0
0
1
4
1
1
= 7
Match Details
AUS vs ENG 1st TEST, The Ashes 2023
AUS 386(116.1)
282-892.3
Australia won by 2 wickets 🏆
393-8(78.0)
ENG
66.2273-10
+
Commentary
All
Highlights
Overs
W
6s
4s
Inn 1
Inn 2
Inn 3
Inn 4
Milestone
An amazing Test match comes to an end after toiling till the fag end of the fifth day setting up a good pace to the remainder of four Tests in the Ashes. So that's it from our end in the first Test. Ninaad Dixit here, signing off on behalf of my co-commentator AkshayKrishna Polya and scorer Bishal Mandal. Stay tuned and hang around for more cricketing action.
Pat Cummins (Australia Captain): "Great support for us and the crowd have been amazing throughout the Test match. Yeah, they have been outnumbered but they kept supporting us irrespective of the conditions. We Aussies aren't great at chants and songs, but they have stuck through it.
It was a tough time to get into bat and I fancied the chances. The wicket was playing well. Not many demons on it as compared to a fifth-day pitch. I thought if we bat well it's in our grasp. As soon as Lyon hit Broad for that beautiful boundary, I looked at him and as he walked past me I said nice shot, Garry. He was happy about how that came up.
Prior to the match, both sides spoke clearly and made clear what will their playing styles and that is the beauty of this series. Both sides play to their strengths. Not exactly sure about which style is better but both are pretty interesting.
Khawaja was brilliant throughout. Incredible composure and played with his style and didn't get caught up with what was going around. He has been a class apart for the last couple of years. It is wonderful to have someone like him in the middle with other players who can play around. I am really happy for him. He had a good feel for the wicket and read the track pretty well. Each and every one in the side tried to play their roles.
Lyon is a huge asset for the side. He bowled well in both innings'. He has played 120 Tests and has taken key wickets. Boy, he is a superstar. He is calm and cool just going about his work. Don't know, what are you talking about mate! (Cummins signs off with a cheeky reply on being asked about whether this win was a make-up for the Headingley loss in 2019)."
It was a tough time to get into bat and I fancied the chances. The wicket was playing well. Not many demons on it as compared to a fifth-day pitch. I thought if we bat well it's in our grasp. As soon as Lyon hit Broad for that beautiful boundary, I looked at him and as he walked past me I said nice shot, Garry. He was happy about how that came up.
Prior to the match, both sides spoke clearly and made clear what will their playing styles and that is the beauty of this series. Both sides play to their strengths. Not exactly sure about which style is better but both are pretty interesting.
Khawaja was brilliant throughout. Incredible composure and played with his style and didn't get caught up with what was going around. He has been a class apart for the last couple of years. It is wonderful to have someone like him in the middle with other players who can play around. I am really happy for him. He had a good feel for the wicket and read the track pretty well. Each and every one in the side tried to play their roles.
Lyon is a huge asset for the side. He bowled well in both innings'. He has played 120 Tests and has taken key wickets. Boy, he is a superstar. He is calm and cool just going about his work. Don't know, what are you talking about mate! (Cummins signs off with a cheeky reply on being asked about whether this win was a make-up for the Headingley loss in 2019)."
Ben Stokes (England Captain to BBC): "Unbelievable. That’s why you play it. I think in terms of everything we have spoken about constantly for a long period of time. It came down to the end of today. Everyone was on the edge of their seat.
We are not a results-driven team. We are, of course, absolutely devastated. The lads are in pieces up there. But if that’s not attracting people to the game we love then I don’t know what will.
You have never won a game until you have won it. It was still massively in the balance. We had to come up with different ideas, keep changing things. And it just comes down to small margins in the end. A few chances go our way, there were a few drops as well. But we have four matches to go.
I thought that was a time to pounce [1st innings declaration]. I am not going to change the way I have gone about my cricket because it is the Ashes. Who knows we could have got an extra 40 runs or lost two wickets in two balls. I am not a captain who gets by on what ifs.
We were in control of most of the game and managed to produce a result. Obviously we wanted to be on top. We are devastated but that’s sport. It is great and an emotional rollercoaster.
Broad is exhausted. He has done brilliantly for the Three Lions and also put his body on the line bowling tirelessly. Hope he continues doing it for a long time."
Broad is exhausted. He has done brilliantly for the Three Lions and also put his body on the line bowling tirelessly. Hope he continues doing it for a long time."
Usman Khawaja: "Ahhh... Yeah, I am not gonna lie around. I was having a tough time. I was absolutely s***ing for the last five minutes. I was a child when that historic Edgbaston Test happened in 2005. I watched it and felt it. But this has to be one of the greatest I have ever been involved in. I have also seen Headingley's last Ashes Test where Stokes played a blinder of an innings. It is an awesome feeling.
