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Ashes 2019: Australia vs England, first Test, day five from Edgbaston

Australia have completed an incredible comeback to rout England and win the first Test, at Edgbaston | WATCH

Tom Crystal and Peter Lalor
8 min read
12:44AMAugust 06, 2019.
Updated 1:30AMAugust 06, 2019
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Australia’s players celebrate after beating England by 251 runs in the first Test. Picture: AP
Australia’s players celebrate after beating England by 251 runs in the first Test. Picture: AP

Ashes 2019: Australia vs England, first Test, from Edgbaston. Australia have won by 251 runs.

Australia seal incredible comeback

Australia have won the first Test of the Ashes series by 251 runs, Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins ripping through the fragile English batsmen on the final day at Edgbaston, Peter Lalor reports.

Nathan Lyon was the hero on the final day. The 31-year-old took 6-49 and in the process became just the fourth Australian to pass the 350 Test wicket mark.

Pat Cummins took 4-32 and made the early breakthrough, removing opener Rory Burns with a ball that reared into to batsman’s gloves and ballooned into the hands of Nathan Lyon.

MORE: Lyon roars in epic win

Australia head to Lord’s with a one-nil lead and the wind at their backs.

Steve Smith’s twin centuries helped his to get back in the game after they were 8-122 after choosing to bat in the first innings.

On day five, it was the bowlers who stepped up.

Lyon is closing in on Dennis Lillee’s 355 Test wicket mark and will soon only have Glenn McGrath (563) and Shane Warne (708) in front of him.

He was denied a hat trick late in England’s innings when Jimmy Anderson defied injury and inability to keep him out.

Cummins took the 100th wicket of his career, in just his 21st Test, when he removed Jonny Bairstow. The right-armer has the best strike for any bowler with that many wickets and is the fourth-fastest Australian to the mark.

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Match blog below — how day five unfolded:

12.12am: AUSTRALIA WIN!

Pat Cummins finishes it off — as Chris Woakes fends a short ball to Steve Smith in the slips. Cummins finishes with 4-32, Nathan 6-49 and Australia have won by 251 runs.

11.55pm: Hat-trick denied

James Anderson hobbles out to the middle and survives the hat-trick ball. Nathan Lyon has 6-44, one more will give him 10 for the match.

11.51pm: WICKET! WICKET!

Moeen Ali falls to counterpart Nathan Lyon to give the Australian off-spinner his fifth wicket, caught by David Warner at silly point. Stuart Broad edges his first ball to Steve Smith in the slips. Lyon is on a hat-trick! Australia are one wicket from victory.

11.40pm: Drinks

Better stuff from England's batsmen, as Chris Woakes and Moeen dig in. Long way to go but at least they're going to makes Australia earn their wickets.

11.30pm: Not so fast

Chris Woakes gives the home fans something to cheer about, dispatching James Pattinson for three boundaries in one over. Moeen Ali gets a Bronx cheer when he plays a shot to his first delivery — a reference to his leave in the first innings that took out off stump.

11.07pm: WICKET!

Two in two balls. Nathan Lyon picks up where Pat Cummins leaves off, having Ben Stokes caught behind with a beautiful piece of bowling. Sharp turning ball that catches a faint edge and Tim Paine takes care of business. England are 7-97.

11.05pm: WICKET!

Another Pat Cummins short ball gets a result — Jonny Bairstow tries to duck out of the way but it hits him on the arm and flies to Cameron Bancroft at third slip. He’s given out but Baristow calls for a review. It’s just brushed the edge of the batsman’s glove — good call Joel Wilson!

10.45pm: WICKET!

Pat Cummins ends the first over after lunch with a ball that keeps a little low, but Jos Buttler was back when he should have been forward. He’s bowled for one.

10.40pm: Second session begins

Pat Cummins will again get us going, bowling to Jos Buttler on one. The paceman started the rot for England with a brute of a ball to claim opener Rory Burns.

Peter Lalor 10.15pm: Lyon the new menace

Australia are closing in on a remarkable victory in the first Ashes Test, led by Nathan Lyon who is closing in on Dennis Lillee’s wicket-taking record.

