit.
England was finally out for 335 and Steve Harmison the last wicket for no score — Shane Warne’s 12th dismissal of the match, and a series-record 40th.
When bad light stopped the match, Australia was four without loss in their second innings, trailing England by 337 runs.
Australia made 367 in reply to England’s first innings of 373.
”I think we’ve grabbed the nation,” England captain Michael Vaughan said. ”To know that we’ve made a lot of people in England very happy, that’s the most pleasing aspect of this.”
Australia captain Ricky Ponting was gracious in defeat.
”I’ll stand here and praise England as much as anybody because I think they thoroughly deserve to win the Ashes,” Ponting said. ”They’ve been better than us in the crucial moments of this Test series.”
Warne and McGrath put Australia in the hunt throughout the final day with early wickets to leave England at 127 for five at lunch after the home side had resumed on 34 for one.
Vaughan added 26 runs to his overnight score before McGrath had him caught behind by Adam Gilchrist for 45.
With his next delivery, McGrath had Ian Bell caught by Warne at first slip for a first-ball duck, bringing Pietersen to the crease.
Pietersen narrowly avoided giving McGrath a hat-trick when he pulled his bat and gloves away from the paceman’s next delivery just in time. The ball brushed Pietersen’s shoulder and was caught by Ponting in the slips.
Pietersen survived a big chance when he edged a Warne delivery that deflected off Gilchrist and hit slips fielder Hayden on the leg.
But the South African-born Pietersen’s greatest escape came when he was on 15 and England was 93 for three. He hit a Brett Lee delivery straight to first-slip Warne, who spilled a simple catch.
It was a costly mistake.
His run flow was stemmed, however, when Warne trapped England opener Trescothick lbw for 33 and caught Andrew Flintoff off his own bowling for just eight.
Pietersen survived a fiery Lee over to go to lunch unbeaten on 35. He came out firing after the break, smashing Lee for 16 runs off one over.
He hit a six and two consecutive fours, the first dropped by a diving Shaun Tait, who got an outstretched right hand to the ball at deep backward square leg and the other along the ground in the same area.
In three overs after lunch, Lee conceded 37 runs.
Warne made a much-needed breakthrough when he had Paul Collingwood brilliantly caught by a diving Ponting at silly point for 10.
Geraint Jones made one before Tait bowled him with a ball that stayed low and uprooted off stump.
When tea arrived, the sell-out crowd — knowing a long-awaited England victory was within reach — broke into song at the end of the second session, with stirring renditions of God Save the Queen, Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory.
With Pietersen refusing to buckle in the final session, Ashley Giles joined him and posted his highest test score of 59 before he was bowled by Warne, who finished with 6-124 in the innings. — Sapa-AP