The wickets are falling, now for the runs

When Steve Harmison produced his fierce bouncer to dismiss Michael Kasprowicz, thereby ending the tightest Ashes Test in history and possibly the finest match of all time, it was England's 40th wicket out of 40 in the series. What a difference 39 would have made. But, by the skin of the teeth, and the width of Kasprowicz's glove, they had managed to bowl Australia out twice in the opening two Tests of an Ashes series for the first time since Mike Brearley captained England on the 1978-79 tour.

All the pre-series talk hinged on the theory that England had their best chance of winning the Ashes since 1986-87 because of an attack capable of taking 20 wickets per match. Even when Mike Gatting's team won Down Under, 19 years ago, they were thwarted in the second Test at Perth, as the batsmen dominated in a run-filled match. In fact, England's difficulty in bowling out Australia twice began well before their Ashes nadir in 1989, and their best haul since surrendering the Ashes has been 35, during the 1994-95 matches at Brisbane and Melbourne.

In 1985, England completed a 3-1 series win over Australia, and yet they suffered defeat in the second Test at Lord's, as Australia reached a target of 127 with four wickets to spare. On the 1982-83 tour, Australia lost 11 wickets in a drawn first Test at Perth, before cantering home by seven wickets in the second at Brisbane.

The 1981 series would, of course, become known as "Botham's Ashes" but the first two Tests - at Trent Bridge and Lord's - produced 30 wickets for England as Australia went 1-0 up. When England were Down Under in 1979-80 the Ashes were not at stake following the fall-out from World Series Cricket. But, in 1978-79 the Ashes certainly were up for grabs. England made the best possible start - to an eventual 4-1 series win - by comfortably beating a weakened Australian side by seven wickets in Brisbane and then by 166 runs in Perth.

With Bob Willis and Ian Botham in harness - the latterday Harmison and Flintoff, if you please - England had no problem taking 20 wickets in the 1978-79 series. They managed it in every Test, and, so far, in 2005 it has been the same story. They have only needed to take the new ball once, and that was to break a stubborn stand between Simon Katich and Glenn McGrath at Lord's.

So, by all accounts, England have found the key to taking 20 wickets and with that has come their chance of Ashes glory. But, there is a new argument taking shape. The pace of the series throws up the theory that it isn't 20 wickets which are important at all - neither Test has threatened the fifth day and the matches move so quickly that the wickets will fall. Sheer weight of runs is all that matters.

The two Tests have spanned 519.2 overs (less than six full days' play) and produced 2085 runs at four runs an over. The runs have come quickly, and so have the wickets - every six-and-a-half overs. It was tight at Edgbaston - almost as tight as it could possibly be - and England will need more runs from their top-order if they are to get away with that sort of close shave in the future.

England have named an unchanged squad for the third Test at Old Trafford, so the same top six will get the chance to put the runs on the board. They made just enough at Edgbaston - that towering six from Andrew Flintoff off Brett Lee, which cleared the ground and threatened the local building sites - is even more dramatic in hindsight. But the bowlers would like some breathing space next time around.

The squeakingly tight nature of the series is perhaps best displayed by pulling together a combined XI from the first two Tests - of the fit and available players. England's wicket-taking successes are highlighted by the probable presence of three out of the five bowlers (including Andrew Flintoff), but Australia still hold the edge in the batting department. More runs from the middle-order is the message, if England hope to build on their Edgbaston success.

Current combined XI Marcus Trescothick, Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn, Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Flintoff, Adam Gilchrist (wk), Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Steve Harmison, Simon Jones