The first Test of the 2023 Ashes series hangs in the balance as Australia beat England by 273 and 107/3 in the second innings
Release Date – 12:42 AM, Tue – 20 June 23
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Birmingham: The first Test of the 2023 Ashes series hangs in the balance as Australia beat England for 273 and 107/3 in the second innings to leave them 174 behind at Edbass on Monday. Dayton has one day left in the game.
Australia skipper Pat Cummins (4-63) and spinner Nathan Lyons (4-80) shared eight wickets as Australia beat the hosts for 273 in the second innings as they narrowly edged England Team.
Joe Root inspired England’s quick start today, with Harry Brook and Ben Stokes also making valuable contributions.
But four wickets for the standout Cummins and Lyon took England out on 273, leaving a 281-run goal for the visitors to win the Test.
Stuart Broad took two crucial late wickets to make England’s victory still very complicated, with some cloud and possible rain delays expected on the fifth day.
The England midfield of Joe Rutt (55, 46), Harry Brook (52, 46) and captain Ben Stokes (66, 43) got off to a good start but fell short as England failed to capitalize on their psychological advantage. Big score they gained the advantage in this test.
Australia’s chase began with James Anderson’s bowling missed chances as Usman Khawaja’s advantage flew between Jonny Bairstow and Root in the first slip. The opener built a solid partnership worth 61 points before Ollie Robinson scored a crucial break from David Warner (36), setting up a good platform in the chase.
England’s chances of victory on day five were boosted as a firing Broad knocked out Marnus Labuschagne (13 points) for the second time in the game, again an outside player. Broad struck again, dismissing Steve Smith with a six.
But Australia trailed by just three points at the end of the game, with Khawaja and Nightwatchman Scott Boland 107/3 from the restart, with the goal still very close to them.
Earlier, Joe Root attempted a back tackle from Pat Cummins’ first ball of the day, and that set the tone for England’s triple-figure run in the first hour of drama.
Cummins responded to an early challenge with stunningly quick bowling, clearing Ollie Pope for 14 with a perfectly executed inboard Yorke. But Cummins’ fine display didn’t stop England from moving on after the rest of Australia’s attack.
England scored 127 for three wickets in the opening game, giving both teams the advantage to win the Test than at the start of the game.
Root’s 55-ball 46 ended when he sprinted toward Nathan Lyon, who was stumped for the first time in his Test career, leaving Alex Carey and Lyon stumped for the third time in the Test.
Harry Brook, who also hit 46 against Lyon, hit 52 and was well caught by Marnus Labuschagne.
Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow changed approach almost immediately as they slowed down the scoring on the lunch break, the latter surviving a streak in the final period lbw to stop Scott Boland.
The score at lunch was 155/5, with England leading on 162 points and the game set up perfectly for the next five games (and some rain forecast).
A missed reverse sweep left Bairstow trapped at 20 lbw by Lyon and Cummins’ fine day continued as he trapped Stokes at 43 in front just as he was trying to accelerate. England’s innings looked to be over when Moeen Ali scored 19 behind Josh Hazlewood.
But the Tails added some much-needed runs, with Ollie Robinson (27), James Anderson (12) and Stuart Broad (10*) taking the total to 273, with Australia needing 281 to win. All nine England batsmen hit double figures on the day but none managed a half-century as Australia dominated the goals.
Brief score:
England 393/8 decl & 273 in 66.2 overs (Joe Root 46, Harry Brook 46, Ben Stokes 43; Pat Cummins 4-63, Nathan Lyon 4-80) lead Australia 386 & 107/3 in 30 overs (Usman Khawaja 34 not Out, David Warner 36; Stewart Broad 2-28) lead with 174 runs
