Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon suffered at the hands of Ben Stokes in 2019, this week they had the last laugh

Four years ago, England’s Ben Stokes crushed Australian hearts in a famous victory at Headingley. With an hour to go at Edgbaston today, it looked like he’d done it again. But Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon had other ideas.

Australian skipper Pat Cummins (left) celebrates as his England counterpart, Ben Stokes reacts to the pain of defeat at Edgbaston. Picture: AFP

A large picture of a triumphant Ben Stokes loomed over Pat Cummins during the press conference following Australia’s incredible victory over the England skipper’s team.

Four years ago at Headingley, the England all-rounder inspired an incredible last wicket victory in a game Australia seemed to have won.

On that occasion Nathan Lyon missed a run out that would have sealed victory and Cummins bowled the ball Stokes hit to the boundary to win the match.

A replay of the moment played on English television above a breaking news line about Tuesday’s less favourable result.

With an hour to go in this game Stokes looked like he’d done it again, but Lyon and Cummins combined for a remarkable 55-run partnership and pulled off victory with four overs left.

Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon celebrate. Picture: Getty Images

Devastated England captain Ben Stokes. Picture: Getty Images

This time the Australian pair celebrated while England’s skipper put his head in his hands.

The Australian skipper admitted that the win in the last minutes of the fifth day of the match made this the best Test he had ever been involved with and one that invoked memories of the Headingley loss.

“I‘d be lying if I said it didn’t (enter his mind),” he said. “We’ve been on the other side of it last series.

“What a wonderful Test match and it‘s one of those ones when you’re on the other side it really hurt feels, it’s like one that got away. So it’s a pretty happy dressing room in there at the moment to be one-nil up in the series and a lot of those guys were there Headingley.

“I feel like we clinched one kind of that perhaps was out of our grasp there for a little while. It‘s pretty satisfying.”

England won a heart-stopper by two at Edgbaston when Michael Kasprowicz was erroneously given out on what was the last delivery of the 2005 Test, but Cummins says that Test means little to his side.

“There’s been a lot of talk this week about 2005,” he said. “But I think we were all about 10 years old when that happened. I mean, 2019 is probably the series we look at the most because most of us were here and when we finished two-all at the end of the series it felt like unfinished business.”

Cummins’ side is fresh from winning the World Test Championship against India at The Oval last week and goes to London for the second Ashes match full of confidence.

If they can win this series they will be the first Australian side to do so in England since 2001.

The victory is validation too for the conservative approach Australia took, holding their nerve as England’s Bazball batters hit them to all parts in the early stages of the game.

Pat Cummins prepares to embrace Nathan Lyon following Australia’s thrilling Edgbaston victory. Picture: Getty Images

“We’ve been big on how we want to play,” Cummins said. “I think we’ve been pretty consistent for the last 20 Test matches and this time we were good enough to get the win. A couple of key players (Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith) missed out as well. That doesn’t often happen.

“Away Test matches are really hard to win so to come over here and win that first one, going about it the way we want to … it’s been a great week.”

With his father and brother on the balcony, the skipper hit the winning runs at 7.20pm.

“Dad’s been here all week, so I just feel really lucky to have him here,” Cummins said.

“It‘s been a tough few months. So my brother’s been here all week as well.

“Dad was here in 2019 with mum, so just having him here is just really special. I went with him to Bruce Springsteen on the first night this week as well. So it‘s been a good week. It’s pretty happy.”

The skipper hit 44 undefeated runs in his 77 minutes at the crease, smashing Joe Root back over his head for a pair of sixes and enduring a searching examination from England’s attack.

“You know, it really ebbed all through today and if the scoreboard wasn’t ticking over 70 (runs) felt like a long way away.

“Joe, as an offspinner, to me felt like probably my best chance to score some runs. I just thought if the ball’s in that area I’m gonna go for it.”

Lyon (16no) held on for an hour before the winning runs were scored.