The 2005 Ashes series between England and Australia is widely regarded as one of the greatest cricket competitions of all time. England won 2-1 against one of the strongest Australian sides ever to grace the cricket pitch, and the celebrations that followed were legendary.
Just like Jack Grealish, a footballer known for wearing his kit while partying in cities like Istanbul, Ibiza, and Manchester, the England players celebrated their victory by staying in their whites throughout the night. It’s safe to say that even Grealish and his teammates would struggle to keep up with the kind of partying that went down back in 2005.
One of the key members of the England team was fast bowler Steve Harmison, who spoke exclusively to talkSPORT.com about the wild celebrations that followed the fifth and final test at The Oval. Harmison grabbed the final wicket of Mike Kasprowicz to secure victory, and the celebrations that followed were something to behold.
The team stayed in the dressing room until about 11 pm, with the bus set to leave between 11 and 12. Had it not been for that early morning departure, the party could have lasted for days. Harmison recalls the frivolity that went on behind closed doors.
We were dancing around like idiots, and then, the dressing room doors opened, and you had half of each team in each dressing room, he said.
As the night wore on, the drinks continued to flow, with Freddie Flintoff proving to be one of the biggest party animals of the lot. When it came time to head to Downing Street for a photo opportunity with then-Prime Minister Tony Blair, the team was exhausted but couldn’t refuse the invitation.
Harmison recounts some of the highlights, including Matthew Hoggard referring to Blair as a knob. There’s also a myth that someone from the team urinated in the garden, though Harmison isn’t sure if that really happened.
The day wasn’t over yet, as the victorious England players walked around Trafalgar Square, where they were greeted by thousands of adoring fans. The experience was surreal, with people hanging out of office windows and climbing lampposts to catch a glimpse of the champions.
It was a great celebration. Freddie tried to sing Suspicious Minds in front of 250,000 people. He got the first line out before they cut the microphone, which is a shame because the big lad can sing, but not after a night-and-a-half on the sauce, Harmison joked.
Although it’s unlikely that England will experience a celebration quite like the one that followed the 2005 Ashes, those stories remain legendary. As Harmison puts it, the celebrations are still going, and why not? After all, it was an iconic win that warranted a truly unforgettable party.
