The 2005 Ashes between England and Australia is arguably the best Test series to be played in the history of cricket.
The second Test at Edgbaston proved to be one of the tightest matches of the series, with the see-saw battle going until the last ball of the game.
One of the English cricketers who single-handedly took his side to victory was all-rounder Andrew Flintoff.
First, he bolstered the English total with his handy 68. Then, he came back to take three wickets with the ball.
With his team tottering at 101-7, Flintoff shepherded the Three Lions to a competitive total, with his precious knock of 73 off just 86 balls.
However, Freddie Flintoff recently opened up the sledging he received from the then Australian captain Ricky Ponting, while at the crease, fighting for his side.
“I can never forget Ricky Ponting in the second innings sledging me,” Flintoff spoke of the incident during the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast.
“I stood there with Kevin Pietersen, he looked and he made a joke to his team going. ‘Here we go boys, look at the two superstars! They’re going to be happy with these two, aren’t they’. And it’s like ‘Jog on, Rick! Jog on,” Flintoff added.
Flintoff was unplayable in the second innings as he picked up four wickets, which included the prized scalp of Ponting, along with Justin Langer, Jason Gillespie and Shane Warne. Flintoff walked away with the ‘Man of the Match’ award for his outstanding all-round efforts.
For once, Warne’s valiant knock almost took the victory out of the jaws of England, along with Brett Lee at the other end.
The spin-wizard criticized Ponting for his decision to field first and conceding more than 400 runs on the very first day.
“Punter’s (Ponting) decision to bowl first was just the worst decision ever, by any captain. So take a back seat, Nas (Nasser Hussain), Punter has got your back,” Warne told foxsports.com.au.
