England looked to have the First Test in their grasp into in the final hour of a fraught final day but Australia edged out their rivals in another Edgbaston Ashes classic.
Here’s how England and Australia rated at Edgbaston...
England
Zak Crawley 6
61 & 3
Nailed first ball of the series through cover to set the tone for a thrilling match. Missed opportunity for a big score on a flat pitch but 61 off 73 is the kind of start England want. Nicked off early in second innings in unenviable conditions.
Ben Duckett 3
12 & 19
Showed expected intent but out trying to cut a ball that wasn’t there in the first innings, then like Crawley succumbed in the gloom. No need for panic yet but will want a first innings nerve-settler at Lord’s, where he has two hundreds already this season.
Ollie Pope 4
31 & 14
Looked to be ticking over nicely in first innings but trapped by a smart bit of bowling from Lyon. Nothing he could do about Cummins’ sensational inswinger in the second. Kept busy under the lid in Stokes’ aggressive fields.
Joe Root 8
118* & 46, 0-15 & 1-43
Ended his eight-year wait for an Ashes hundred and was seeing it like a beach ball when Stokes’s early declaration came. Looked, if anything, in even better touch in the second innings, albeit failing to connect with audacious first-ball ramp. Out to the first stumping of his Test career. Just about England’s most dangerous bowler on the final evening.
Harry Brook 6
32 & 46, 0-5
Will be livid not to have gone on to a big score in either innings, particularly after freakish dismissal in the first. Looked in good order though and battle with Lyon has potential to be a captivating one. Hilariously, bowled first change in the first innings. Bundled winning runs over the boundary but damage had been done.
Ben Stokes 7
1 & 43, 1-33 & 1-9
Gave his wicket away in first innings with a rancid shot, but looked good playing with more control in the second. Bowled sparingly but got big wickets in both innings. Captained brilliantly in the field until running out of ideas on final day but bold declaration did not pay off.
Jonny Bairstow 4
78 & 20
Made run-a-ball 78 and took a cracker of a catch to get rid of Labuschagne but things went downhill behind the stumps from there. Squandered three good and costly chances in first innings, then did not even move for a fourth off Khawaja’s edge at the start of the second. The Ben Foakes debate continues.
Moeen Ali 5
18 & 19, 2-147 & 1-57
A good time, not a long time with the bat, heaving sixes in each innings to delight home crowd on his Test return. Lived up to billing with the ball: expensive but with a few magical deliveries and but for Bairstow missed stumping would have had more victims. Struggled as strain told on his spinning finger, though, which must be a concern moving forward and ultimately cost important runs in chase.
Stuart Broad 8
16 & 10*, 3-68 & 3-21
Six wickets in the match but, as ever, the figures tell only half of the story. Took two in two balls on the second morning and then sparked bedlam in the Hollies by snaring Smith and Labuschagne on fourth evening to swing game his side’s way. England’s best bowler by some way.
Ollie Robinson 7
17* & 27, 3-55 & 2-43
Picked up cheap wickets late in the first innings having looked way below his best on a flat deck. Grew into the game after fiery send-off of Khawaja and punchy press conference on day three, though, making vital lower order runs and then big breakthroughs on fourth and fifth evenings.
James Anderson 4
DNB & 12, 1-53 & 0-56
Looked rusty having not played in more than a month after groin strain, and admitted in a mid-match interview he was short of his best. Should have had Khawaja early in the second innings but edge was left by ‘keeper and slip. Got the reverse sweep out to frustrate Australia. Telling that he was not thrown the ball as Australia closed on victory.
Australia
David Warner 4
9 & 36
Notable change in approach in first innings but having survived tricky evening session, undone by familiar foe in Broad and a poor shot. Got chase off to a strong start.
Usman Khawaja 9
141 & 60
Put a decade of struggles in England behind him with a quite magnificent first innings hundred, batting for almost eight hours across two days. Bat-hurling celebration was a brilliant moment in a game packed full of them. The 13th man to bat on all five days of a Test match, his slow 60 in the chase was a gamble but tail delivered to get Australia over the line.
Marnus Labuschagne 2
0 & 13
Not the start the world’s best batter was after, falling twice to Broad including for the first golden duck of his Test career. Smart bit of anticipation in the field to pouch key wicket of Brook in second innings.
Steve Smith 3
16 & 6
Scored twin hundreds here in 2019 but out twice without making an impact this time. A key orchestrator in the field and visibly riled by ease with which England were allowed to rotate strike.
Travis Head 6
50 & 16
Took a liking to Moeen on way to first innings half-century but spinner got his revenge when you fancied Australia’s most attacking player might be the man to lead the chase. After a couple of blunders on the boundary on day one, built an enjoyable rapport with the raucous Hollies.
Cameron Green 6
38 & 28, 1-32 & 0-12
Took advantage of an early life in key partnership with Khawaja and steadied Australia’s chase alongside the same player on final day. An absolute gun at gully, with brilliant catch to get rid of Duckett under lights. Strangely under-bowled, getting through just eight overs in the match.
Alex Carey 8
66 & 20
Game looks in great order, adding another half-century after scores of 66* and 48 against India last weekend. Flawless performance behind the stumps. Subject of little hype in the build-up but looks set to play a huge part in the series. Only made 20 in the second innings, but vital in shifting the tempo.
Pat Cummins 8
38 & 44, 0-59 & 4-63
Sub-par with the ball on the opening day but back to his brilliant best in the second innings, when yorker to Pope provided an early contender for ball of the series. Important runs with the bat in the first innings, then a match-winning knock in the second. Conservative captaincy in the field will be subject of much debate heading to Lord’s but was ultimately vindicated here.
Nathan Lyon 8
1 & 16, 4-149, 4-80
The pick of Australia’s bowlers across the match. Inevitably expensive in first innings with little turn on offer but still picked up important wickets, then used improving conditions to keep England in check with key breakthroughs as home side looked to build second-innings lead. Played some brilliant shots and kept Cummins company to see Australia home.
Scott Boland 4
0 & 20, 1-86 & 1-61
Has enjoyed a freakish start to his Test career but this was tougher going. Bowled brilliantly in brief spell under lights on third afternoon but otherwise targeted, going at six runs per over in the first innings and five in the second. Useful runs as nightwatchman in the chase.
Josh Hazlewood 6
1* & DNB, 2-61 & 1-48
Given the nod ahead of Mitchell Starc after sitting out WTC final. Lack of cricket probably told and another who went underused in the second innings. Will have been delighted not to be called upon on final evening.
