Disappointment heaped upon misery, embarrassment and despair since 1989 had left many English cricket fans wondering when the drought would end. But in 1997 there was genuine hope that Michael Atherton could lift the Ashes urn and end the years of hurt.
It wasn't just English fans getting carried away. After England won the one day series 3-0, the Guardian's Vic Marks noted that England "have a rare opportunity to change the script" of recent Ashes contests. "There are signs of cracks in the superstructure," Mike Selvey wrote in the same paper regarding the tourists.
England's trio of six-wicket wins in the ODIs - including Ben Hollioake's marvellous 63 at Lord's - suggested that Atherton's team were ready for the challenge. But it was not just England's attitude and approach that was encouraging before the Ashes opener at Edgbaston. The Australians, as Selvey indicated, were unusually vulnerable.
The form of their captain Mark Taylor was the greatest cause for concern. Without a Test half century since late 1995, Tubby, as he was affectionately known, was facing calls for the sack, most notably from former skipper Ian Chappell. Even Chairman of Selectors Trevor Hohns noted that he would be happy enough to make a difficult decision if needed.
Some elements of the English press were quick to put the boot in. The Mirror published an article mocking Taylor, discussing a new 3ft wide bat that the Australians were importing for their skipper, made by Duckbats Inc. "The Aussies wanted the bat to be another foot wider but we told them they were in danger of looking ridiculous," the fictitious bat maker noted. Banter.
Understandably Taylor was less than impressed when the paper tried to present him with the bat in Bristol. Yet there was a real danger that failure in Birmingham would spell the end for the under-pressure captain. When Australia lost to Derbyshire in the week before the first Test, unable to defend 371 in the final innings, the struggle was real.
What Taylor and Australia did not need was a stuttering start to the series in the cauldron of Edgbaston. But after winning the toss and choosing to bat, Taylor's worst fears were realised. Slumping to 54/8 on a frantic morning, the atmosphere in the air and the stadium left the tourists rocking.
"The humid conditions and new stand, which created a more enclosed atmosphere than before, combined to provide perfect conditions for swing bowling, and Darren Gough and Andrew Caddick took full advantage," Atherton wrote in Opening Up. The chaos was best summed up when Gough bowled Greg Blewett off a no ball, and then proceeded to have him caught at slip one ball later.
Some slogging from Shane Warne dragged Australia to 118, but for once England had lived up to the hype. Try revising for your final university exam during the mayhem of Thursday June 5. All we wanted now is for England to put their foot on the throat. Not too much to ask for, surely?
Naturally England wobbled. Atherton fell inevitably to Glenn McGrath, and when debutant Mark Butcher and Surrey teammate Alec Stewart departed, at 50/3 that familiar here-we-go-again feeling arrived. Yet what followed almost made all the agony since 1989 worth it.
England closed on 200/3 as Nasser Hussain and Graham Thorpe fought back, but even more was to come. The 288-run partnership between the pair confirmed England's dominant position on the Friday, with McGrath and Warne looking strangely innocuous. As sequels go, that Friday was a fitting addition to the events of Thursday.
For Hussain that day was a triumph. Missing out on England's one day success, he had been struggling for form prior to Edgbaston. Recalling a conversation with Essex coach Keith Fletcher, Hussain explains in Playing With Fire how he fretted "You'll be all right, mate," Fletcher responded. "You're thinking about it too much. Next week's a Test match. Completely Different. Just go in there with a clear mind, and you will be fine."
Thorpe's 138 was sublime, yet justifiably the plaudits surged towards Hussain after his 207. "It was my finest moment as a cricketer," Hussain wrote. "I hadn't got 200 against any side before, and here I was doing it against Australia in the biggest match I'd experienced it so far." A half century from Mark Ealham saw Atherton declare on Saturday morning.
England declaring against Australia, with a lead of 360. Surely this dream would end soon and the real Australia would show up. For long periods over the weekend it seemed that normal service was being slowly restored. Taylor and Matthew Elliott put on 133 for the first wicket, and at close of play on the Saturday Australia cruised to 256/1.
Despite the rivalry, it was hard not to feel relief on behalf of Taylor. Another failure coupled with a defeat may have been one blow too many for a skipper who sat out of the final ODI. Taylor's century not only eased the pressure on him personally, but it also threatened England's chances of taking an early lead in the series.
Blewett also reached three figures and at one point on the Sunday morning Australia reached 327/1, just 33 runs in arrears. Warne may have struggled in the first innings, but the prospect of chasing anything near 200 against the great leg spinner was far from enticing. As the rain clouds gathered, England needed a 12th man.
It's easy to indulge in hyperbole when discussing sporting events. Yet the noise emanating from the Eric Hollies stand on that Sunday at Edgbaston was immense. Some frowned at the football-like chants and the type of fan now attending Test matches. But if it gave England that extra edge - and the players later acknowledged the fevered atmosphere - then where was the harm in that?
It certainly was good timing on my part that me and my girlfriend decided to attend our first day of Test cricket on Sunday June 8. Yes, I had my last exam the next day, but that could wait. As Australia slumped from 431/5 to 477 all out, there was a chance that we were about to see England win an Ashes Test.
"It's coming home, it's coming home, it's coming, the Ashes are coming home," echoed around the Hollies stand. "Oh yeah? Just like football came home," guffawed an angry Australian in response. Oh how we laughed at the time. Sadly our Australian friend would be proved right. But for now we could temporarily wallow in joy.
England easily chased down the 118 needed for victory, Stewart driving Warne for four to seal a nine-wicket win. As I jumped to my feet, there was nowhere else on earth that I wanted to be. England were ahead in a home Ashes series for the first time 1985, and me and my girlfriend had been there to see it. The Ashes were definitely coming home during our second summer of love.
"Even by the standards of an already remarkable summer, the scenes here last night were the stuff of dreams," Selvey wrote. "It was heady stuff, roared to the rafters by an ecstatic crowd. Chariots were Swung Low and of course the Ashes were Coming Home." Atherton urged caution as he spoke about the popular chant that day. "Yeah, good tune, but there's a long way to go."
Obviously Athers was right. From this point things could only get better for Australia. It took McGrath's 8/38 to bring us back to reality at Lord's as rain stopped Australia levelling the series. Early summer optimism ebbed away slowly. England did compete well at times in the 3-2 defeat, but when world class stars like McGrath, Steve Waugh, Ian Healy and Jason Gillespie start to perform then be afraid.
It took another eight years for the dream to become a reality. By 2005, my girlfriend was my wife and we had a daughter as the Greatest Series delivered in spades. Throughout all those losses I did contemplate whether I would ever see England win the Ashes again. That is why Edgbaston 1997 was so special. For an all too brief moment in time it gave me belief, and between 1989-2005 there was not much of that.
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