Memorable Ashes Moments: Anderson and Panesar defy Australia in Cardiff

Brisbane, November 18: As Australia and England prepare to battle it out once again for possession of the Ashes urn, we look back at the top moments from the last 10 series.

England will need plenty of the battling spirit that was on display in this memorable encounter as James Anderson and Monty Panesar rescued an unlikely draw to open the victorious 2009 series.

Sunday, July 12 2009: First Test, Cardiff

England and Australia had traded the past three Ashes series between them, but the 2009 contest - on English soil - saw the hosts looking to recover from a humiliating 5-0 whitewash over two years previously.

Ricky Ponting's men looked well-set to keep their boots on English throats, however, replying to England's first-innings 435 with a 647-6 declared that featured four Australian centuries.

Beginning the fifth and final day in Cardiff at 20-2, England looked set to go behind in the series opener, and their chances of salvaging anything plummeted to near zero when Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Strauss and Matthew Prior all fell after offering little resistance.

One man made of sterner stuff, though, was Paul Collingwood.

The Durham man had been teased remorselessly in Australia for picking up an MBE after scoring seven and 10 in the final Test of England's memorable 2005 Ashes win.

But Collingwood rammed those words back from where they came, seeing off 245 deliveries in a knock of epic concentration and grit.

Andrew Flintoff and Graeme Swann were able partners for Collingwood, as England dragged the game into the evening session, but when their flame-haired hero perished for 74 with almost an hour still to play the game looked up.

Particularly with Panesar (Test average 4.88) and Anderson (10.18) at the crease...

However, England's 10 and 11 picked up where Collingwood left off: blocking, dodging and scraping their way through over after over, ball by ball.

Ponting's decision to keep Ben Hilfenhaus in reserve, despite his five wickets in the match, raised eyebrows as the Aussie captain put his faith in off-spinner Nathan Hauritz to do the job.

A crowd, silenced when Collingwood fell, began to grow more and more vociferous and Anderson jabbed his bat down to send Peter Siddle through third man for four to take England into a lead - crucially bringing the cut-off time down by 10 minutes.

Hauritz had accounted for Strauss, Prior and Stuart Broad earlier in the day but he grew tired and part-time spinner Marcus North could not add any inspiration, with Anderson seeing off his 53rd delivery of the day to bring up stumps and raucous celebrations.

England were energised by the scrap, winning at Lord's and a decider at The Oval to regain the urn.

Source: OPTA