No one was able to hold the nerves in the dressing room. I couldn't see it on the ground but was watching it with a delayed version and was sitting with nerves on one side. Marnus said not to move and we didn't. The innings is right up there and it is an Ashes knock. I have seen hard times. I have had bad dreams of the fast bowlers. The ebb and flow of this Test and no one had their hands at it till the very end. One of the favourite matches of my career. It is a tough work and a tough tour. Good start and we have four more to go."
No one was able to hold the nerves in the dressing room. I couldn't see it on the ground but was watching it with a delayed version and was sitting with nerves on one side. Marnus said not to move and we didn't. The innings is right up there and it is an Ashes knock. I have seen hard times. I have had bad dreams of the fast bowlers. The ebb and flow of this Test and no one had their hands at it till the very end. One of the favourite matches of my career. It is a tough work and a tough tour. Good start and we have four more to go."
Usman Khawaja is the player of the match!
CREX Player of the Day: Pat Cummins (44* off 73)
Australia needed 72 runs when Cummins walked out to bat. He stood at one end watching his partner Alex Carey get out to Joe Root. Then took the responsibility on himself. First took Root to the cleaners smashing him for two sixes in an over. He continued batting smart and kept Lyon believing. Negotiated the second new ball and the short stuff from England, riding on it pretty well. Stitched 55-run stand with Lyon for the unbroken 9th wicket and finished off with a four stealing a famous Test win from England by 2 wickets.
A notable mention of Usman Khawaja for a patient 65 off 197.
Australia needed 72 runs when Cummins walked out to bat. He stood at one end watching his partner Alex Carey get out to Joe Root. Then took the responsibility on himself. First took Root to the cleaners smashing him for two sixes in an over. He continued batting smart and kept Lyon believing. Negotiated the second new ball and the short stuff from England, riding on it pretty well. Stitched 55-run stand with Lyon for the unbroken 9th wicket and finished off with a four stealing a famous Test win from England by 2 wickets.
A notable mention of Usman Khawaja for a patient 65 off 197.
Match Bulletin Day 5:
Due to heavy rain since the midnight, the start delayed
No play possible in the first session
Lunch has been advanced 45-minutes early
Rain stopped just before lunch
Day5, Lunch: AUS- 107/3 (30 Overs), Khawaja (34 off 81), Boland (13 off 19)
Covers came off during lunch break
Inspection at 5:50 PM IST, that is 10 minutes after lunch
Play to resume at 6:45 PM IST and 67 overs to be bowled
The overnight Aussie batters negotiate the first seven overs safely but England bowlers were accurate, keeping Australians at bay
Broad bluffed Boland with a full ball and dismissed the nightwatchman
Short ball barrage at Travis Head
Session 2, Drinks: AUS- 128/4 (43 Overs), Khawaja (39 off 128), Head (1 off 13)
Robinson and Khawaja have a verbal spat during the drinks
First boundary off the bat after 13.1 overs coming from Head
Moeen has the last laugh winning the battle against Head as he edges one at slip
Bairstow spills an edge off Khawaja
Khawaja gets to his 22nd Test half century
Green starts to tick the scorecard
Target drops down to two figures
Day 5, Tea: AUS- 183/5 (59 Overs), Khawaja (56 off 159), Green (22 off 54)
Robinson breaks the 49-run sixth partnership by cleaning up Green
200 up for Australia with a boundary from Carey
Stokes brings himself in the attack for the first time in the second innings after 69 overs
Benjamin Stokes strikes gold with the wicket of resilient Khawaja
England lose a review trying to get Carey lbw
Root drops a tough return catch off Carey
Root again drops another sharp caught and bowled opportunity this time off Cummins
- Brilliant tactics to stay with the old ball from Stokes
But Root takes a sharp catch on his followthrough of Carey this time
Session 3, Drinks: AUS- 230/8 (82 Overs), Cummins (8 off 34), Lyon (2 off 4)
Cummins takes Root to the cleaners, smashing 2 sixes off one over
Ben Stokes spills a tough catch off Lyon
Lyon and Cummins bat valiantly and bring Australia closer to victory
England take the second new ball after five overs since its availability
Lyon and Cummins dig deeper and stand in the way of England's win
Lyon scores a crucial four of Broad flicking beautifully to bring the target down to single digits
50-run partnership between Cummins and Lyon
Cummins with a streaky boundary to heist this famous Test
Match End: AUS- 282/8 (92.3 Overs), Cummins (44 off 73), Lyon (16 off 28)
Australia win by 2 wickets and go 1-0 up in the Ashes.
