Everything you need to know about the final day of the fifth Test
Pat Cummins brought up a stunning century, the umpires had another shocker and Mike Atherton delivered a stinging sledge in the commentary box. What you need to know about Day Five.
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The first Test is in the books and Australia have exacted an incredible turnaround from the morning of day one – when they were slumped at 8-122 – to register a huge 251-run victory and draw first blood in the Ashes.
Steve Smith was, unsurprisingly, crowned man of the match for his twin centuries after Nathan Lyon (6-49) and Pat Cummins (4-32) bowled Australia to victory before tea on day five as England crumbled on the wearing pitch.
Lyon took three wickets in a 25-ball period before lunch to blast the game open as Fortress Edgbaston was not only breached but thoroughly ransacked.
Here’s what you missed on an eventful final day at Edgbaston.
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SENSATIONAL LYON UNLEASHES
Nathan Lyon delivered the day five promise of fireworks with a vicious day of bowling that landed six wickets, a near hat-trick and opened up one or two old wounds.
Lyon erupted before lunch, knocking over Jason Roy, Joe Denly and Joe Root in the space of 25 balls to speed up Australia’s victory march.
Roy had every right to feel embarrassed after having his stumps rearranged following an ugly charge down the wicket – but it was Root, caught at bat pad, who was most upset.
He punched his bat and threw his head back in frustration at losing his wicket just nine minutes before the break.
MORE COMICAL UMPIRING
It was a week of calamitous umpiring, let’s be honest, and that didn’t change on the final day as Joe Root – twice – was given out LBW by the out-of-sorts Joel Wilson.
On both occasions Root was not out. And both teams he successfully review – with one revealing an inside edge and the other showing the ball heading a long way down the legside.
It took the total of overturned decisions made by Wilson to a mind-boggling eight for the match, equal with the most of all time.
BUT… WILSON VINDICATED AS ENGLAND BURN REVIEWS
However, Wilson enjoyed some form of redemption as England burnt both of their reviews in quick time while challenging two more of his calls.
Joe Denly thought long and hard about the decision to review his caught behind before throwing up the T. He shouldn’t have, with replays showing the faintest of edges to send Denly packing and give Gould a moment of respite during a tough Test.
The Trinidadian took a long time to give Jonny Bairstow out caught in the slips, but was vindicated by the third umpire when it was shown that Pat Cummins’ bouncer had caught the edge of Bairstow’s glove. And that’s how you burn two reviews.
PAT CUMMINS’ ELITE COMPANY
Pat Cummins finished with the magnificent figures of 4-32 and in doing so passed 100 Test wickets in just 21 appearance in a baggy green – faster than the likes of Dennis Lillee, Jeff Thomson, Glenn McGrath and… well, just about everyone!
In fact it makes him the second fastest Australian quick to reach the mark, behind only Charlie Turner – who achieved the feat in 1895 in a mere 17 Tests.
MOEEN A MESS
Nathan Lyon promised to end careers before the start of the last series.
He’s every chance of doing just that to Moeen Ali by the end of this series, because the out of sorts all-rounder simply hasn’t got a clue what to do when Lyon comes on to bowl and has had his confidence cracked with a hammer by the Australian great.
Moeen is under huge pressure to hold his spot for the second Test at Lord’s and, if he is selected, he needs to find a way to undo Lyon’s mental stranglehold on him. Because right now he’s a walking wicket and a non-factor with the ball.
A BUZZY FUSS OVER NOTHING
Early on in the day, when England’s openers were seemingly holding things together quite well, one distraction did get inside the head of Jason Roy – a buzzy stump mic.
There was a lengthy delay while Roy complained about the noise emanating from the stumps behind him where apparently the fan inside the stump, which is used to cool down the device which allows the “niiiiiice Garry” and Tim Paine’s gentle sledges to be broadcast around the world, was making a buzzing noise.
A replacement stump was brought out, much to the delight of the crowd who roared in approval – before James Pattinson, resuming his over, mockingly urged everyone to quieten down and give Roy the complete silence he desired.
ATHERS’ CUTTING NASSER SLEDGE
But Pattinson’s jocular request for silence wasn’t the best sledge of the afternoon – that was delivered by one former England captain to another, around the same time as the stump mic debacle.
While the stump mic situation was being resolved, Michael Atherton threw to a technical breakdown of Jason Roy’s technique from Nasser Hussain in simply the best way possible.
“Speaking of annoying buzzing sounds, here’s Nasser Hussain,” Atherton deadpanned.
STOKES A TIRED DISMISSAL
After England’s mini collapse before lunch, so much fell on the shoulders of Ben Stokes. As it always seems to.
But after an enormous World Cup, and having taken on much of the bowling workload of the injured Jimmy Anderson, Stokes cut a tired figure as he left the ground for the last time on Sunday – out caught at first slip of Lyon for 6 from 28 balls.
No England player can match Stokes’ workload in the past two months. He could do with a day or two lying by the pool in the break between the first and second Tests.
ANDERSON’S CROWD-INSPIRING KNOCK
There was no need for Jimmy Anderson to come out to bat on Monday.
His team trailed by 261 runs. Victory was out of the equation. The only thing that was certain is Anderson, England’s greatest wicket-taker and the man who holds the key to this Ashes series for the home side, had a calf injury that reduced him to a hobbling mess.
But Anderson is a competitor, and his arrival at the crease brought one of the few cheers from a more subdued Hollies Stand for the day – before he hung around for five overs in a gutsy dig.
Let’s hope we’ve not seen the last of him this series.
BURNS JOINS UNUSUAL GROUP
Rory Burns joined some elite company on Monday when he became just the fourth Englishman in history to bat on all five days of a five-day Test.
Burns faced the final two overs on day one before carrying his bat through day two during his maiden Test ton, and finally being dismissed early on day three.
Sunday was another seven-over examination, which he passed, allowing him to join Geoffrey Boycott, Alan Lamb and Andrew Flintoff when he walked out to bat on Monday morning.
Australia played no part in the good news story, however, with Pat Cummins sending down a fierce bouncer which Burns parried to point to start the rout.
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