Never underestimate Edgbaston’s role as a venue for England to recover after a tough Ashes loss at Lord’s. It happened in 2005, and it’s happened now a decade later. The roller coaster that is the 2015 Ashes series may still have plenty of twists and turns left before the summer ends, but if England regain the urn, Edgbaston will no doubt be viewed as the turning point.

It’s remarkable how quickly momentum has swung from Cardiff to Lord’s to Birmingham. Just when the hosts were about to prove they put the 2013/14 disaster behind them, Australia came back and showed just how dangerous they can be, Steve Smith in particular continuing his form. With Australia coming into Birmingham as favorites, England quickly bowled them out for 136, nearly overtaking that total by the end of Day 1 alone. James Anderson & Steven Finn rose to the challenge, although Anderson’s injury will present major concerns to the hosts if he’s unable to play at Trent Bridge and/or the Oval. Finn, however, couldn’t have enjoyed a more satisfying return to Test cricket, with a six-wicket haul in the second innings.

England almost caused a bit of irritation among fans in their second innings, with Ian Bell & Joe Root almost waiting until after tea on the third day to finish the job. Bell, however, showed poise in the type of performance that reminded fans of his Man of the Series role two years ago, while Root proves yet again that he is the England batsman of the future, not intimidated by the pressure.

The fact that the third Test only took three days gives England & Australia a little more time to prepare for the fourth Test at Trent Bridge, another ground that’s been very good to England in recent Ashes meetings. The hosts need to be aware of Australia’s ability to bounce back, as was proven earlier this summer in London. With the Australians only needing a drawn series to retain the urn, England essentially need one more win from the remaining Tests – an already daunting task made even more challenging with the chance that Anderson won’t be in action in Nottingham. England’s strategy should not be to disregard Trent Bridge and rely on the Oval as a winner-take-all affair, but if Finn and others can bowl like they did this week, it could very well mean redemption after nearly two years of disappointment and recovery.