Session Breakdown of Day 5:
Session 1: Washed out due to rain
Session 2: 29 Overs | 76 Runs | 2 Wickets
Session 3: 33.3 Overs | 99 Runs | 3 Wickets
11:53 PM IST: An excellent half century from Usman Khawaja and the batting efforts from the tail comprising of Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon, which wagged for 55 runs adding the winning runs has ensured that the England-Australia rivalry known as the Ashes remains the pinnacle of world cricket as the greatest competition in the cricketing universe!
Amazing five days of Test cricket as the match swung like a pendulum one way and another. Rain was also looming for a considerable amount of time but it was Cummins and Lyon which poured all the emotions in the last hour of the match as Australia get home by 2 wickets.
Amazing five days of Test cricket as the match swung like a pendulum one way and another. Rain was also looming for a considerable amount of time but it was Cummins and Lyon which poured all the emotions in the last hour of the match as Australia get home by 2 wickets.
It all started with England winning the toss and electing to bat first on a flat Edgbaston surface under the sun, playing attacking cricket as they are known since a year and surprising declared at 393/8 in 78 overs on the first day.
Joe Root scored an unbeaten 118 with Jonny Bairstow and Zak Crawley contributing with half centuries. Nathan Lyon continued his form from the WTC final picking up 4/149 in 29 overs in a single day.
Joe Root scored an unbeaten 118 with Jonny Bairstow and Zak Crawley contributing with half centuries. Nathan Lyon continued his form from the WTC final picking up 4/149 in 29 overs in a single day.
Australia's response was led by a defiant 141 in 321 balls by left hander Usman Khawaja, his first century in English conditions and half centuries from Alex Carey and Travis Head made sure Australia were just 7 runs behind England's total in the first innings.
Known to play aggressive cricket and making atrocious decisions, England continued with the same approach in the second innings posting 273 runs asking Australia to score 281 runs, the third highest successful chase in 4th innings on this surface.
It was England's middle and lower order to score runs in their 2nd innings and it was Cummins and Lyon sharing eight wickets between them to drag the total down. Australia openers started well adding 61 for the first wicket with Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson breaking their back sharing 5 wickets between them.
Khawaja was determined and hung at one end playing out 197 deliveries for his 65 adding 32 with nightwatchman Scott Boland and later 49 with Cameron Green for the sixth wicket. After losing the first innings' top scorers Khawaja and Carey in quick succession, in walked the Australian skipper at number 9.
With the target 54 runs away and only 2 wickets in hand, Cummins got good support from Nathan Lyon with the tailenders batting fearlessly to share six fours and 2 sixes between them adding 55 runs and taking Australia home in a famous victory.
Ben Stokes took the new ball belatedly but did not use James Anderson at the fag end to try and get the breakthrough as Broad and Robinson's successful pair failed to impress and take any wicket although there were a few chances created with real good bowling.
Anderson was the only bowler to remain wicketless in the final innings with Broad (3/64), Robinson (2/43) and the spinners Moeen Ali (1/57) and Joe Root (1/43) sharing eight wickets amongst them.
Some brave decisions were taken by England, declaring the innings early was one of them but probably that was one of the reasons we got a blockbuster day 5 on the cards despite losing some overs to rain. In the end, a great great encounter for the players and the fans setting up the stage for another big big Ashes series. Australia have drawn the first blood with a 1-0 lead here at Edgbaston.
Known to play aggressive cricket and making atrocious decisions, England continued with the same approach in the second innings posting 273 runs asking Australia to score 281 runs, the third highest successful chase in 4th innings on this surface.
It was England's middle and lower order to score runs in their 2nd innings and it was Cummins and Lyon sharing eight wickets between them to drag the total down. Australia openers started well adding 61 for the first wicket with Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson breaking their back sharing 5 wickets between them.
Khawaja was determined and hung at one end playing out 197 deliveries for his 65 adding 32 with nightwatchman Scott Boland and later 49 with Cameron Green for the sixth wicket. After losing the first innings' top scorers Khawaja and Carey in quick succession, in walked the Australian skipper at number 9.
With the target 54 runs away and only 2 wickets in hand, Cummins got good support from Nathan Lyon with the tailenders batting fearlessly to share six fours and 2 sixes between them adding 55 runs and taking Australia home in a famous victory.
Ben Stokes took the new ball belatedly but did not use James Anderson at the fag end to try and get the breakthrough as Broad and Robinson's successful pair failed to impress and take any wicket although there were a few chances created with real good bowling.
Anderson was the only bowler to remain wicketless in the final innings with Broad (3/64), Robinson (2/43) and the spinners Moeen Ali (1/57) and Joe Root (1/43) sharing eight wickets amongst them.
