0
0
0
1
0
0
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Match Details
AUS vs ENG 5th TEST, The Ashes 2023
AUS 295(103.1)
334-1094.4
England won by 49 runs 🏆
283(54.4)
ENG
81.5395-10
+
Commentary
All
Highlights
Overs
W
6s
4s
Inn 1
Inn 2
Inn 3
Inn 4
Milestone
It was a great series to be part of. Plenty of takeaways and plenty of memories. Starting from Moeen Ali's return from retirement to Stuart Broad's fairytale end, it literally had everything in it. In the end, England and Australia shared it 2-2 with the latter retaining the urn.
Talk about the early declaration at Edgbaston, talk about the Khawaja resilience, talk about the Cummins moments in the first Test, talk about Lyon moments and his battle with the injury, talk about Stokes clutch moments in Lord's, talk about Headingley comebacks of Woakes, Wood and England, talk about Old Trafford's rain and talk about Broady's shocking retirement call before he signed off on a high. Geez, we have witnessed them all and still a plenty of them left to state. Well, it was definitely one heck of a ride.
So, I am AkshayaKrishna Polya, signing off on behalf of my co-commentator Akshay Bhide and scorer/analyst Bishal Mandal, who brought you all live-action of this emotion-filled last dance from the 2023's epic Ashes series. We will be back with more coverage across the globe. Until then, its cheers!
Talk about the early declaration at Edgbaston, talk about the Khawaja resilience, talk about the Cummins moments in the first Test, talk about Lyon moments and his battle with the injury, talk about Stokes clutch moments in Lord's, talk about Headingley comebacks of Woakes, Wood and England, talk about Old Trafford's rain and talk about Broady's shocking retirement call before he signed off on a high. Geez, we have witnessed them all and still a plenty of them left to state. Well, it was definitely one heck of a ride.
So, I am AkshayaKrishna Polya, signing off on behalf of my co-commentator Akshay Bhide and scorer/analyst Bishal Mandal, who brought you all live-action of this emotion-filled last dance from the 2023's epic Ashes series. We will be back with more coverage across the globe. Until then, its cheers!
CREX Players of the Day: Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali
Woakes and Moeen had different reasons to celebrate. Woakes came into the side in the third Test, while Moeen had recalled his retirement to get this Ashes done in the absence of Jack Leach.
Woakes scalped four wickets, getting rid of Warner, Khawaja, Smith and Starc. The wickets of the openers were very crucial after they added 140 runs for the opening wicket. Then comes the prized scalp of ever-consistent Smith.
Moeen joined hands with Woakesy in reducing the Aussie middle and lower order with the wickets of Head, Marsh, and Cummins as England levelled up the Ashes 2023 with Australia.
Woakes and Moeen had different reasons to celebrate. Woakes came into the side in the third Test, while Moeen had recalled his retirement to get this Ashes done in the absence of Jack Leach.
Woakes scalped four wickets, getting rid of Warner, Khawaja, Smith and Starc. The wickets of the openers were very crucial after they added 140 runs for the opening wicket. Then comes the prized scalp of ever-consistent Smith.
Moeen joined hands with Woakesy in reducing the Aussie middle and lower order with the wickets of Head, Marsh, and Cummins as England levelled up the Ashes 2023 with Australia.
Ashes 5th Test Day 5:
Drizzle results in a delayed start by 10 mins
Woakes bowled beautifully and troubled both the Australian openers
Woakes sends back Warner on 60 with a beauty in the fourth over of day five
Khawaja is trapped in front of the stumps and departs after wasting a review
Labuschagne edges one to Crawley at second slip to give Wood his first
Session 1, Drinks: AUS 175/3 (51 Overs) (Smith 11*, Head 1*)
Smith and Head take Australia past 200
The pair of Smith and Head put 50 between them off 61 balls for the fourth wicket
Smith survives on the stroke of lunch as Stokes grabs the catch but drops the ball while appealing. England lose a review in the process
Day 5, Lunch: AUS 238/3 (66 Overs) (Smith 40*, Head 31*)
Players walk out for the afternoon session but walk off immediately as it starts raining
Persistent rain washes out the second session
Day 5, Tea: AUS 238/3 (66 Overs) (Smith 40*, Head 31*)
Play starts in the evening session, with 47 overs set to be bowled
Smith brings up his 38th Test fifty and second in this Test
Moeen Ali breaks the 95-run 4th wicket partnership by luring Head for an expansive drive
Woakes produces another beauty to dismiss Smith, the priced scalp
Moeen dismisses Mitchell Marsh in his next over, with Bairstow producing a moment of brilliance behind the stumps
Mitchell Starc surrenders to another peach from Woakes
England don’t opt for the second new ball
Moeen puts Australia in the sword, getting rid of the Australian skipper
Session 3, Drinks: AUS 294/8 (81.2 Overs) (Carey 10*, Murphy 0*)
Stuart Broad comes back for one last spell in his career
Australia hobble past 300
Broad changes the bails at the bowler’s end and it results in immediate success as he removes Murphy on the very next ball on 18
Crawley drops Carey at second slip of the bowling of Broad
Carey nicks one to Bairstow to give Broad a fairytale ending as the English pacer helps England beat Australia by 49 runs.