England are 4-85 at lunch with all of the top order in the dressing room. Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler are the not out batsman and will have to shoulder the burden of batting out two sessions to save the game.

Lyon is bowling up a storm, finding significant turn and variable bounce on the fifth-day wicket.

The ever-improving off-spinner went to the break with 3-31 from 11 brilliant overs.

He now has 349 wickets and in the unlikely event that he takes the remaining six, he will equal the fast bowling great’s 355 scalps.

The 31-year-old is playing his 87th Test; Lillee achieved his record form 70.

Lyon has grown in confidence every year and has the opportunity to bowl his side to a remarkable victory.

No side should win a Test when they are 8-122 on the first day of a match that goes five days, but thanks to the genius of Steve Smith Australia are well placed to take a 1-0 lead.

The wicket, which began to spin on the fourth day, has just enough in it to worry England’s batsmen, who have had to shut up shop to survive. The defensive tactics have played into Lyon’s hands.

Jason Roy was the exception, the one-day specialist charging a delivery that turned and bowled him. It was an extraordinary rush of blood from the opener, whose temperament will be questioned.

Pat Cummins got the first breakthrough of the day, getting a ball to bounce sharply and catch the gloves of Rory Burns three overs into the morning.

10pm: Lunch

England survive further loss but are 4-85, with two new batsmen at the crease. Jos Buttler has one off 19 balls, Ben Stokes is yet to score.

England captain Joe Root reacts after being caught by Cameron Bancroft off Nathan Lyon. Picture: Getty Images
England captain Joe Root reacts after being caught by Cameron Bancroft off Nathan Lyon. Picture: Getty Images

9.51pm: WICKET!

Off-spinner Nathan Lyon is weaving his magic, picking up Joe Root with an inside edge to Cameron Bancroft at bat-pad. Sharp catch. The skipper departs for 28 and England are in deep trouble at 4-85.

9.34pm: WICKET!

Nathan Lyon again, this time a bat-pad catch off Joe Denly (11) to Cameron Bancroft at short leg. Aleem Dar raises the finger but Denly asks for a review with one tick on the 15-second clock. Why? The TV umpire confirms an edge and that’s a wasted challenge. England 3-80.

9.17pm: WICKET!

Jason Roy (28) loses his head, and his wicket, with a wild charge against Nathan Lyon. The right-hander is nowhere near the pitch of the delivery and it turns sharply back into middle stump. A touch of panic about that shot.

A charging Jason Roy is bowled by Nathan Lyon. Picture: Getty Images
A charging Jason Roy is bowled by Nathan Lyon. Picture: Getty Images

9.05pm: Drinks

An interesting spell: one wicket, 41 runs, two successful challenges and a buzzing stump. Jason Roy was being distracted by what we presume was a malfunctioning stump microphone, forcing some running repairs. The Australian fielders were, helpfully, insisting there was nothing to worry about, and that Roy should get on with it. The dodgy mic didn’t catch his reply.

Players gather around a misbehaving stump. Picture: Getty Images
Players gather around a misbehaving stump. Picture: Getty Images

9pm: Another howler

You have to feel a bit sorry for umpire Joel Wilson — he’s guessing now. Peter Siddle thuds one into Joe Roots pads and Wilson gives him out lbw. A grinning Root challenges the call, he’s slogged onto his pads. Decision overturned.

8.50pm: The sounds of silence

Today’s crowd is a fair way down on the previous four days. Entry has been reduced to just five pounds, which even for the battling Aussie currency equates to only $9. Get there you expats!

8.45pm: Cummins dangerous

The lion-hearted right-armer looks menacing this morning, beating the bat and changing his delivery point at the crease to alter the angle at the batsmen. He zips one past Jason Roy that he’d be doing well to nick.

8.30pm: Wicket — overturned!

Joe Root gets a reprieve. He’s hit on the pads by James Pattinson and is given out lbw by Joel Wilson. The skipper quickly asks for a review and ball-tracking confirms what looked clear to the naked eye: sliding down leg. These poor umpires are simply lacking in confidence.

