The first Ashes Test between England and Australia provided an enthralling contest on Day 4 and is now poised for a thrilling finish. England’s second innings ended just before tea on the penultimate day at Edgbaston, as they got all out for 273, setting Australia a target of 281 runs to win the match.
The visitors made a steady start in their chase, with openers David Warner and Usman Khawaja reaching 61 without loss by the final session.
Warner and Khawaja displayed confident and positive cricket, negating the threat of the new ball. However, England pacer Ollie Robinson provided the breakthrough by dismissing Warner for 36. Marnus Labuschagne, who failed to score in the first innings, showed some promise by hitting three fours before falling to Stuart Broad in a similar manner, caught behind.
Broad continued to trouble the Australian batter as he claimed the crucial wicket of Steve Smith, leaving Australia at 89/3. The Aussies ended the fourth day at a score of 107/3, with Khawaja and night watchman Scott Boland unbeaten on the crease at 34 and 13, respectively. The pressure will now be on Khawaja, Travis Head and Cameron Green to steer their team to victory on the final day.
Earlier, in the first 20 minutes of the day’s play, Joe Root and Ollie Pope displayed a captivating exhibition of ‘Bazball’, showcasing its purest form. However, Pat Cummins swiftly brought Australia back into the game by dismantling Pope’s defense with a lethal inswinging yorker, sending the bails flying off the stumps. Pope departed after scoring 14 runs off 16 deliveries.
The perfect yorker 😍
Pat Cummins at his sizzling best ♨#SonySportsNetwork #TheAshes #ENGvAUS #RivalsForever pic.twitter.com/E6EIHQBI2u
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) June 19, 2023
Despite Pope’s dismissal, Root continued his aggressive approach, quickly accumulating runs for England. But the introduction of Nathan Lyon into the bowling attack after the drinks break proved to be a game-changer. Lyon first claimed the prized wicket of Root (46) and then halted the aggressive innings of Harry Brook, who also contributed 46 runs.
Towards the end of the first session, Jonny Bairstow had a moment of concern when Boland appealed for an LBW decision against him. The on-field umpire initially declared Bairstow out, but the latter decided to challenge the decision. Upon review, it became evident that the ball was missing the stumps, saving Bairstow from being dismissed. England reached 155/5 in 37 overs at lunch.
After the break, the Australian bowlers continued to dominate the English batters, further limiting the home side’s progress. With England’s score at 229 for 8, their lead was only 237 runs.
Fortunately for England, their lower-order batter showed resilience, particularly Robinson (27), whose gutsy knock helped them push the lead beyond 250. Nevertheless, Lyon and Cummins shone for Australia, taking four wickets each as England were eventually bowled out for 273.
The match hangs in the balance going into the final day, with Australia needing a strong batting performance to achieve victory. Meanwhile, England will rely on their bowlers to create opportunities and seize control of the game. The stage is set for a captivating finale of the first Ashes Test as both teams battle for supremacy.
