There is an end-of-term feel to this fifth Ashes Test. Not quite everyone wearing their own clothes, or lessons swapped for quizzes and films, but a sense that six weeks of intense cricket has led to tired minds. On a green-tinged pitch, with skies bruised, floodlights on and a breeze aiding swing, this made for a slightly frenetic opening day.
By stumps Australia were 61 for one from 25 overs and could claim to have the early edge in their quest to turn Ashes retention into a full-blown statement Ashes series win. They had bowled England out for 283 in just 54.4 overs, Mitchell Starc’s standout figures of four for 82 from 14.4 overs neatly summing up the entertaining chaos on show.
There was a precious late breakthrough from Chris Woakes, following a handy 36 with the bat earlier on by getting David Warner caught at second slip for 24. But with Usman Khawaja remaining unbeaten on 26, and Marnus Labuschagne offering a steadfast two not out before stumps, the tourists had effectively repelled the new ball.
As hard as Mark Wood charged in, as much as Jimmy Anderson raged against the dying of the light, it made for a calmer end to proceedings. Consolation for Ben Stokes and his men came in knowing that Australia will still be 222 runs behind when they resume on day two, even if the absence of Moeen Ali with a groin injury is a concern.
Once again we witnessed the contrast of styles that has underpinned this series, even if one of the central themes behind Australia’s lead – more adhesive hands – went slightly haywire here. Some five catches went to ground during an England innings that rattled along at five runs an over; another symptom, perhaps, of the crunched schedule.
Harry Brook was the only batter to cash in on a life, however, unfurling a crisp and brisk 85 from 91 balls that could have been 80 runs fewer. Alex Carey, whose glovework was one of the chief differences between the teams during Australia’s wins at Edgbaston and Lord’s, was the guilty party, grassing a diving one-handed effort to his right.
That miss cost Pat Cummins a wicket in figures of one for 66 from 13 overs. These were misleading digits, it must be said, the Australian captain winning his first toss of the series and changing the tone of the morning when he came on at first change and showed his previously wayward new-ball bowlers the ideal length.
England’s innings? Well, it certainly met the brief of being entertaining, with 31 fours and five sixes getting the latest sell-out crowd cooing like the local pigeons. But it was also undermined by three mini-collapses, the loss of three for 11 in 22 balls before lunch, four for 28 in 55 before tea, and three for 22 in 20 at the end.
Things had started promisingly too, a roll-over from their dominance in Manchester seemingly on the cards when Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley raced to 61 inside the first hour. But there was always something there for the bowlers, demonstrated by drops off both openers and underlined when Cummins came on at first change.
He looked one of the few out there with renewed energy and should have struck first ball when Duckett, on 30, saw an edge burst through Warner’s hands at slip. But once Mitchell Marsh had the left-hander strangled down leg for 41, Cummins knocked over Crawley for 22, Steve Smith atoning for an earlier miss off the right-hander.
To mangle the old football cliche, it was a session of three thirds, a cramped Joe Root chopping Hazlewood on to his stumps to make it 73 for three only for Brook and Moeen to reach lunch on 131 for no further loss. Brook was the aggressor, his unbeaten 48 at this point featuring two pick-up sixes and some lasered drives, while Moeen, usually a free spirit, was content to hunker down and 10 not out.
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Things flipped around in the second half of their 111-run fourth-wicket stand, Moeen pulling up lame and, with runners long-since outlawed, opting to stand and deliver rather than retire hurt.
A glorious whipped six off Cummins was the highlight – a cheeky uppercut four its closest rival – only for the so-called “false three” to be bowled for 34 by the recalled Todd Murphy attempting a mow. It kickstarted the second Australian surge, Starc castling Stokes with a corker that swung away and getting Brook caught by Smith at second slip chasing a wide one. In between came the second Yorkshireman, Jonny Bairstow, to chop on attacking a ball too close to his body, Hazlewood once again creating the indecision.
England’s shift from 184 for three to 212 for seven appeared terminal, only for Wood and Woakes to deliver a spunky counterattack worth 49 runs. But once a bromance built on chocolate digestives was broken by Murphy – Wood repeating Moeen’s earlier demise on 28 – Woakes soon ran out of capable partners and Starc mopped up.
The upshot was a curious total, 11 runs lighter than when England were inserted by Tim Paine here four years ago but in 33 fewer overs. It would also ultimately be framed by the two hours of bowling that followed; a further cascade of wickets would demonstrate this was a serviceable first-innings score in a match contested by weary souls.
Just one followed, Australia impressively resolute before the close. Day two, when more cloud cover is expected, could well be the one that shapes the end-of-term reports.