Pat Cummins is swamped by team-mates. Picture: Getty Images
Pat Cummins is swamped by team-mates. Picture: Getty Images

8.12pm: WICKET!

And it’s Pat Cummins who strikes — getting a beauty to bounce sharply to a surprised Rory Burns (11). It takes the left-hander’s gloves and balloons out to Nathan Lyon at point for an easy catch. Great start for Australia.

8pm: We’re underway!

Pat Cummins will start things off today, in front of a relatively sparse crowd. Many of the home fans may have seen enough ...

7.45pm: Odds against the home team

England’s victory target, if they can chase it down, will be the most runs they have made in a fourth innings to win a Test since their 7-332 against Australia at Melbourne back in 1928/29.

7.30pm: Anxious eyes on the sky

England may look to its famed wet weather for some help but any early morning showers are forecast to clear up before the start of the first session, AP reports. There is only a 10 per cent chance of rain during the hours of play.

England have confirmed that injured paceman James Anderson will bat if needed.

Australia's David Warner, centre, warms up with team-mates before the start of day five. Picture: AP
Australia's David Warner, centre, warms up with team-mates before the start of day five. Picture: AP

7pm: Star treatment

England face fight to survive

England must bat through the final day after Steve Smith and Matthew Wade scored centuries and a rampant Australia set the hosts an unlikely winning target on day four, AP reports.

The match has turned around entirely after England led by 90 runs following the first innings.

England openers Rory Burns (7 not out) and Jason Roy (6 not out) will resume on a wearing, but not unplayable pitch that is bound to offer plenty of assistance to Nathan Lyon.

Prolific batsman Smith (142) scored his 25th Test century to become only the fifth Australian — and the first since Matthew Hayden in Brisbane in 2002 — to register twin tons in the same Ashes match.

Smith, the former Australian captain, was removed from the role and banned for a year for his part in the ball-tampering scandal of last year.

“I love playing Test cricket and I love playing against England. It’s a terrific place to play Ashes cricket,” Smith said after day four.

“It feels like Christmas morning every morning getting to come and do this.”

Smith, who follows Warren Bardsley, Arthur Morris, Steve Waugh and Hayden into the record books, passed 50 for the sixth successive time against England.

MORE: How day four unfolded

Day four century-makers Matthew Wade and Steve Smith. Picture: Getty Images
Day four century-makers Matthew Wade and Steve Smith. Picture: Getty Images

His 144 in the first innings rescued Australia from oblivion, and his 142 set his team on course for a victory push.

Burns and Roy survived seven overs before stumps. They and their nine teammates must collectively see off another 90 on day five, on a pitch offering plenty of turn for Lyon.

Wade reverse swept England captain Joe Root for a four to earn his third Test century before Australia brought up the 400 mark in 96 overs.

The recalled 31-year-old Wade, playing his first Test since 2017, was caught by Joe Denly off Ben Stokes for 110. Wade and Travis Head (51) shared century partnerships with Smith, as the continued absence of England’s record wicket-taker Jimmy Anderson limited bowling options.

England off-spinner Moeen Ali finished with 2-130.

On a pitch offering lavish turn, Moeen bowled two moon balls but also spun one wickedly through the gate of Tim Paine.

The day’s light moment came when James Pattinson smashed Stuart Broad’s delivery over the mid-wicket boundary and straight into a spectator’s pint of beer.

— AP

Smith’s genius confounds England

The problem posed by the former captain is obvious enough, Mike Atherton writes. The solution for England, whose bowlers were battered into submission by his unwavering excellence, remains unclear. Read more here

Nobody bats like Smith, or ever has

That repertoire of unconscious gestures. That ravening for ceaseless rehearsal. That idiosyncratic back-lift and grip. That kooky footwork. This cricketer is like no other, Gideon Haigh writes. Read more here

Read related topics:Ashes

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/cricket/ashes-2019-live-australia-vs-england-first-test-day-five-from-edgbaston/news-story/e0d77c5bf31ebda0026f790ec3774ba1