AUS 334 (94.4 Overs) (Khawaja 72) (Woakes 4/50)
The series finishes with a scoreline reading 2-2. Australia retain the Ashes
Session Breakdown of Day 5:
Session 1: 28 Overs | 103 Runs | 3 Wickets
Session 2: No play due to rain
Session 3: 28.4 Overs | 96 Runs | 7 Wickets
Session 1: 28 Overs | 103 Runs | 3 Wickets
Session 2: No play due to rain
Session 3: 28.4 Overs | 96 Runs | 7 Wickets
So with that, we now know that Moeen Ali is also done with the Tests! Another servant of the game bows out.
Moeen Ali (England): "It's amazing. Great to come back. When he messaged, I didn't hear about Leach's injury but it was a great experience to play under Stokes and Baz. That was going to be the challenge. I know mentally it was going to be tough anyway but to be physically fit was a challenge.
It was an opportunity for me to bat at three in the last two matches. I have batted at three before and it wasn't out of the box thinking. I know I'm done. If Stokesy messages me again, I'm going to delete it. I have enjoyed it and am happy to finish on a high.
I don't know if Stokes dropped it. Then I saw it again and I thought I won't be having Smith again. But with the way Broady was bowling and the ball was spinning, so it helped us. I'm really pleased to see Broady finish on a high.
Zak Crawley and Duckett put up solid partnerships and took the Australian bowlers upfront. Also to see Jimmy keep going was great.
Baz is my kind of coaching. You see him sitting relax and just enjoying the game. As a player, you feel negative at times but when you have the backing from the coaching staff, it always helps. Just go out and do your thing."
It was an opportunity for me to bat at three in the last two matches. I have batted at three before and it wasn't out of the box thinking. I know I'm done. If Stokesy messages me again, I'm going to delete it. I have enjoyed it and am happy to finish on a high.
I don't know if Stokes dropped it. Then I saw it again and I thought I won't be having Smith again. But with the way Broady was bowling and the ball was spinning, so it helped us. I'm really pleased to see Broady finish on a high.
Zak Crawley and Duckett put up solid partnerships and took the Australian bowlers upfront. Also to see Jimmy keep going was great.
Baz is my kind of coaching. You see him sitting relax and just enjoying the game. As a player, you feel negative at times but when you have the backing from the coaching staff, it always helps. Just go out and do your thing."
Pat Cummins receives the URN as Australia retain the Ashes. Meanwhile, Ashes 2023 Ashes trophy has been shared by England and Australia 2-2. Not a huge celebration, just the Australian group posing for photographs with a smile on their face.
Stuart Broad has his family time with his wife Mollie King and his daughter and plenty of photographers are surrounding them.
Stuart Broad has his family time with his wife Mollie King and his daughter and plenty of photographers are surrounding them.
Pat Cummins (Australia Captain): "Yeah I think so. Two hard-quality sides and every side winning sessions and 2-2 is fair. We said from the start that we are here to win the Ashes. Fortunately not to be today.
We could be hugely proud of retaining the Ashes. It's not easy against this strong English team. As Starcy said, it has been a great tour for us and a great series to be a part of. There were so many moments throughout the series. That's what Ashes is all about. Not only on the field but all the things. The crowd, the media and you get plenty of things thrown at you.
I think you can find hundred moments but 2-2 is the final score. Broad is a great competitor. He always saves his best against Australia. I have played only one-third of the games he has played and I cannot fathom playing the number of matches he has played."
We could be hugely proud of retaining the Ashes. It's not easy against this strong English team. As Starcy said, it has been a great tour for us and a great series to be a part of. There were so many moments throughout the series. That's what Ashes is all about. Not only on the field but all the things. The crowd, the media and you get plenty of things thrown at you.
I think you can find hundred moments but 2-2 is the final score. Broad is a great competitor. He always saves his best against Australia. I have played only one-third of the games he has played and I cannot fathom playing the number of matches he has played."
