The Ashes: Victory for Australia, but Test cricket the overall winner in extraordinary Edgbaston thriller
Australia won a thrilling Ashes opener by two wickets at Edgbaston on Tuesday as captain Pat Cummins’ six-smashing 44 not out and Usman Khawaja’s patient 65 combined to give England’s “Bazball” cricket revolution a lesson from Down Under.
Cummins hit two sixes and four fours, and he shared a match-winning ninth-wicket partnership of 55 with Nathan Lyon (16 not out) in the last hour of the final day.
Chasing 281 to win, Cummins hit the winning boundary against Ollie Robinson and Australia finished on 282-8 to disappoint a raucous crowd that sensed another memorable victory at the Birmingham ground after a two-run win in the second Ashes test in 2005.
Australia bowler Josh Hazlewood to BBC Test Match Special: “It was a long hour. I was just sitting in the back of the room watching.
“When Carey got out we probably thought that was it but Patty (Pat Cummins) is a class batter. An outstanding effort.
“It was an amazing game of cricket. It is still a long series but it is a big swing. The first game is always important.
Earlier, Unflappable Australia opening batsman Usman Khawaja kept his side on course for victory with a gritty unbeaten half century on a tension-fuelled final day.
Chasing a 281 victory target, Australia began a rain-delayed fifth day on 107 for three and reached 183-5 at the tea interval — requiring 98 more to take the lead in the five-match series.
Khawaja, who scored a magnificent century in the first innings, was a model of concentration as he calmly reached 56 from 159 balls with Cameron Green on 22 not out.
With a sell-out crowd ready for a gripping finale to a superb contest, Australia weathered the early storm from England bowling duo Stuart Broad and James Anderson.
Night watchman Scott Bolan, who came to the crease late on Monday after a magical spell of seam bowling by Broad removed Marnus Labuschagne and Australia talisman Steve Smith, was the first to fall, edging an attempted drive off a full-length delivery by Broad having dug in for a useful 20.
Rain had delayed the start until 1315 GMT with a minimum of 67 overs to be bowled.
If Australia do win it would be the second-highest successful chase at Edgbaston to win a test and only the third time on the last 23 occasions that they have won having been set a fourth-innings target of 200-plus.
