Australia edge thriller to win first Ashes Test

Australia edge a THRILLING first Test at Edgbaston by just two wickets as Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon steer them to victory target of 281 after England had been on the brink of glory

• The match was finely poised heading into the final day at Edgbaston on Monday
• England looked to be in control when Alex Carey fell but Cummins took control
• Cummins enjoyed an unbroken stand of 55 with Nathan Lyon at the end

Australia pulled off one of their most famous victories in Ashes history here at Edgbaston today when they defeated England by two wickets in the most tense of finales.

A final day, delayed by rain until 2.15pm, of almost unbearable tension ended when Australia captain Pat Cummins rescued his side just when England looked certain to repeat their fabled victory on this ground in 2005.

When Joe Root pulled off a sensational return catch to send back Alex Carey Australia were 227 for eight chasing 281 to win and England looked certain to go one up.

But Cummins joined with Nathan Lyon in an unbroken partnership of 55 that broke English hearts and those of the 25,000 strong crowd that were left stunned.

It was the culmination of an incredible Test where England did most of the running but still managed to somehow end up on the losing side.

Pat Cummins inspired his side to victory at Edgbaston with a captain’s knock at the end of the day

The Australia captain enjoyed an unbeaten partnership of 55 with Nathan Lyon to win the game

Australia will now take a 1-0 lead into the second Test at Lord’s in eight days’ time

At least it has set up an Ashes series that looks as if it will be just as dramatic as 2005 if the remaining four Tests are as good as this superb demonstration of modern Test cricket at its very best.

England had to work hard for their wickets all day, particularly with their main spinner Moeen Ali struggling with a blister on his index figure and forced out of the attack.

In his place Root, brilliant with the bat in this first Test, had to step up with the ball, when he bowled 15 probing overs and took a brilliant return catch when Carey hit him firmly back to become the eighth Australian to fall.

That wicket came after another brilliant piece of captaincy from ben Stokes, who kept Root on for the 81st over even though the second new ball was due and saw England reap the rewards.

And, of course, it was who else but captain Stokes who claimed the biggest wicket of them all in Usman Khawaja, who had battled for 197 balls for his 65.

Stokes, still suffering with a chronic left knee injury, had delayed his introduction to the attack until the 70th over but battled through the pain and bowled Khawaja with the help of an inside edge with the last ball of his second over.

Usman Khawaja had batted the majority of the day once again until he was dismissed by Ben Stokes

The game appeared to be swaying into England’s favour when Joe Root dismissed Alex Carey

But Stokes kept Root on and Cummins began the most thrilling of counter-attacks when he hit the off-spinner for two sixes and 14 runs in all in an over. It was to prove the turning point of another topsy turvy day.

Earlier another full house had been treated to a slow burner of a final day, with Australia trying to move slowly to their target of 281. But it was no less gripping for that.

Nightwatchman Scott Boland was the first wicket to fall on the final day when Stuart Broad took his third wicket of the innings with the help of a fourth catch from Jonny Bairstow.

Stuart Broad was in fine form again and picked up the wicket of Scott Boland early on

Ben Stokes and his side will stick to their guns as they look to bounce back at Lord’s

Travis Head never looked comfortable and fell to the fifth ball of the day bowled by Moeen, who produced a beauty before he was force to the outfield by his finger. Then Ollie Robinson, who had become embroiled in another exchange of words with Khawaja, bowled Cameron Green.

When Carey went it looked all over but England kept the old ball and Pat Cummins went on to the attack, hitting Root for two sixes in the 83rd over.

Lyon almost fell to a miraculous catch by Stokes, who just couldn’t hold on to a pull off Broad that was reminiscent of his famous catch in the 2019 World Cup.

It was to prove England’s last chance and they will go to Lord’s next week one up but with England knowing they really should have been the team with the lead, having missed six chance through the match. Their first innings declaration will also inevitably be a talking point.

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