Ben Stokes (England Captain): "Yeah, actually really good. I think, 2-2 at the end of the series like this is a reflection of the two teams going toe-to-toe. Australia, World Test Champions, you know quality team. Being 2-0 down earlier in the series, I don't think many teams would have responded the way we did. Ahh, I am incredibly proud of everyone who has put their all efforts to get us here. Particularly, the bowlers, see Woakesy has played only three games and he walked off with the player of the series award. Standing here pretty content with what we've achieved.
Having played a lots of cricket, we know what it is to be chasing the big targets on day 4. It is one of those innings' where Australia got off to a fantastic start. Usman and Warner, they played incredibly well to walk off with the runs they did yesterday. But turning up with 250 needed, one shouldn't underestimate how hard it is to get those. Wickets came in clusters, it was do or die, but it's been that way since the second Test.
The way Woakesy and Woody have contributed since their inclusion has been wonderful. The way Woakesy has come in and operated and added runs down the order has been really good. Woody could barely walk today, he was very sore but he gave it his best and still said he was ready to bowl. Huge amount of effort to get out there and to have people like that, who can run in and run in, it's great to have.
I've played with Broady for a long, long time. He has been amazing. To watch him come in and bowl the way he did, it was written in the stars that he would take the final wicket. With two left-handers in there, it was surely coming.
A few things were said about Jack Leach before Mo arrived for him. I picked him because I was aware of his potential on his best days. He's a great servant for England to come out of retirement and perform. We'll let him reflect on the last six weeks before the India tour and make that decision.
Hindsight never loses, does it? To come back from a 2-0 deficit in this series would have been difficult for any team. What a series to be a part of, I said to Pat. It's what Test cricket needed, in my opinion. We've been very vocal about our objectives, and I believe this series has accomplished that by drawing in a new audience. The purest form of cricket is Tests.
(On next Ashes availability of Stokes) If you love something as much as I do, it's difficult to lose that appetite."
Having played a lots of cricket, we know what it is to be chasing the big targets on day 4. It is one of those innings' where Australia got off to a fantastic start. Usman and Warner, they played incredibly well to walk off with the runs they did yesterday. But turning up with 250 needed, one shouldn't underestimate how hard it is to get those. Wickets came in clusters, it was do or die, but it's been that way since the second Test.
The way Woakesy and Woody have contributed since their inclusion has been wonderful. The way Woakesy has come in and operated and added runs down the order has been really good. Woody could barely walk today, he was very sore but he gave it his best and still said he was ready to bowl. Huge amount of effort to get out there and to have people like that, who can run in and run in, it's great to have.
I've played with Broady for a long, long time. He has been amazing. To watch him come in and bowl the way he did, it was written in the stars that he would take the final wicket. With two left-handers in there, it was surely coming.
A few things were said about Jack Leach before Mo arrived for him. I picked him because I was aware of his potential on his best days. He's a great servant for England to come out of retirement and perform. We'll let him reflect on the last six weeks before the India tour and make that decision.
Hindsight never loses, does it? To come back from a 2-0 deficit in this series would have been difficult for any team. What a series to be a part of, I said to Pat. It's what Test cricket needed, in my opinion. We've been very vocal about our objectives, and I believe this series has accomplished that by drawing in a new audience. The purest form of cricket is Tests.
(On next Ashes availability of Stokes) If you love something as much as I do, it's difficult to lose that appetite."
Chris Woakes (Player of the Series (England), Player of the Match): "It's been an amazing few games. The belief was there to bounce back in the series after losing the first two games. But I feel 2-2 is a fitting end to the series.
Having not been a part of this squad for over 12 months, I was raring to get back and perform. Couldn't have asked for a better outing. Five Tests with the schedule that it is, I was making sure that I was ready to perform whenever the opportunity arises. I wasn't in the best of rhythms but got it and helped me as the game progresses.
Stokesy bowled me up the hill at Headingley which I hate. I think today's spell is right up there in the best moments of my career. Credit to Broady as well for the way he bowed out of the game. To hit a six on the final ball and pick up a wicket on his final ball, it's great.
Australia are pretty good, aren't they? I managed to pick big wickets and to pick up a five-wicket haul in the Ashes is pretty great.
We were happy with the change of ball. I'm not sure Aussies were happy with it. But we still had to put the ball in the right areas.
I have enjoyed what I have done in this series and I know what I can do at home. But I will look to keep doing it for England in Test cricket which is the pinnacle of cricket. There are franchise leagues coming up but I will be looking to keep playing Test cricket for England."
