The first Ashes test match was being played at Edgbaston, and it was looking like it might end in a spectacular fashion. England’s Stuart Broad claimed two late wickets to add pressure on Australia.
The current holders of the Ashes, Australia, were making solid progress in their chase of a winning goal of 281 when veteran paceman Broad dismissed both Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith, the two highest-ranked Test batsmen in the world, to leave the Ashes holders with a score of 89-3.
The reigning World Test winners were 107-3 when play was called off for the day on Monday, leaving them requiring an additional 174 runs to win on Tuesday’s final day.
Usman Khawaja, who had been waiting for an Ashes century in England for a decade, had scored 141 during the first innings of Australia’s score of 386 and was now not out.
And with that, the left-handed opener was well on his way to becoming just the second Australian, following in the footsteps of Kim Hughes who did it against England at Lord’s in 1980, to bat on all five days of a Test match.
Khawaja, on the other hand, should have been out when he edged James Anderson on the sixth delivery of the innings; however, neither the wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow nor the first slip Joe Root went for the catch.
Khawaja and fellow opener David Warner then settled in on a surface that Broad had referred to as “soulless” earlier.
But England finally got the breakthrough they needed when Warner was out for 36. Ollie Robinson’s magnificent seaming ball took the outside edge on its way to Bairstow. Warner was out.
After being sent out for a golden duck in the first innings, Labuschagne reverse-swept off-spinner Moeen Ali for four runs off each of his consecutive deliveries.
On the other hand, Broad was the one who ended up being out of luck as he prodded outside off stump and was trapped behind.
Smith lost his match in the same manner for only six runs, much to the loud pleasure of the audience.
The nightwatchman lasted 19 balls to reach 13 not out when the stumps were called. Australia should have put in Travis Head, a specialist batsman, but instead they sent in Scott Boland.
Cummins and Lyon each have a shot.
Earlier, the captain of Australia’s team, Pat Cummins, and Nathan Lyon both grabbed four wickets when England was batting in their second innings 273.
There were moments when it seemed as if England may develop a lead that was unassailable to their opponents.
However, their determination to bat in the aggressive “Bazball” style, which has shown to be damaging to opponents in a run of 11 victories in 13 Tests, cost them numerous wickets on this particular occasion, which resulted in a loss of several of their team’s positions.
In addition, England faced a formidable assault, with fast bowler Cummins leading the way with 4-63 and off-spinner Lyon claiming 4-80.
As Lyon got closer to reaching 500 Test wickets, he took some significant scalps, including those of Root and Harry Brook, who were both dismissed for 46 runs.
Ollie Pope and Joe Root, who had combined for an undefeated 118 in the first innings of the hosts’ 393-8 declared total, were still without a run when play began for England at the score of 28-2.
Root gave a clear indication of his strategy from the very first delivery, when he attempted an ambitious reverse scoop off of Cummins but was unable to make contact with the ball as it just missed his off stump.
In the following over, the fearless batsman, who had previously captained England, hit seamer Boland for six with a reverse-ramped shot.
Cummins responded with a strike when he bowled Pope (14) with a thunderbolt yorker, which brought the score to 77-3 for England.
When the approaching Root slogged and missed, Lyon made the breakthrough. Wicketkeeper Alex Carey then completed a beautiful legside dismissal as the star batsman was stumped for the first time in his Test career.
When Brook misplayed a pull off Lyon to Labuschagne, Australia was rewarded for their ability to keep Brook held down and prevent him from scoring.
Stokes was again dismissed in the 40s, this time by Cummins through leg before wicket for 43.
However, the final two wickets for England combined 44 runs before Robinson holed out in the deep off of Cummins. At this point, Australia were into the tail end of England’s batting lineup.