Monday 6 July 2015 11:54, UK
Wicketkeeper Geraint Jones had the best seat in the house for much of the 2005 Ashes as England won the urn for the first time in 18 years.
Ten years on from England’s dramatic 2-1 series victory, Jones joined Sky Sports to reflect on an iconic series and assess how the Class of 2015 matches up to the Class of 2005.
Michael Vaughan v Alastair Cook
Each captain demands respect in their own right. Vaughany was very relaxed in the changing room, finding different ways to motivate players and get the best out of them. He might say to me: ‘You’ve got a fifty in you today, haven’t you?’ and I would respond to that challenge. I've never played under Cook but imagine he isn’t as vocal.
He's grown into the role very well and what is very evident is his desire to lead by example. That’s where runs come in. Vaughan struggled before scoring 166 in the third Test and Cook – having come good against West Indies and New Zealand – will look to set the standard from ball one.
Andrew Flintoff v Ben Stokes
No one will forget Flintoff’s Herculean efforts on the pitch – with bat and ball – but many people don’t realise the toll it took on him. Often he’d walk off the field and slump in a chair through the sheer effort of it all. But whatever niggles or problems he had, the next day he’d cross the boundary and perform to his utmost.
I see the same will to win and fire in Stokes, who I think is a better batsman but needs to find greater consistency to produce more match-winning spells. He has the talent and – who knows – this could very well be his Ashes?
Simon Jones v Mark Wood
‘Keeping against the seam attack of 2005 was challenging – and tense – at times because each of the bowlers offered something different. Jones was perhaps the most testing of all because his pace and low trajectory meant taking the ball often felt like catching a bullet!
Wood’s action is reminiscent of Jones – he has the same explosive action at the crease and can generate genuine speed off a short run. The big difference between the two is their nature on the pitch. Wood looks relaxed and as if he’s trying his best to enjoy it, whereas Simon was always looking for a battle or a contest to get involved in.
Duncan Fletcher v Trevor Bayliss
Fletch was the ideal man to have in the background in 2005. By the time the players went into a team meeting all of the potential distractions and superfluous issues had been stripped away, leaving us to focus on what we needed to do to win the Test.
I know Trevor from his time with Kent and think he’s a very shrewd appointment. Like Fletch, he’ll stay in the background but will do everything in his power to get the job done. He’s got a wealth of experience behind him and will create exactly the right type of atmosphere in the dressing room for the players to thrive on.
Australia 2005 v Australia 2015
The team we faced in 2005 was a great one with some outstanding players in it – Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne and Ricky Ponting to name but three – guys who knew what it takes to win the Ashes in England. But we thought there were chinks in their armour and that we could beat them if we drove a few wedges into those cracks.
Paradoxically, none of Australia’s players on this tour have won an Ashes in England but they have spent plenty of time together and have grown into a solid unit. It’s no surprise, then, that even when you factor in English conditions, most people have them starting the series as favourites.
Watch every ball of the 2015 Investec Ashes live on Sky Sports Ashes - it all starts at 10am on Wednesday.