Having not been a part of this squad for over 12 months, I was raring to get back and perform. Couldn't have asked for a better outing. Five Tests with the schedule that it is, I was making sure that I was ready to perform whenever the opportunity arises. I wasn't in the best of rhythms but got it and helped me as the game progresses.
Stokesy bowled me up the hill at Headingley which I hate. I think today's spell is right up there in the best moments of my career. Credit to Broady as well for the way he bowed out of the game. To hit a six on the final ball and pick up a wicket on his final ball, it's great.
Australia are pretty good, aren't they? I managed to pick big wickets and to pick up a five-wicket haul in the Ashes is pretty great.
We were happy with the change of ball. I'm not sure Aussies were happy with it. But we still had to put the ball in the right areas.
I have enjoyed what I have done in this series and I know what I can do at home. But I will look to keep doing it for England in Test cricket which is the pinnacle of cricket. There are franchise leagues coming up but I will be looking to keep playing Test cricket for England."
Player of the Series (England), Player of the Match: Chris Woakes
Mitchell Starc: "Yeah, much of the same. It has been incredible for the last five days. It has been a great series. More ebbs and flow throughout the five Tests. Geez, one of the best ever series I have ever played. Yeah, as I said, the ebbs and flow was such and the series has gone down to the final session of the final Test. Just brilliant. Congratulations to Stuart Broad. He couldn't have written it any better.
It has happened very quickly much like throughout the series. It has been an excellent tour to come and express myself. I had got the backing from the management as well. It has been a fantastic group to be part of and for a long time, I have enjoyed it. A long and successful tour starting from the WTC final and ending here. A total of six Test matches and we played pretty well.
We have got a big support staff and a supportive group. They are very much resilient and always give their best. It has been a busy eight odd weeks for both sides and a fantastic series.
Both teams had different strategies, both played to their strengths and after all, we sit level at 2-2. Great that the Test match cricket is so lively and it is thriving, to say the least. At different stages of it, we thought it is a different brand of Test cricket. It has been a great series, with a great ending to it. I am sure both teams enjoyed it to the full. A great experience to be part of and it was brilliant."
It has happened very quickly much like throughout the series. It has been an excellent tour to come and express myself. I had got the backing from the management as well. It has been a fantastic group to be part of and for a long time, I have enjoyed it. A long and successful tour starting from the WTC final and ending here. A total of six Test matches and we played pretty well.
We have got a big support staff and a supportive group. They are very much resilient and always give their best. It has been a busy eight odd weeks for both sides and a fantastic series.
Both teams had different strategies, both played to their strengths and after all, we sit level at 2-2. Great that the Test match cricket is so lively and it is thriving, to say the least. At different stages of it, we thought it is a different brand of Test cricket. It has been a great series, with a great ending to it. I am sure both teams enjoyed it to the full. A great experience to be part of and it was brilliant."
Player of the Series (Australia): Mitchell Starc
Player of the Summer: Joe Root
11:15 PM IST, 6:45 PM Local Time: Time for the post-match presentation.
Stuart Broad (England): "It was wonderful. Woakes and Moeen set the tone for us post the rain break and after getting a couple of wickets, we started to believe.
(On hitting a six on the last ball of Test career) It was the only ball I middled but happy to get a six out of it. For me, I have always enjoyed bowling to left-handers and loved finishing my career by dismissing a left-hander. The wicket cracked up a bit after the rain break and it helped us.
Credit to Moeen Ali who hasn't announced his retirement yet but to finish off his Test career will be a dream come true for him. I need to have data to believe. I did a lot of research on bowling against Warner because I struggled bowling against him. When you get to the top level, it's about finding your weaknesses and trying to build your strengths. Success comes your way if you work for it.
(On changing bails) If I had realized that 10 years ago, it would have been great. Just an Aussie thing but the one with Marnus' dismissal made me laugh. It was getting a bit frustrating in the end so decided to change the bails and it worked (smiles).
(On any regrets) I don't have many regrets about cricket. But I shouldn't have taken the new ball at Edgbaston. We failed to create more chances with it and it made Cummins and Lyon easy to bat on. If I could turn the clock back, I would bowl with the old ball. But in the end, when you lose to a great team like Australia, you have to keep your head high.
I looked across the ground and saw many people wearing the headband. I signed some before heading off the team bus. I picked up a couple of wickets and decided to never take it off."
(On hitting a six on the last ball of Test career) It was the only ball I middled but happy to get a six out of it. For me, I have always enjoyed bowling to left-handers and loved finishing my career by dismissing a left-hander. The wicket cracked up a bit after the rain break and it helped us.
