Revisiting England’s overshadowed summer of perfection, 20 years on

Nasser Hussain and Andrew Strauss after England had won the first Test against New Zealand in May 2004. Photograph: Philip Brown/Popperfoto/Getty Images

The summer of 2005 was, to state the obvious, special for England’s men’s Test side. The Ashes regained after the misery of the 90s, the wild entry of Kevin Pietersen, an open-top bus around Trafalgar Square – a barely believable sight in today’s paywall era.

But perfection? That came the summer before with seven wins from seven home Tests, a streak of victories that would end at eight in the winter against South Africa. Stephen Fleming’s New Zealand were swept aside in three, Brian Lara’s West Indies in four. Michael Vaughan’s England appeared ready for Ricky Ponting’s Australia.