Australia drew first blood in the 2023 Ashes as Pat Cummins led his side to a heart-pounding victory over England at Edgbaston.
The first Test of the series swung backwards and forwards for the full five days, before the tourists finally secured a two-wicket win at 7.20pm on day five – 80 minutes after the scheduled close.
Captain Cummins played the decisive hand, hitting an unbeaten 44 in a ninth-wicket stand of 55 with Nathan Lyon. Watching Australia chase down 281 was a gut-wrenching result for an England team that had been responsible for making a result possible in the first place.
A frustratingly placid pitch and two rain-shortened days meant a draw should have been the likeliest outcome, but their rapid rate of scoring – 5.03 an over in the first innings and 4.11 in the second – moved the game forward at pace. Ben Stokes’ audacious declaration to set up the game had a similar effect.
Stokes looked to have set up an England triumph when he defied his long-standing knee injury to remove player-of-the-match Usman Khawaja for 65, but in the end they could not finish the job and will head to Lord’s down 1-0 with four to play.
Selection gamble leaves England in a spin
When England persuaded Moeen Ali to come out of retirement after almost two years as a white-ball specialist, they knew it was a roll of the dice. In the end the gamble cost them during a tense finale as the all-rounder was unable to play a full role due to a painful open blister on his right index finger. He was able to contribute just seven overs at a time when he should have been a key weapon, with Joe Root’s part-time off-breaks accounting for 15. Moeen did manage to dismiss Travis Head, but he was also the team’s most expensive bowler and was a bystander at the business end. Will England double down in the second Test or send for back-up?
Half-chances add to England’s missed opportunities
Wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow faced criticism for his glovework earlier in the match, with four possible chances getting past him. But England saw another couple of fiendishly difficult openings go begging off Australia’s match-winning duo. Root got a hand to a low return catch while Cummins was still in single figures, but could only parry it, while Stokes came desperately close to a sensational take in the deep as Lyon hit out. He leapt into the air and plucked the ball out of the sky, but could not keep it under control as he came crashing to the ground. Had either of those fiendishly hard chances stuck, England would surely have been celebrating at the close.
Australia’s best ever Ashes chasesBig numberView from the dressing roomWhat comes next
While the dust settles on a thrilling week, things are only beginning to get going in the women’s Ashes. Attention moves quickly from West Midlands to East Midlands, with the one-off Test between Heather Knight’s England and Alyssa Healy’s Australia starting in Nottingham on Thursday. For the men’s squads there is time for a few days off before renewing hostilities at Lord’s next Wednesday.
Louis and Athanaze lead West Indies recovery to close balanced opening day at 250-5
Mikyle Louis and Alick Athanaze came heartbreakingly close to maiden Test centuries but fell in the nineties as the West Indies closed the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh at 250-5 at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. Their 140-run partnership for the fourth wicket proved pivotal, turning the momentum firmly in favor of the hosts after early struggles.
Louis, playing with patience and determination, was dismissed for 97 after spending 27 balls in the nineties. He charged at Bangladesh’s stand-in captain and spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz but was caught at slip by Shahadat Hossain. Athanaze, who had been steadily accelerating, fell three overs later for 90, edging Taijul Islam behind. It marked the second time in Athanaze’s brief Test career that he had been dismissed in the nineties.
The pair’s stand was the backbone of the West Indies innings, revitalizing the side after early setbacks. Captain Kraigg Brathwaite fell for 4, trapped lbw by Taskin Ahmed, and Keacy Carty departed soon after for a duck, caught at mid-on trying to flick Taskin. At 12-2, the West Indies were under pressure until Louis and Kavem Hodge steadied the ship.
Hodge, who made 25, was run out after a brilliant throw from Taijul Islam at long leg. His dismissal brought Athanaze to the crease, and together with Louis, he set about rebuilding and eventually dominating the Bangladesh bowling attack.
Louis reached his half-century with a straight drive off Taskin, showcasing his ability to punish loose deliveries amidst a largely cautious approach. Athanaze took a more aggressive route, particularly in the final session, finding the boundary with sweeps, reverse sweeps, and cuts as he raised the scoring rate.
