MY FAVOURITE EDGBASTON TESTS

2005: ENGLAND v AUSTRALIA

Where else to start than arguably the greatest Test of all in the greatest Ashes series? Just three more runs from last pair Brett Lee and Michael Kasprowicz and Australia would have been 2-0 up in the series with three to play. Then Kasprowicz gloved a Steve Harmison short ball, wicketkeeper Geraint Jones tumbled to take the catch and umpire Billy Bowden raised his crooked finger.

1997: ENGLAND v AUSTRALIA

Edgbaston has never rocked more than when Andrew Caddick (right), Darren Gough and Devon Malcolm had Australia 54 for eight and then 118 all out on the first day of the first Test. Then Nasser Hussain played the innings of his life to hit 207 in a stand of 322 with Graham Thorpe and England were in dreamland. They completed a nine-wicket victory but, alas, normal Ashes service was resumed at Lord’s.

1981: ENGLAND v AUSTRALIA

Yes, I know I keep picking England victories over Australia, but it’s always been about the Ashes first and foremost, hasn’t it? And 1981 witnessed the greatest of all displays with the ball by Ian Botham. If Headingley and Old Trafford that year were about Botham’s batting, then his spell of five for one — as the Aussies chased 151 for victory — was a pace masterclass. Beefy tore in and the tourists collapsed to 121 all out.

2011: ENGLAND v INDIA

This was England at their peak under Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower, defeating India to go 3-0 up in the series and seize the world No 1 spot. Alastair Cook fell six runs short of a triple hundred — he still thinks of it as a missed opportunity — and England won by an innings and 242 runs. One of the best of all England teams were to start crumbling a year later amid the Kevin Pietersen textgate affair, but around 2010 and 2011 they were close to invincible.

2012: ENGLAND v W INDIES

I need a West Indies Test in here to honour today’s visitors, so why not the last one here between the teams? There was so much rain about that England rested Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad for a shortened Test. Dinesh Ramdin scored a century for West Indies and last man Tino Best (above) smacked 95. There was only time for England to make 221 for five in reply as West Indies gave their hosts a bloody nose. Can they repeat the feat this week?