Credit to Moeen Ali who hasn't announced his retirement yet but to finish off his Test career will be a dream come true for him. I need to have data to believe. I did a lot of research on bowling against Warner because I struggled bowling against him. When you get to the top level, it's about finding your weaknesses and trying to build your strengths. Success comes your way if you work for it.
(On changing bails) If I had realized that 10 years ago, it would have been great. Just an Aussie thing but the one with Marnus' dismissal made me laugh. It was getting a bit frustrating in the end so decided to change the bails and it worked (smiles).
(On any regrets) I don't have many regrets about cricket. But I shouldn't have taken the new ball at Edgbaston. We failed to create more chances with it and it made Cummins and Lyon easy to bat on. If I could turn the clock back, I would bowl with the old ball. But in the end, when you lose to a great team like Australia, you have to keep your head high.
I looked across the ground and saw many people wearing the headband. I signed some before heading off the team bus. I picked up a couple of wickets and decided to never take it off."
Earlier in the match, Pat Cummins won his first toss of the series and opted to bowl first, citing the overhead condition. Australian pacers bowled well, but the fielders let them down, dropping a few catches. As a result, English openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett gave a good start. Following it, a small collapse helped the Aussies to get back in the game. Harry Brook, after surviving a couple of times early in his innings, hammered a superb fifty and added a crucial 111 runs partnership with an injured Moeen Ali, helping England to get back in the game. Once Todd Murphy knocked over Moeen, Australian bowlers initiated a collapse, with England bundled out for 283 in just 54.4 overs. Yes, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood showed some resistance before Mitchell Starc cleaned up the tail, ending up with a four-wicket haul.
In reply, Australia also got to a decent start but kept on losing wickets at regular intervals, with Steven Smith watching his batters bite the dust at the other end helplessly. Smith got good support from his captain Cummins and got through a brilliant fifty-plus stand for the eighth wicket before Murphy smashed a few lusty blows to Wood, helping Australia to get a small 12-run lead going to sleep on day 2. Smith was given a life by Jonny Bairstow in a controversial run-out decision by the third umpire Nitin Menon and smacked a resilient half-century. England's bowlers were brilliant throughout the second day, with Chris Woakes being the most successful one picking three wickets.
Coming to day three, England had their intentions clear. Right from ball one, where Crawley slapped a boundary, the Bazball had begun. They took only one over to wipe off the deficit and continued to pummel runs at a brisk rate. Six of the top seven batters got into starts and outplayed the Aussie bowling attack with disdain. Except for Brook, everyone who batted in the top seven contributed towards a big lead.
Crawley and Duckett gave a solid start, which was followed by a couple of fifty-plus partnerships involving the Kent batter, Ben Stokes and Joe Root, respectively. But the best of them came when two Yorkshiremen, Root and Bairstow, played high-class strokes, adding a century stand for the fifth wicket. Crawley, Root and Bairstow were the half-centurions, propelling England to 395, while Murphy and Starc picked four wickets each for Australia. Stuart Broad faced the last ball of his career and it was deposited in the stands before Murphy trapped Jimmy Anderson in front very early on the fourth morning.
In reply, Australia also got to a decent start but kept on losing wickets at regular intervals, with Steven Smith watching his batters bite the dust at the other end helplessly. Smith got good support from his captain Cummins and got through a brilliant fifty-plus stand for the eighth wicket before Murphy smashed a few lusty blows to Wood, helping Australia to get a small 12-run lead going to sleep on day 2. Smith was given a life by Jonny Bairstow in a controversial run-out decision by the third umpire Nitin Menon and smacked a resilient half-century. England's bowlers were brilliant throughout the second day, with Chris Woakes being the most successful one picking three wickets.
Coming to day three, England had their intentions clear. Right from ball one, where Crawley slapped a boundary, the Bazball had begun. They took only one over to wipe off the deficit and continued to pummel runs at a brisk rate. Six of the top seven batters got into starts and outplayed the Aussie bowling attack with disdain. Except for Brook, everyone who batted in the top seven contributed towards a big lead.
Crawley and Duckett gave a solid start, which was followed by a couple of fifty-plus partnerships involving the Kent batter, Ben Stokes and Joe Root, respectively. But the best of them came when two Yorkshiremen, Root and Bairstow, played high-class strokes, adding a century stand for the fifth wicket. Crawley, Root and Bairstow were the half-centurions, propelling England to 395, while Murphy and Starc picked four wickets each for Australia. Stuart Broad faced the last ball of his career and it was deposited in the stands before Murphy trapped Jimmy Anderson in front very early on the fourth morning.
Commentary