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Regardless of the technicality that we have in fact regained the Ashes, today at the Oval saw probably the best England display that any cricket fan of my generation has witnessed.

A frankly brilliant 158 from Kevin Pietersen sent England on their way to victory, with at least two splintered bats lying in his wake.  KP ignored the doomsayers such as the curmudgeonly Geoff Boycott who cast doubt on his temperament by playing the spin of Shane Warne and the pace of Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath and Shaun Tait all over the park in tandem with sensible defensive play when necessary.

Speaking of sensible defensive play, it is unlikely that Paul Collingwood will ever score a more important 10 runs in his career.  After the losses of Vaughan, Bell (out for a duck again), Trescothick and Flintoff (who clearly thought that Warne needed some catching practice) in the morning session, he formed a partnership with the ebullient Pietersen which saw England through the danger.  When Collingwood finally fell to a Ponting catch from the bowling of Warne, England were on 186 and the end was nigh.

Ashley Giles was much derided at the start of the Ashes series, but he has come into his own in these latter stages.  Gilo and KP put on a wonderful century partnership for the eighth wicket, with the King of Spain racking up 59 before falling to Warne.

By the time Matthew Hoggard had joined Giles at the crease, the England fans were already in festive mood, with Mexican waves and congas sweeping their way round the Oval - even the voyeurs sitting on the roofs nearby were joining in, endangering life and limb.  It might have been over-confidence, or it might just have been a lack of appreciation of the Hog’s textbook defensive work.  Maybe it’s not as exciting as watching KP smash the Aussies for six, but the Hog’s blocking wore the overs and the bowlers down.  He finished unbeaten on 4, having faced 35 balls.  Warney, you’ll never beat the Hog…

Right from the start of play, the mood was good.  Glenn McGrath was the butt of good-natured heckling from the Barmy Army, and rightfully so.  His overarching self-confidence had led him to forecast a 5-0 Aussie victory in the series, and he was taken to task throughout the day whenever he ventured near the boundary. 

At Edgbaston I was happy to join in with the chants about being a Brett Lee hater, mainly because I feared the speed and accuracy of his bowling and his potential to do damage wielding the bat.  Also, I was concerned about his sanity bearing in mind that the man never stops smiling.  After sitting by the boundary rope near Lee for most of today, I have changed my mind and concluded that he is actually a genuinely nice guy, with a proper sense of humour, who took teasing in good part and dealt with his young fans very well.  In fact, he might even be my favourite Australia player – as far as one can ever have a favourite Australia player.

So the Australians are mortal.  England have reclaimed the Ashes.  It’s not Flintoff’s Ashes, much as the media might want to deem them such.  There’s not a single player who hasn’t made a contribution – Bell might have struggled to find consistency with the bat, but his fielding has been flawless; Jones of the Geraint variety has taken far too much stick but this series will improve his game no end.  Honourable mentions to Gary Pratt, Trevor Penney and James Hildreth, who have more than pulled their weight as substitutes.

Congratulations to all concerned.  Now I’m off for a lie down to recover.