England have won the fifth and final Test of the 2023 Ashes by 49 runs after a brilliant display of bowling from Chris Woakes (4/50) and Moeen Ali (3/76), drawing the series 2-2 in the process.
The day started perfectly for the hosts, the ball change late on day four worked in their favour as the ‘newer’ Dukes ball was moving around corners, making batting more difficult than it was the day prior.
As a result, Australia’s openers were only able to add five runs to their overnight score of 135 and the brilliant partnership was ended when David Warner edged a Woakes delivery to Jonny Bairstow for 60.
Woakes gets Warner, as yesterday's replacement ball paired with good bowling makes things tough out in the middle.#TheAshes 5th Test | LIVE: https://t.co/m4bzLk1bCy#9WWOS #Cricket #Ashes #ENGvsAUS pic.twitter.com/xoCLaYq83c
— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) July 31, 2023
Warner’s opening partner, Usman Khawaja was dismissed in Woakes’ next over, leg before wicket for 72.
Australia was suddenly on the back foot, and when Marnus Labuschagne was caught in the slips off Mark Wood five overs later, it seemed that England were going to rip through Australia’s batting order.
However, Steve Smith and Travis Head consolidated Australia’s chances as they batted with positive intent and regularly found the boundary.
Shot Steven.
— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) July 31, 2023
Some of your best work. 🙏#TheAshes 5th Test | LIVE: https://t.co/m4bzLk1bCy#9WWOS #Cricket #Ashes #ENGvsAUS pic.twitter.com/a66WPuqC47
The pair added 69 runs before the lunch break as Smith avoided an almighty scare when a ball ballooned off his glove from an Ali delivery that was caught by Ben Stokes, but the skipper dropped the ball in his celebration of the wicket.
Ben Stokes claims a catch off Steve Smith's gloves late in the first session, only to be overturned.
— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) July 31, 2023
Wonder what Piers thinks of this? 🤔#TheAshes 5th Test | LIVE: https://t.co/m4bzLk1bCy#9WWOS #Cricket #Ashes #ENGvsAUS pic.twitter.com/JsNBC24rYS
As play was to resume after lunch, rain began to fall, halting play for two hours as both teams waited to return to the field.
When they returned, Smith and Head continued their excellent partnership, as an Australian victory became increasingly more likely.
The latter reached his second half century of the match, batting with utter control, and it seemed certain that Smith would guide Australia to a historic victory.
That wasn’t to be the case, as Woakes and Ali ripped through Australia’s middle order.
Head (43) was the first to fall, driving at an Ali delivery outside the off stump, edging it to Root at slip, ending his partnership of 95 runs with Smith.
In the following over, England had their main man.
Woakes is on a roll, Smith departs for 54.
— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) July 31, 2023
Crawley has been sensational in the slips all series. 👏#TheAshes 5th Test | LIVE: https://t.co/m4bzLk1bCy #9WWOS #Cricket #Ashes #ENGvsAUS pic.twitter.com/BRYkcnzrVd
Woakes bowled a fantastic delivery that squared Smith up and drew an edge that flew to Zak Crawley in the cordon, the former skipper walking back to the sheds in dismay for 54.
Mitchell Marsh (6) was the next victim, Bairstow taking a fantastic one-handed grab off Ali’s delivery that squeezed between the all-rounders bat and pad.
To cap off an Ali and Woakes’ four over spell with figures of 4/11, the quick had Mitchell Starc dismissed for a duck, edging to Crawley for another catch as Australia slumped from 3/264 to 7/275.
Pat Cummins joined Alex Carey at the crease, yet their partnership didn’t last long.
Ali removed Cummins for 9, the skipper Stokes taking a catch at leg slip and this time the English skipper made sure to hold onto the ball during his celebration.
Carey and Todd Murphy provided some resistance, adding 35 runs for the ninth wicket, bringing Australia’s score to 55 runs within the target of 384.
During the partnership, Stuart Broad (2/62) had bowled fantastically but to no avail as he consistently beat the outside of the bat.
Then Broad swapped the bails of the bowler’s stumps, as he did before Labuschagne’s wicket in the first innings, and in something that could only be scripted, Broad dismissed Murphy for 18 with the very next ball, his 602nd Test wicket.
An absolute peach removes Murphy.
— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) July 31, 2023
Not much you can do about that, well bowled Stuart.#TheAshes 5th Test | LIVE: https://t.co/m4bzLk1bCy #9WWOS #Cricket #Ashes #ENGvsAUS pic.twitter.com/g23leCInEd
Four overs later, Broad had his 603rd and final wicket in Test cricket, dismissing Carey for 28 caught behind and ensuring victory for England as he retires from Test cricket after an outstanding spell that was deserving of the champion that Broad is.
Australia lost 7/70 in the final session, failing to capitalise on the excellent start by David Warner and Usman Khawaja, and critically the opportunity to win an Ashes series in England for the first-time since 2001, they’ll have to wait another four years for their next chance to break the drought.