Ashes 2023 [WATCH]: Josh Hazlewood gets rid of Joe Root with a sharp in-swinger on Day 1 of the Oval Test

The highly-anticipated fifth and final Test match between England and Australia in the Ashes 2023 series kicked off with intense action at the historic Kennington Oval in London. Australian captain Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bowl first, looking to capitalize on the favorable bowling conditions.

The Australian bowlers did not disappoint their skipper, as they made early inroads into the English batting lineup during the first session of the day. Mitchell Marsh struck the first blow by dismissing Ben Duckett, who had been showing promise with his innings of 41 runs. Not long after, captain Cummins himself got into the act, sending Zak Crawley back to the pavilion with a well-executed delivery when he was on 22.

Also read: Australia captain Pat Cummins breaks silence on criticism around his captaincy

With England reeling at 78/3, all eyes were on their batting mainstay, Joe Root, to anchor the innings and steer his team out of trouble. However, it was the experienced paceman Josh Hazlewood who provided a pivotal breakthrough for Australia.

During the 16th over, Hazlewood produced a masterful in-swinging delivery that troubled Root. The former English skipper tried to guide the ball to the third man, but to his dismay, he got an inside edge that crashed onto his stumps. Root’s dismissal for a mere 5 runs was a major setback for England and a moment of jubilation for the Australians, who celebrated the prized wicket.

Here is the video:

After a quick start, England are 3️⃣ wickets down 🫣#JoshHazlewood gets @Root66 with an inside edge ⚡ #SonySportsNetwork #ENGvAUS #RivalsForever #TheAshes #Ashes2023 pic.twitter.com/7dK2aE5D0p

— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) July 27, 2023

Harry Brook keeps Australia at bay

Despite the early setbacks, young English batter Harry Brook showcased tremendous resilience and composure at the crease. He exhibited an aggressive yet controlled approach, keeping the Australian bowlers at bay. Brook found a reliable partner in the experienced Moeen Ali, and together, they turned the tide in England’s favor with a fantastic counter-attacking partnership.

Both Brook and Ali displayed an array of stylish shots, peppering the boundaries and putting the Australian bowlers under pressure. They frustrated the visitors with their positive intent and steadily built a formidable partnership. The duo’s resolute batting allowed England to recover and accumulate runs steadily.

Also read: No place for Nathan Lyon and Kevin Pietersen in Alastair Cook’s all-time ‘Ashes XI’

However, Australia fought back with determination and struck back-to-back blows to halt England’s progress. Todd Murphy, the rising star in the Australian bowling lineup, broke the threatening partnership by dismissing Moeen for a valuable 34 runs.

Mitchell Starc, known for his lethal pace and swing, further dented England’s hopes when he clean bowled the influential skipper Ben Stokes for just 3 runs. After 41 overs of play, England reached 203/5 with Brook unbeaten on 80 alongside Jonny Bairstow (4 not out).