The first Ashes Test was balanced on a knife-edge heading into the final session at Edgbaston, with England needing five more wickets and Australia 98 runs short of the winning line.
Australia – chasing 281 – reached the tea break at 183 for five, with first-innings centurion Usman Khawaja not out for an obdurate 56 and Cameron Green in support on 22no.
The start of play was delayed for more than three hours by rain but there was plenty of time for both teams to push for victory when things did get under way at 2.15pm.
Stuart Broad removed nightwatchman Scott Boland to raise the volume in the sold out stands and Moeen Ali defied a painful open blister to conjure the wicket of Travis Head for 16.
The wind was with the hosts at that stage, but they could not find a way to disrupt Khawaja’s concentration as he led Green in an unbroken stand worth 40.
Australia began in deliberately pedestrian fashion, more intent on soaking up balls than applying any pressure of their own.
Their caution kept England at bay for half-an-hour, but while Khawaja looked secure there was always a limit on how long his partner would linger. Boland gave an expectant crowd the release it was looking for when he drove at an inswinger from Broad and sent a thick edge through to Jonny Bairstow.
Broad raced away as the stands erupted, once again revelling in his role as the Barmy Army’s ringmaster.
Australia’s most free-flowing batter, Head, was next up but he was unable to raise the tempo as he took 13 balls to get off the mark. After an hour’s play there had been just 21 runs, Australia making only the slightest dent in their target.
Ben Stokes tossed the ball to Moeen in an attempt to mix things up and the plan paid off almost immediately. Moeen’s first three deliveries cost 10, with two drag downs and a thick edge, but the fourth was a charm. Dipping and turning away from the left-handed Head, it flicked the bat and rested safely with Joe Root at slip.
Moeen’s ongoing discomfort was obvious but he allowed himself a broad smile as Head trudged towards the pavilion.
England were briefly right on top but the trail quickly went cold. Green got off the mark with an edge for four, Khawaja punished a loopy full toss from Moeen and an air of calm settled over the Australian pair.
By the time the interval arrived the home side were happiest to regroup, knowing something needed to change to halt the Australian push.
