Maximum drama and lashings of controversy to the very end of the Ashes.
At The Oval, Australia got itself into a winning position before England conjured its fairytale finish for Stuart Broad.
After a near three-hour delay prompted by the rain during the lunch break, Australia’s chase reached 3/264 requiring a further 120 to win.
Steve Smith had just raised his bat for his half century steadily tilting the scales in his team’s favour.
But before the fans in green and gold had resumed their seats it all came undone.
As the clock struck 1:50am at home … 17 calamitous minutes… 19 disastrous balls and the ambition to break a 22-year drought to win a series in England was laid to waste.
From 3/264 to 7/275.
And that’s why teams so rarely achieve these mammoth chases.
Australia set itself the mission to win a series in England for the first time since 2001. Despite a 2-nil lead, it couldn’t do so.
Pat Cummins will return to Australia with the World Test Championship mace and the Ashes, but the smiles were a little forced at the presentation.
At the end an enthralling series stands at 2-2.
The captains stood either side of silver cup, the Australians raised the crystal urn and Cummins posed with the original treasure.
It was all a bit convoluted. Not a bad image for a series that will be debated for years to come.
Ben Stokes got victory in two of the last three Tests and had the high ground at Old Trafford. He claimed vindication for Bazball, quite rightly so.
And England promoted itself to the mantle of moral victors, which is not quite so easily swallowed.
But if you were scoring the fight over the course of the series. England would win on points.