Jonny Bairstow was left sprawling, tumbling to the Oval turf with the ball snuggly inside his glove. The acrobatics of England’s much-maligned wicketkeeper, to remove Mitchell Marsh off Moeen Ali’s bowling, epitomised a wild, breathtaking 16 minutes, which helped blow Australia away on day five of the fifth Ashes Test.
The principles of Bazball have always been a little murky and have been furiously debated for months. But how can anybody detract from this infectious brand of cricket and entertainment, when it provokes such rowdy, joyous scenes in the stands. England did not reclaim the Ashes, but this 49-run victory, to square the series at two apiece, bottled up something more precious.
Steve Smith, perhaps the greatest batter of his generation, was finally able to flow in this final innings of the series. But his 54 and a stand of 95 alongside Travis Head, along with yet more showers in the capital, could not deny Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes’ troops.
It was Moeen Ali who cracked Australia’s resistance, the tourists had been sniffing the chance of a colossal final-day chase of 384, a total of 121 runs more than the most successful chase ever at this ground. Head nibbled at a teasing delivery, Joe Root clasped the ball and England had lift-off.
If Moeen offered a vibrancy, forcing his personality on the game after reversing his decision to retire before this series, then Chris Woakes quietly produced a magnificent spell of seam bowling.
A couple of delicious deliveries, which Smith and Mitchell Starc both edged to the bucket-like hands of Zak Crawley, served as a sandwich on either side of Moeen’s second wicket to remove Marsh.
Australia’s collapse, from both a 2-0 lead in the series after the second Test at Lord’s, and then from 264/3 to 275/7, would soon be complete to validate England’s faith in Bazball.
England's Jonny Bairstow takes a catch to dismiss Australia's Mitchell Marsh off the bowling of England's Moeen Ali— (Action Images via Reuters)
"Completely different styles of cricket but each team tried to play the cricket which brought the best out of them as individuals and as a team,” Stokes told BBC Sport when analysing his side’s cricket philosophy.
"It’s all about mentality and mindset that we try to bring into this. When I took over I had a clear message and clear way with how I wanted us to operate with our cricket and that lead us to this. The way we have played has reflected that.
"We didn’t shy away from the momentous event the Ashes is and we talked the talk and we’ve also walked the walk out there, I’m very proud of this whole team and what they have accomplished over these weeks.”
England’s Ben Stokes celebrates the catch of Australia’s Pat Cummins— (PA Wire)
Pat Cummins will be left to assess the damage, a series his side should have won to break a drought of 22 years since an away Ashes victory for this side.
“I’m not too bothered about economy rates,” Cummins said when reflecting on the contrasting scoring of both sides throughout the series. “You’re there to win games. They don’t matter to me. I thought the English bowlers were fantastic on pretty benign wickets.”
There was even redemption for Stokes, having given England a fright before lunch. Despite reaching high to grab the ball one-handed; a careless, premature celebration saw him spill the ball and give Smith a reprieve. England’s fortune was he would add just 15 more runs, but Stokes would not fully allow himself to release his tension until Cummins edged onto his thigh pad. The England skipper scrambled back and made no mistake this time. Australia now eight down and almost out.
Yet the typical character and fierce determination of both these sides, when faced with adversity, shone through once more. Alex Carey led the way, chipping Moeen down the ground for six. And then Todd Murphy, deputising for the injured Nathan Lyon and in at No 10, started to believe: pulling back to square for four more. Suddenly victory, and a 3-1 series score, was just 55 runs away.
In the last embers of this magical career, it would have been cruel for Stuart Broad to stay on the periphery of this game. But predictably that languid frame bounced in one last time to cause havoc for Australia.
Stuart Broad and Moeen Ali celebrate after winning the fifth Ashes Test— (Getty Images)
An exquisite spell of bowling, still producing genuine zip and movement at 37 years of age, extracted two final, crucial wickets to leave yet another indelible mark on this storied rivalry.
Carey and Murphy, both deceived by subtle deviation in the line and length, ensure he walks away with 604 victims in red ball cricket.
The end of one era then, yet the foundations have been set after this enthralling fifth Test to ensure Bazball will live on for many years to come.
