England vs Australia Test Stats Review
Australia Takes Early Lead in Ashes 2023 Series, Defeating Arch-Rivals England
In a thrilling turn of events at Edgbaston, Australia pulled off a stunning victory against their arch-rivals, England, to take a 1-0 lead in The Ashes 2023 series. The match was a nail-biting encounter, with Australia triumphing by two wickets in a closely fought battle. Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon emerged as the heroes of the day, combining to take eight wickets and bowl out England for 273 in the second innings. They then showcased their batting prowess with an unbeaten 55-run partnership, leading Australia to a memorable win.
The match began with England winning the toss and electing to bat first on the flat Edgbaston pitch. The opening batsmen got off to a blazing start, but their momentum was halted by Josh Hazlewood, who claimed the crucial wicket of Ben Duckett after the latter had struck a couple of boundaries. Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope then carried on the aggressive approach, keeping the scoreboard ticking with a solid 70-run partnership for the second wicket. However, Nathan Lyon broke the partnership by dismissing Pope, while Scott Boland joined in with the wicket of Crawley, who had scored a commendable 61 off 73 deliveries. The dismissal of Harry Brook for 32 in a rather unusual manner added to the drama.
Also Read : Joe Root top knocks in the Ashes
Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow took charge for England with a remarkable 121-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Bairstow played an attacking innings, smashing 78 runs at a strike rate of 100, while Joe Root showcased his class by registering his 30th Test century. Root remained unbeaten on 118, which included 11 boundaries. Surprisingly, at the end of day one, Stokes made a surprising declaration at 393/8, despite Joe Root being in fine form.
Trailing by 393 runs, Australia had a shaky start to their innings, losing early wickets to the lethal bowling display of Stuart Broad and Ben Stokes. However, Travis Head and Usman Khawaja led a remarkable recovery with an 81-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Head played a counter-attacking innings, reaching a well-deserved half-century before being dismissed by Moeen Ali for 50. Khawaja, on the other hand, anchored the innings with a magnificent century, receiving valuable contributions from Cameron Green (38 off 68), Alex Carey (66 off 99), and captain Pat Cummins (38 off 62). Khawaja’s brilliant knock of 141, which included 17 boundaries, helped Australia narrow the deficit to just 7 runs as they were eventually bowled out for 386.
With a slender lead of 7 runs, England started their second innings. However, their batting lineup crumbled under pressure as the Australian bowlers tore through their defenses. Although most of the batsmen got starts, none managed to convert them into big scores. Joe Root (46 off 55), Harry Brook (46 off 52), and Ben Stokes (43 off 66) made valuable contributions, enabling England to post a total of 273. With a target of 281, Australia faced a challenging chase.
Australia’s openers got off to a flying start, with David Warner scoring a brisk 36 off 57 balls before edging one to the keeper off Ollie Robinson’s bowling. Stuart Broad then unleashed a lethal spell, dismissing the experienced duo of Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, leaving Australia reeling at 89/3. Once again, Usman Khawaja showcased his resilience, scoring a patient 65 off 197 deliveries before being dismissed by Ben Stokes.
Despite several other batsmen getting starts, no one could convert them into substantial scores, and Australia found themselves in trouble at 227/8 in the final hour of the game. With 53 runs needed in the last hour, the duo of Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon displayed tremendous determination, guiding Australia to a thrilling two-wicket victory.
Now, let’s delve into the statistical highlights from the first Ashes Test between England and Australia:
- Usman Khawaja reached his first century and highest score in England, an impressive 141.
- Cameron Green achieved a significant milestone, crossing the 1000-run mark in Test matches, with a total of 1038 runs.
- Usman Khawaja now holds the distinction of having five centuries as an opener in the World Test Championship, the second-highest among openers. Rohit Sharma and Dimuth Karunaratne share the top spot with six centuries each.
- England’s total of 273 is the second-highest score in an Ashes Test without a single 50-plus score in an innings. Australia previously scored 279 at Edgbaston in 2005, which tops the list.
- David Warner has amassed a remarkable 8208 runs as an opener in Tests, placing him fifth on the list of most runs scored by an opener in Test matches.
In conclusion, Australia’s victory in the first Ashes Test has set the stage for an exciting series ahead. The match showcased exceptional performances, thrilling moments, and notable statistical achievements, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the next chapter in this historic cricket rivalry.
Most runs as an opener in Tests
11845 – Alastair Cook
9607 – Sunil Gavaskar
9030 – Graeme Smith
8625 – Matthew Hayden
8208 – David Warner
