It was the last Test of a dead rubber, expendable for Australia but still worth winning, and England had done so by 19 runs. Yet Thorpe's catch will probably mark the end of an era, that of Mike Atherton's four-year reign as England captain. Inscrutable as ever, Atherton said after the match that he would take time away to reflect on his future. But the overwhelming disappointment of losing the Ashes 3-2 - this was the fifth consecutive series in which England have not beaten Australia - is unlikely to shake his determination not to seek reappointment, however gratifying this latest consolation.
When Atherton led England into the field at the Oval yesterday afternoon, photographers clustered in front of him in their anticipation that this would be the final time. Three hours later, he was acknowledging from the pavilion balcony the crowd cheering one of England's more remarkable victories - a balcony from which so many Ashes heroes have said goodbye, as captain and cricketer, from Don Bradman himself to current Australian captain Mark Taylor, who has yet to finalise his future, but cannot expect to play against England again.
Atherton recognises that now is the worst of times to make so important a decision, when the bones and regrets are aching and the air is stale. He needs time to get away and see if he retains the desire to keep on captaining, which is the prime essential. The biggest regret, he said yesterday, was England's failure to take their opportunities in the third Test at Old Trafford, and to a lesser extent the fourth at Headingley.
On Friday, the crowd's applause had been polite, rather than warm and supportive, when he had been dismissed a second time to complete his own poor batting series. Yesterday evening, amid the euphoria of the presentations, one placard called upon him to stay on as captain, but the mass applause was for Phil Tufnell, the man of the match, not for the leader who has carried the can for so long, winning 12 Tests and losing 16 out of a record England total of 46.
England are therefore set to continue their cycle: that of hope as a new captain or coach is appointed, followed by disappointment when victories do not regularly follow, despair as the team fails to rise above the inadequancies bred by the domestic game, and finally retribution. Before Atherton it was Ray Illingworth who had to go, before him Keith Fletcher, and before him Graham Gooch, and before him Ted Dexter, and before him Micky Stewart, and before him David Gower - and all this since 1989.
But we should not forget that 1998 presents itself as the most arduous year that England have ever been forced to undertake by their administrators.
They have to go to the West Indies in January for five Tests and as many internationals, return home to face the fast bowling might of South Africa for five Tests and play a one-off Test against Sri Lanka, then depart in the autumn to Australia to contest the Ashes again, England's last chance of retaining them in this millenium.
Such an itinerary will probably prove too much for almost every player to survive. It will certainly be too much for one captain alone. This programme of 16 Tests compacted into 13 months and against the hardest opposition, is greater than that which faced Douglas Jardine, W G Grace or Tony Greig in their entire careers as England captains.
It would therefore suit England best if the responsibility for Mission Impossible were divided among two leaders, firstly Atherton, while Nasser Hussain continues in the role of vice-captain, which he held last winter, and Adam Hollioake takes over England's one-day side. Once the two candidates have stated their cases, and some continuity has been assured, only then can England spare Atherton's common-sense if overtly low-key approach.