close
Thursday March 28, 2024

Australia seal crushing win in first Ashes Test

By AFP
August 06, 2019

BIRMINGHAM: Nathan Lyon took six wickets as Australia thrashed England by 251 runs at their Edgbaston ‘fortress’ to win the first Ashes Test on Monday.

England, set a daunting 398 for victory, lost four wickets for 12 runs either side of lunch on the last day as they collapsed to 97-7. They were eventually dismissed for 146 in their second innings, with off-spinner Lyon taking 6-49 — a haul that included his 350th Test wicket — and fast bowler Pat Cummins 4-32.

England resumed on 13 without loss after Australia star Steve Smith’s second hundred of his comeback Test had allowed the tourists to declare late on Sunday’s fourth day. Rory Burns could add just four runs to his overnight seven when he was undone by an excellent seaming and rising Cummins delivery that lobbed off his gloves to Lyon in the gully.

Roy swept Lyon for four but then, in a shot more appropriate for a one-day match than a side trying to save a Test, charged down the pitch and was clean bowled for 28 Lyon remained a threat on a wearing pitch offering turn and bounce and he had Joe Denly (11) caught off bat and pad by Cameron Bancroft at short leg to leave England 80-3.

And the Australia pair combined again to dismiss Root for 28. England’s 85-4 at lunch soon became 85-5 when Jos Buttler (one) was bowled by a Cummins delivery that kept low. Cummins then had his 100th Test wicket when Jonny Bairstow (six) gloved a rising ball to Bancroft in the slips.

England’s collapse continued apace when Ben Stokes was also out for six, well caught by wicketkeeper Tim Paine off a sharply spun Lyon delivery. Moeen Ali, who in the first innings had succumbed to Lyon when he was bowled for a duck playing no shot, fell to the bowler for the ninth time in 11 Ashes knocks when caught in the slips for four to leave England 136-8.

Lyon had Stuart Broad caught in the slips next ball before James Anderson survived the hat-trick after not bowling at all in Australia’s second innings because of a calf injury. Chris Woakes, who played several fine shots, was dropped in the slips by Smith. But former Australia captain Smith had the last word, catching Woakes (37) in the slips off Cummins, with England all out inside 53 overs.

Australia won toss

Australia 1st Innings 284 (S Smith 144; S Broad 5-86)

England 1st Innings 374 (R Burns 133, J Root 57; P Cummins 3-84)

Australia 2nd Innings 487-7 dec (S Smith 142, M Wade 110; Stokes 3-85)

England 2nd Innings

R J Burns c Lyon b Cummins 11

J J Roy b Lyon 28

*J E Root c Bancroft b Lyon 28

J L Denly c Bancroft b Lyon 11

J C Buttler b Cummins 1

B A Stokes c Paine b Lyon 6

†J M Bairstow c Bancroft b Cummins 6

M M Ali c Warner b Lyon 4

C R Woakes c Smith b Cummins 37

S C J Broad c Smith b Lyon 0

J M Anderson not out 4

Extras (b 4, lb 4, nb 2) 10

Total (all out; 52.3 overs) 146

Fall: 1-19, 2-60, 3-80, 4-85, 5-85, 6-97, 7-97, 8-136, 9-136, 10-146

Bowling: Siddle 12-2-28-0; Lyon 20-5-49-6; Pattinson 8-1-29-0 (nb 1); Cummins 11.3-3-32-4 (nb 1); Smith 1-1-0-0

Result: Australia won by 251 runs

Man of the Match: Steven Smith (Australia)

Umpires: Joel Wilson (West Indies) and Aleem Dar (Pakistan). TV umpire: Chris Gaffaney (New Zealand). Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka)