ASHES DAY FIVE – SESSION BY SESSION: Superb Australia batting performance on final day helps guide them to a famous win at Edgbaston
- Australia won a dramatic first Ashes Test by two wickets at Edgbaston on day five
- Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon’s superb unbroken partnership saw them home
- Here, Mail Sport’s Lawrence Booth runs through the day session by session
Australia narrowly edged the first Ashes Test by two wickets after Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon saw them home in thrilling fashion on the final day at Edgbaston.
Beginning the day on 107-3 chasing 281 to win, play eventually got underway at 2:20PM after the morning session was washed out due to heavy rain.
England and Australia continually traded blows as the contest ebbed-and-flowed throughout, with Usman Khawaja providing yet another solid rearguard action as he made 65 off 197 balls.
It looked as if Ben Stokes‘s side would emerge victorious when they had the visitors, 227-8, requiring another 54 to win, but an inspired unbroken ninth wicket partnership between Cummins and Lyon meant it was first blood to the Aussies.
Here, Mail Sport’s Lawrence Booth runs through the day session by session.
A dramatic day of action saw Australia win the first Ashes Test by two wickets at Edgbaston
It was a cruel end for England who had Australia eight down at one point, still requiring 54 runs to win
MORNING SESSION RAINED OFF
AFTERNOON SESSION AUSTRALIA (1 point)
Yet more ebb and flow, and if England had removed either Usman Khawaja or Cameron Green in a session extended by 15 minutes to make up for lost time, the session would have been theirs. Instead, the Australians overcame the loss of nightwatchman Scott Boland and Travis Head to get within 98 of a famous win.
EVENING SESSION AUSTRALIA (1 point)
At 227 for eight chasing 281, Australia were almost down and out. Ben Stokes had bowled Khawaja with a slower ball, and Joe Root held a blinding return catch to send back Alex Carey. But Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon held their nerve superbly as England threw everything at them – and guided their team to a famous win.
VERDICT after day 5: tourists edge it ENGLAND (5½ pts) Australia (7½ PTS)
Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green put together an important partnership in the afternoon
Had Ben Stokes managed to complete a stunning catch when Nathan Lyon offered a tough chance, England probably would’ve won the pulsating game
Play of the day
Ben Stokes looked set to hold the catch that would probably have brought England victory, diving backwards as he ran towards deep square leg after Nathan Lyon had miscued Stuart Broad with 37 still needed. But he lost control of the ball on the way down, and England’s last chance – it turned out – had come and gone.
More Stories
Alex Carey hits teammate Todd Murphy with an icy snub at the fifth Ashes Test – leaving cricket fans stunned: ‘They must take it in turns to take his lunch money’
Steve Smith sends James Anderson a very cheeky message as Aussies form Ashes guard of honour for retiring England great Stuart Broad
Stuart Broad becomes the second player to hit his final ball in Test cricket for six as Usman Khawaja becomes leading run-scorer in the series