Louis’s innings included nine boundaries and a six, while Athanaze struck 12 fours and a six. Their contrasting styles complemented each other, as they added 140 runs at a brisk pace, frustrating Bangladesh’s bowlers, who had earlier kept the scoring rate in check.
After their departures, Justin Greaves and Joshua Da Silva stabilized the innings against the second new ball. Greaves ended the day unbeaten, with Da Silva scoring freely in the closing overs before bad light and a drizzle brought an early end to proceedings after 84 overs.
Bangladesh’s bowlers struggled to capitalize on the early breakthroughs. Taskin Ahmed was the pick of the attack with figures of 2-46, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz (1-45) and Taijul Islam (1-56) provided moments of control but lacked consistency. The fielding unit also let opportunities slip, including a dropped catch off Louis when he was in the nineties.
The West Indies will resume on day two with five wickets in hand and an opportunity to push toward a commanding first-innings total. Bangladesh will look to capitalize on the breakthroughs late on day one and restrict the hosts in the morning session.
For the West Indies, the day belonged to Louis and Athanaze, whose near-centuries not only steadied the innings but also put the team in a strong position as they aim to set the tone in the series.
England must be 'brave on the ball' to halt winless run, says Borthwick
England head coach Steve Borthwick has demanded his team to be "brave on the ball" when they take on Eddie Jones' Japan in the Autumn Nations Series on Sunday.
Borthwick's side have lost each of their last five matches, their longest such run since another five-game stretch between February and June 2018.
However, they have not lost more in a row since a streak of seven in 2006. Each of the five losses in their current streak have also come in single-digit margins.
But England have also struggled at home. They have fallen to defeat in their last three matches at the Allianz Stadium, their longest losing run since 2008.
Only once before have they lost more in a row at the Twickenham venue (L5 between 1971 and 1973), though Borthwick has urged his players to persist with an attacking style.
"We are trying to play the game a different way," he told BBC Sport.
"I am encouraging the players to be brave with the ball, to move the ball, that’s where the strength of the team now is and where it is going to be in the future."
Borthwick named his 23-man squad to face Japan on Friday, reinstating Tom Curry and Sam Underhill, nicknamed the "Kamikaze Kids" by Jones in 2019.
Curry has been recalled to the team after he was knocked out against Australia, and he replaces Chandler Cunningham-South in the back-row.
In the other change from the starting XV that lost to South Africa, full-back George Furbank comes in for Freddie Steward.
Fin Smith replaces George Ford on England's bench while Cunningham-South steps in for Alex Dombrandt. Sale's Opoku-Fordjour could also make his senior debut.
"We anticipate a tough challenge from a team that thrives on playing fast and with tempo," said Borthwick.
"Japan are a dangerous team, so it’s important that we execute our game plan and maintain focus throughout the full 80 minutes."
England team to face Japan
George Furbank, Tommy Freeman, Ollie Lawrence, Henry Slade, Ollie Sleightholme, Marcus Smith, Jack van Poortvliet, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Will Stuart, Maro Itoje, George Martin, Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Ben Earl.
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Fin Baxter, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Nick Isiekwe, Chandler Cunningham-South, Harry Randall, Fin Smith, Tom Roebuck.
Starc hails 'fantastic bowler' Bumrah after day one in Perth
Australia seamer Mitchell Starc heaped praise on Jasprit Bumrah's performance on day one of their Test against India in Perth.
India struggled with the bat and finished their first innings on 150, with Rishabh Pant (37) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (41) helping them to improve on a poor start.
However, the tourists wrestled back control, leaving Australia on 67-7 at the close of play, thanks to Bumrah's inspired display.
On Friday, 17 wickets fell, the most on the opening day of a Test in Australia since 1952.
He finished on 4-17, leaving Australia 19-3 inside the seventh over as he took Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney and Steve Smith in quick succession.
Starc will start at the crease alongside Alex Carey on day two, and he was impressed by Bumrah's efficiency with the ball.
"So, there's no surprise that he's [Bumrah] been a fantastic bowler across the formats for a long time," Starc said.
"And again, his skills were on show [on Friday] as to how, how good he is. So, yeah, I'm sure there's something in that release point.
"That's significant to his action. It's something a lot of people can't do, so I'm not, I'm certainly not going to go and try it. I'll probably snap."
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