Ashes 2023: Australia take the upper hand in an action-packed day 1 of the 5th Test
The Ashes 5th Test kicked off with intense excitement as England and Australia fought it out in a thrilling battle on Day 1 at the Kennington Oval.
FollowThe highly-anticipated Ashes 5th Test began with Australia winning the coin toss and opting to bowl. Both teams made strategic changes to their line-ups, with Murphy replacing Green for Australia, while England remained unchanged from the previous Test. The match started with a flurry of action, as Australia burned a review against Crawley for an lbw in the third over. Later, Warner's costly dropped catch gave Duckett a lifeline when he was on 30. However, the opening partnership between Crawley and Duckett proved promising as they put together a solid 50-run stand in the 10th over. Australia managed to break the partnership by successfully reviewing and sending back Duckett for 41.
After the first session, England stood at 131/3, with Root completing an impressive milestone of 6000 Test runs in England. However, Hazlewood dismissed Root for just five runs, putting the hosts in a challenging position at 73/3 in the 16th over. Brook survived a scare when Carey dropped a sitter behind the stumps, and Khawaja also missed a tough chance at third slip.
Stac bowled an outstanding spell and got some crucial breakthroughs and pegged back the England team who continued to follow their aggressive approach.
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Brook continued his aggressive style of play and reached his seventh Test fifty off just 44 balls. A 111-run partnership with Moeen further bolstered England's position, but Murphy's impressive debut over accounted for Moeen's wicket.
At Tea, England had reached 250/7, with Brook narrowly missing out on a hundred as he departed on 85 after edging one to Smith at second slip. The lower-order fought hard, but Starc's skilful bowling saw him pick up four crucial wickets, helping England finish at 283 all out.
In their reply, Australia had a steady start with openers Khawaja and Warner building a 49-run opening stand. However, Woakes struck to dismiss Warner for 24, giving England an early breakthrough. Khawaja and Labuschagne remained steady until stumps, with Australia trailing England by 222 runs at 61/1.
Day 1 witnessed a thrilling display of cricket, with both teams battling hard for an advantage. As the Ashes 5th Test continues, fans can expect more enthralling action and fierce competition between these cricketing giants.
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