Having narrowly failed to secure victory at Old Trafford, England stood at 1-1 going into the fourth Test at Trent Bridge. They began strongly, Andrew Flintoff (102) adding 177 with Geraint Jones in a first-innings total of 477

Steve Birks Head groundsman

The message we got from Chris Wood [the ECB pitches consultant] was to prepare the best surface we could. We made sure it didn't turn much for the first two or three days to keep Shane Warne out of the game.

Andrew Flintoff England all-rounder

I felt I'd batted well at Old Trafford even though I only scored 40-odd. I felt in good order and I always enjoyed batting with Geraint. He was such a good team player.

Marcus Trescothick England batsman

Fred's hundred was sensational, his best innings for England in my opinion because of its importance in the context of the match and the series, and his patience and intelligence throughout.

Flintoff I'd rank it second, I think my hundred against West Indies at Edgaston was a bit better. I had mixed emotions when I got out in this game because although I scored a hundred I felt I'd only done half the job. I tried to hoick Shaun Tait over mid-wicket for six when I should have carried on.

With Simon Jones and Matthew Hoggard extracting swing, Australia crashed to 218 all out in reply

Matthew Hoggard England bowler

On the way off the field we got into a huddle and decided to make them follow on. Then we started bowling and quickly Jonah [Simon Jones] went down with an ankle injury. It was going to be much harder with only four bowlers and it turned out to be a case of boring them out.

Andrew Strauss England batsman

I think Jonah was getting his hat from down on the boundary at that moment so he wasn't there and I don't think [Michael] Vaughan knew he was carrying an injury.

Beginning 259 behind, Australia had progressed neatly to 155 for two when Gary Pratt, a substitute fielder on for the injured Jones, ran out Ricky Ponting with a direct hit from cover. On his way off, a furious Ponting vented his anger by shouting up to Duncan Fletcher, the England coach, who was in the dressing room

Duncan Fletcher England coach

We were struggling to find suitable [substitute] players for Trent Bridge, when Stephen Harmison said: “Pratty's not playing for Durham, give him a call.” He is an excellent fielder so we had no hesitation. We also called in Trevor Penney - I've heard the word “genius” applied to his fielding.

David Lloyd Commentator

You could see Ponting getting more and more angry. Pratt was the twelfth man but people were running out drinks for him rather than the other way around. He became a cult figure.

Andy Lowe Spectator

Everybody knows Gary Pratt now, but at the time he was just some unknown kid. I was a member of Notts that year so I could sit in the pavilion, and when Ponting came past we seemed to make eye contact. I'm not easily scared but I always say that in that split-second I saw the gates of hell. He was burning with anger.

George Rose Dressing-room attendant

I don't like to talk about things like that. He was all right, I've seen worse and I must say how well the Australians conducted themselves as people all through the game.

Trescothick Ponting made a prat of himself, carrying on like a pork pie and accusing us of cheating by overdoing the comfort breaks for bowlers, forgetting that Pratt was legitimately on for Jones who had already left for X-rays. Did he expect us to use bad fielders as subs?

Ricky Ponting Australia captain

There's a new rule in place in the playing conditions where you can't go off the ground just to go to the toilet or so on. Did this incident contribute to that? It only came in during our India series last year and the Gary Pratt thing was four years ago.

Undaunted, Michael Clarke and Simon Katich added 100 in 48 overs with fantastic rearguard batting, only for Katich to receive a poor leg-before decision from Aleem Dar - and he let his emotions show

Simon Katich Australia batsman

I've batted at No 3 for a lot of my career so I was used to batting for long periods. I had a good feeling when the appeal went up that I wasn't out. I try to forget how I behaved after that because it wasn't a great example.

Shane Warne Australia bowler

I don't think Aleem Dar and Steve Bucknor had their best games. Umpiring is a difficult job. I thought I had two good lbw shouts against Flintoff in the first innings and Katich was unlucky.

England needed 129 to win and got them with seven down, Ashley Giles and Hoggard adding the final 13

Katich We thought if we could get up to 180 in front with the way the ball was spinning and Warnie in the middle of a sensational series, that would be enough. Plus, England had been in the field a long time, so fatigue would have been a factor.

Hoggard As soon as I got through the pavilion gate on the way to the middle, the nerves disappeared. Then in the middle Ashley said: “Warnie's turning it a long way and Brett Lee is bowling 90mph in-duckers.” But the next few overs turned out to be incredibly enjoyable.

Brett Lee Australia bowler

There were a lot of crucial sessions and moments all through the Test series and this was definitely one of them. We picked up wickets but they were still getting the runs here and there, so although it was tense they always had their noses in front.

Ashley Giles England bowler

We needed two runs and the plan was to play out a maiden against Warne because we both felt more confident we could use Lee's pace to nick a couple. Shane was trying to set me up for an lbw, but then he overpitched one on leg stump and I got enough on it to send it past the fielders.

Warne As it turned out we probably got closer than we thought we would. I didn't think Harmison and Simon Jones would last long if we could get them in, but we couldn't quite make that breakthrough. After the final runs, the crowd broke into a chorus of “Ashes coming home” and it seemed the whole country was joining in.

Rose When I was clearing up I saw that Ashley Giles had left a glove. It was still damp so I thought it was probably one he was wearing when he hit the winning runs - the sort of thing he would want as a souvenir. I offered it to him when he came to Trent Bridge the next season but he said I could have it and signed it for me.