Sky Sports will replay the entire Edgbaston Test match from one of the greatest series in the history of cricket – the 2005 Ashes.
Nearly 15 years on from one of the most dramatic finales to any Test match, Sky Sports Cricket will broadcast the second Test of the 2005 series between England and Australia in full, featuring the original coverage and commentary from the Sky Sports team of the day.
Coverage starts at 12.30pm on Thursday (7 May), leading through to and including the nerve-jangling day four climax on Sunday (10 May), while the third day’s play on Saturday will also be shown on Sky Sports Mix.
Four of England’s victorious team – captain Michael Vaughan, Marcus Trescothick, Steve Harmison and Kevin Pietersen – as well as Australian great Shane Warne will be on hand for a ‘Watchalong’ special on Sky Sports Cricket and its YouTube channel to relive the epic conclusion to the Test match.
The former internationals will share their unique insights and personal memories about the Edgbaston thriller, as well as the series as a whole, which England won 2-1 to claim their first Ashes victory since 1987.
Vaughan’s side went to Edgbaston trailing 1-0 in the series after losing the first Test at Lord’s by 239 runs, despite bowling Australia out for 190 in their first innings.
In the days that followed, the teams fought a ding-dong battle that left the tourists on 175-8 at stumps on day three needing 107 more runs to go 2-0 up and all but retain the urn with three Tests to go.
What followed was pure sporting theatre as the Test went down to the wire, producing some iconic cricketing moments as well as capturing the imagination of the public.
The entire 2005 Ashes was broadcast exclusively live on Channel 4, a series which signed off its seven-year spell as the free-to-air broadcaster of English cricket and produced bumper viewing figures with millions tuning in across the series.
Sky Sports screened extended evening highlights of the series, presented by David Gower, with its own commentary team including Ian Botham, David Lloyd, Bob Willis, Michael Holding and Nasser Hussain calling the action.
Sky produced their own coverage with additional cameras, packages and graphics for its broadcast, but took the main ball-by-ball coverage produced by Channel 4 and Sunset+Vine.
The 2005 series was the last to be broadcast live on terrestrial television in the UK, before Sky Sports took over exclusive coverage the following year and have covered every England home Test match since.
All English cricket is currently suspended until at least the beginning of July due to the coronavirus pandemic, with this year’s inaugural edition of The Hundred postponed and the scheduled Test series against West Indies and Pakistan also in doubt.
To fill the void left by the lack of live cricket, further classic moments from the Sky Sports archives are expected to be shown, following on from its recent ‘Watchalongs’ of the 2019 Cricket World Cup Final and Ben Stokes’ Headingley heroics during the 2019 Ashes series.
Relive the 2005 Edgbaston Test on Sky Sports Cricket – 7-11 May
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THURSDAY 7th MAY
ASHES 2005: ENGLAND v AUSTRALIA
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FRIDAY 8th MAY
ASHES 2005: ENGLAND v AUSTRALIA
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SATURDAY 9th MAY
ASHES 2005: ENGLAND v AUSTRALIA
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SUNDAY 10th MAY
ASHES 2005: 2nd TEST – Days 1-3 Review
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ASHES 2005: ENGLAND v AUSTRALIA
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