Peter Baxter reports on the closing moments of England's dramatic victory

Former Worcestershire and West Indies star Ron Headley followed his son in action on Test Match Special on BBC Radio 4 at his home in Stourbridge, West Midlands.

He said: "I am one of the luckiest guys in the world really, to have my son perform like that after what I have done. Having played the game myself I know the emotions he will be going through."

But the night had begun badly. His wife Gail went to bed close to tears after her son was dismissed for just one run by the Australian attack.

By the time she woke up on Tuesday morning Dean had turned the game on its head, recording figures of six for 60.

Dean Headley celebrates after dismissing Mark Waugh

Mrs Headley said: "I know he really wanted to do something good this time. I am so glad. He really deserves it. We are elated, we really are."

Went to bed without hope

She said she went to bed when Dean was dismissed and thought: "That is it, they have not got a chance".

But she said: "I got up at 6.45am and Ron, who has had the radio on all night, said `The lad is doing it but it is very tight'."

Mrs Headley said the tension was too much for her and she ended up pacing the floor crying.

Her son said afterwards: "My aim was to go out there and bowl aggressively. You just keep going but it was a long session.

"We'll go to Sydney and do it again."

England skipper Alec Stewart saluted his heroes after their 12-run victory and admitted: "We were knackered".

'Awesome performance'

He said: "We played with so much heart. Dean Headley bowled for two hours - he was awesome."

Stewart told Sky Sports: "We stuck to our task. We have won the game and we are going to go out and celebrate the win.

"We were knackered but fortunately Headley and Gough did it for us."

The skipper said: "Today we showed what we are capable of doing. It's just a pity we didn't do it earlier in the series.

"I've said all along that when we play well we are a match for anyone."

Stewart concluded on a high note: "The Ashes have gone unfortunately but we have won one of the last two. Now we go on to Sydney aiming to win that one."