Some brave decisions were taken by England, declaring the innings early was one of them but probably that was one of the reasons we got a blockbuster day 5 on the cards despite losing some overs to rain. In the end, a great great encounter for the players and the fans setting up the stage for another big big Ashes series. Australia have drawn the first blood with a 1-0 lead here at Edgbaston.
FOUR RUNS!! AUSTRALIA HAVE SCOOPED UP A GREAT VICTORY AT THE EDGBASTON!! Handshakes all over between the players as Cummins and Lyon sneak a tremendous victory right under the nose adding 55 runs for the ninth wicket.
92.3 O Robinson to P Cummins
4 FOOURRRR!!!!!!!!! Australia have won this famous Test at Edgbaston! They are the World Test Champions and have played like the champions. 72 is what they needed when Cummins came to bat and boy, the Australian skipper has done it. He stood tall with the ball yesterday, today he stands tall with the bat. The 9th wicket partnership worth 55 is nothing less than the gold dust. This becomes the third-highest successful run chase in Tests at this venue.
Short ball around the off-stump at the rib cage height. Cummins stays leg side of it and jumps around trying to ride the bounce. The ball kisses the outside edge of the bat and runs away through the third man region. Brook was stationed deep at the fine third man region probably for the ramp shot. He runs to his right and puts a big dive trying to save the match. As he dives, he losses control of the ball despite getting his right hand on it and parries it through to the boundary cushions. As the ball ricochets off Brook's right hand and kisses the ropes, Cummins running back for the second exactly knows what has happened there. He drops his bat and runs around the square of Birmingham towards Lyon coming in from the non-striker's end. The Australian skipper lifts Lyon in joy and the Australian dressing room goes pumping.
Australia have won this first Test by 2 wickets! They have vanished the bad memories of the Birmingham Ashes Test 2005! It is an excellent run chase. It was England's game when Khawaja had been knocked over by the English skipper. But what a resilience from the Aussie skipper. Superb partnership batting with Garry the G.O.A.T!
England have done nothing wrong. It's just the nature of the game. Despite doing well, one has to lose at the end of all. Broad has bowled his heart out and so are the others! What an exciting display of red-ball cricket and all hail the king of the cricketing world, the Test cricket!
Short ball around the off-stump at the rib cage height. Cummins stays leg side of it and jumps around trying to ride the bounce. The ball kisses the outside edge of the bat and runs away through the third man region. Brook was stationed deep at the fine third man region probably for the ramp shot. He runs to his right and puts a big dive trying to save the match. As he dives, he losses control of the ball despite getting his right hand on it and parries it through to the boundary cushions. As the ball ricochets off Brook's right hand and kisses the ropes, Cummins running back for the second exactly knows what has happened there. He drops his bat and runs around the square of Birmingham towards Lyon coming in from the non-striker's end. The Australian skipper lifts Lyon in joy and the Australian dressing room goes pumping.
Australia have won this first Test by 2 wickets! They have vanished the bad memories of the Birmingham Ashes Test 2005! It is an excellent run chase. It was England's game when Khawaja had been knocked over by the English skipper. But what a resilience from the Aussie skipper. Superb partnership batting with Garry the G.O.A.T!
England have done nothing wrong. It's just the nature of the game. Despite doing well, one has to lose at the end of all. Broad has bowled his heart out and so are the others! What an exciting display of red-ball cricket and all hail the king of the cricketing world, the Test cricket!
Josh Hazlewood is seen shadow batting in the dressing room. No Australian supporter would want him to come down to bat!
92.2 O Robinson to P Cummins
0 Short again at the body of Cummins. The Aussie skipper is jumping again and this time rides the bounce to drop it down in the silly point region.
92.1 O Robinson to P Cummins
0 Australia need three runs to win. Robinson runs in from over the wicket. Short and at the body of the batter. Cummins jumps at it and fends it with a closed bat's face. It falls low to the right of the diving short leg fielder.
Robinson to continue, just 3 runs and 2 wickets away from a result either way!
OVER 92
Australia
278/8
Nathan Lyon
16(28)
Pat Cummins
40(70)
Stuart Broad
3-64(21.0)
91.6 S Broad to P Cummins
1 Short ball at the middle stump. Cummins jumps again riding the bounce and placing it in the mid-wicket region to get the single and keep the strike.
91.5 S Broad to P Cummins
0 Back of a length at the off and middle. Cummins jumps around and plays it with a straight bat. Pushes it to the right of the bowler and Broad does well on his followthrough stopping it with a dive.
91.4 S Broad to P Cummins
0 Short again angling in at the body of the batter. Cummins tries to shuffle inside the line but is late on it. Still, lifts his bat at it and allows it to thud his body just above the thigh pads.
Commentary