Flintoff Survives LBW — Edgbaston 2005

The 2005 Ashes is widely regarded as the greatest Test series in cricket history. England — for the first time since 1987 — had a team capable of beating Australia. Freddie Flintoff was the embodiment of English cricket's renaissance: tall, powerful, aggressive, and inspirational. He would end the series with 402 runs and 24 wickets.

The 2nd Test at Edgbaston was the series-defining match. England were desperate to win after being crushed at Lord's in the 1st Test. Australia, under Ricky Ponting, had won 11 consecutive Tests and showed no signs of the vulnerability that would eventually emerge. The Edgbaston Test has become so mythologised that every individual moment within it — every dropped catch, every run, every LBW appeal — carries extraordinary retrospective weight.

Andrew Flintoff's 68 in England's second innings was the cornerstone innings of a total that set Australia a target they nearly chased. At one point, Australia needed one wicket to win; at another, England needed one wicket to win. The match, ultimately decided by two runs, was the most dramatic Test of modern times.

England's second innings at Edgbaston was tense from the outset. Australia's bowlers — Warne, McGrath (who had left the field injured in the first innings), Lee, and Kasprowicz — were relentless. England needed to post a total that would challenge Australia while managing the relentless psychological pressure of a full-strength Australian attack.

Flintoff came in under pressure, with England needing runs and wickets falling around him. His batting was characterised by his natural aggression — hitting Shane Warne over mid-on for six was one of the most memorable moments of the innings — but also by a seriousness and purposefulness that reflected the occasion.

Several LBW appeals were made against Flintoff during his innings, particularly from Shane Warne's over-spinning deliveries and Brett Lee's pace. One appeal in particular — later reviewed extensively — appeared, from replays, to be hitting the stumps. The on-field umpire, Rudi Koertzen (in another high-profile appearance), gave it not out.

During Flintoff's innings of 68 in England's second innings at Edgbaston, multiple LBW appeals were made against him. At least one — which replays later appeared to show was striking leg stump — was given not out by umpire Rudi Koertzen.

The appeal came from a ball that pitched on middle-and-leg and appeared to cut back into Flintoff. He played across the line and the ball struck his pad. Koertzen considered and shook his head. Warne and the Australian fielders exchanged disbelieving looks. On television, replays showed the ball appearing to track onto leg stump.

Without DRS — which was not available in 2005 — Australia could not challenge. They had to accept the decision and continue. Flintoff went on to score 68 before being dismissed, his innings part of England's total of 182 which set Australia a target of 282 to win.

Australia's chase was the most extraordinary in Ashes history. They reached 220/5 before the tail resistance began to crumble. Shane Warne contributed a vital 42. Brett Lee scored 43. At 279/9 — with 3 runs needed and 1 wicket remaining — Michael Kasprowicz and Lee needed to score 3 to win.

England took the final wicket with Steve Harmison. The margin of victory was 2 runs. Every single run and wicket in the match was consequently analysed and re-analysed. The LBW reprieve for Flintoff meant he had scored runs that contributed to England's total — in a match decided by 2 runs, the reprieve was potentially the difference between England winning and losing.

“That was out. We all knew it was out. But that's cricket — you get these decisions and you can't do anything about them.”

“Every single run mattered in that match. We won by two. Every decision that went our way was part of why we won.”

“Freddie's innings was remarkable. The way he batted with the tail, the way he played Warne — he was immense.”

“I gave everything in that match. Every player on both sides did. In a match like that, you live or die by your decisions.”

The Edgbaston Test ended to scenes of absolute jubilation. Flintoff's gesture of consoling the devastated Brett Lee — crouching down to put his arm around the Australian bowler amid England's celebrations — became one of cricket's most iconic images, a symbol of sportsmanship in the most intense contest.

Australia's players and management privately acknowledged that certain decisions in the match had not gone their way. Ponting was philosophical in defeat but noted that the margins were so small that any individual moment could have swung the result. The LBW reprieve was part of that catalogue.

England went on to win the 2005 Ashes 2-1, ending Australia's 16-year Ashes dominance. Flintoff was named Player of the Series for his extraordinary all-round contributions. The 2005 Ashes generated an unprecedented cricket boom in England — hundreds of thousands of people who had never watched cricket before were drawn in by the drama.