A detailed sequence of how the Ashes 2009 unfolded

Here is how the 2009 Ashes unfolded:

Jul 08-12: First Test, Cardiff:

Result: Draw

England 435 (K. Pietersen 69, P Collingwood 64, M Prior 56; M Johnson 3-87) and 252-9 (P Collingwood 74, B Hilfenhaus 3-47)
Australia 674-6 dec (R Ponting 150, M North 125 no, S Katich 122, B Haddin 121, M Clarke 83)

Cardiff’s first ever Test match provided a superb nail-biting finish. England, establishing a trend for the series, saw several top-order batsmen make starts but fail to go on to a hundred in their first innings. Australia then showed them how to bat, with skipper Ricky Ponting’s century.
Paul Collingwood’s gutsy resistance kept Australia at bay but it still seemed Ponting’s men were on course for a crushing victory.
However, James Anderson and Monty Panesar helped nicely by England’s 12th man Bilal Shafayat and physio doing their best to waste a few minutes – survived the final 11.3 overs to give England an unlikely draw.

Jul 16-20: Second Test, Lord’s:

Result: England won by 115 runs

England 425 (A Strauss 161, A Cook 95; B Hilfenhaus 4-103, M Johnson 3-132) and 311-6 dec (M Prior 61, P Collingwood 54; N Hauritz 3-80)

Australia 215 (M Hussey 51; J Anderson 4-55, G Onions 3-41) and 406 (M Clarke 136, B Haddin 80, M Johnson 63; A Flintoff 5-92, G Swann 4-87)

Andrew Strauss led from the front with a fine century on his Middlesex home ground and received super support from mate Alastair Cook in a first innings where Australia spearhead quick Mitchell Johnson continued to struggle with his line.

Australia then collapsed in the face of accurate seam bowling from James Anderson and Graham Onions before Matt Prior and Paul Collingwood helped consolidate England’s advantage.
The tourists set 522 to win were ultimately undone by a superb spell of fast bowling from Andrew Flintoff, who on the eve of the match announced he would retire from Tests at the end of the series, with Graeme Swann providing good suport. Victory gave England their first Ashes Test win at Lord’s in 75 years.
Jul 30-Aug 03: Third Test, Edgbaston:

Result: Draw
Australia 263 (S Watson 62; J Anderson 5-80, G Onions 4-58) and 375-5 (M Clarke 103 no, M North 96, M Hussey 64)

England 376 (A Flintoff 74, A Strauss 69, S Broad 55, I Bell 53; B Hilfenhaus 4-109, P Siddle 3-89)

Rain, which effectively took two days out of the game, all but ended any hopes of a positive result. Fine swing bowling from Anderson and Onions sparked an Australia first innings collapse but resolute second innings batting from vice-captain Michael Clarke and Marcus North denied England victory.

Aug 07-09: Fourth Test, Headingley:

Result: Australia won by an innings and 80 runs

Australia 445 (M North 110, M Clarke 93, R Ponting 78; S Broad 6-91)

England 102 (P Siddle 5-21, S Clark 3-18) and 263 (G Swann 62, S Broad 61; M Johnson 5-69, B Hilfenhaus 4-60)

Australia levelled the series with a crushing victory as, inspired by the accuracy of recalled seamer Stuart Clark, they inflicted a first-day collapse upon England who had been without star batsman Kevin Pietersen since Lord’s because of an Achilles injury, from which they never recovered.

Marcus North’s second century of the series, against an attack missing Flintoff, out with a knee problem, bolstered their position and another England top-order slump saw Australia wrap up victory inside three days.

Aug 20-23: Fifth Test, The Oval

England won by 197 runs

England 332 (I Bell 72, A Strauss 55; P Siddle 4-75, B Hilfenhaus 3-71) and 373-9 dec (J Trott 119, A Strauss 75, G Swann 63; M North 4-98)

Australia 160 (S Katich 50; S Broad 5-37, G Swann 4-38) and 348 (M Hussey 121, R Ponting 66; G Swann 4-120, S Harmison 3-54)

England, on an Oval pitch not providing its customary pace and bounce, made 332 with the under-pressure Ian Bell making a valuable 72.

Australia coach Tim Nielsen was furious with the groundstaff for what he saw as their failure to get the covers on quickly enough during a rain break on the second day.

But the conditions could not explain another first innings collapse which saw Stuart Broad suggest there was indeed life after Flintoff with a superb five wicket burst.

England’s second innings was in danger of stalling but a composed century on debut from South Africa born Jonathan Trott, in for the dropped Ravi Bopara, got them on track again and left Australia needing a mammoth 546 for victory.

Michael Hussey tried to keep them at bay with 121 but, after run-outs saw the end of Ponting and Clarke, a burst from Stephen Harmison and off-spinner Graeme Swann saw England to victory with more than a day to spare.