27/07Result
5th Test, Australia tour of England at London, Jul 27-31 2023
England won by 49 runs
Player of the Match
Chris Woakes
Chris WoakesEngland
27/07Result
5th Test, Australia tour of England at London, Jul 27-31 2023
England won by 49 runs
Player of the Match
Chris Woakes
Chris WoakesEngland

6.35pm So, on that note, we are done for another day. Three days left of this series, nominally, but I'd be shocked if we didn't have a pretty clear sense of an end-game by this time tomorrow. What awaits in England's second innings? I'll hazard a guess at fireworks. From Miller, Alex, and Venkat. Goodnight!

Steve Smith is talking to Sky: "Would have been nice to have got a bigger lead, wicket played quite nice, a lot of us got starts. A couple of partnerships helped, we started a counterpunch, not a bad end to the day, but overall disappointed we didn't get a bigger lead."

"No set plan, they bowled really well this morning, credit where it's due. We took it deep and got more opportunities at the back end. It swung a lot, quite shiny and good swing bowlers. Not a great deal of seam. We want to keep the scoreboard ticking but guys are allowed to bowl well, it's Test cricket, got to respect it."

6.27pm And so, after all of that... Australia lead by 12, and we have another one-innings shoot-out looming. Australia batted for 103.1 overs for their 295, compared to 54.4 for England's 283, and ultimately each approach was vindicated by the other. England played fast and loose, and capitalised on several dropped catches. Australia dug in with immense attrition for long passages, but on a tricky surface, they still looked at one stage as though they would concede a 50-plus deficit. But Steve Smith and Pat Cummins hit back with intent, before an astonishing knock from Todd Murphy. Where's this one headed? We'll know more tomorrow, but England's bowlers will be relieved to have wrapped that up tonight.

103.1
W
Root to Cummins, OUT, Honks a massive wipe down the ground and Stokes has done brilliantly to grab it! He was right back on the rope at long-on, the ball arrived fast and flat, he grabs it above his head, launches it up as he steps back out of play, jumps back in, grabs the relay and that's the end of Australia's innings, and the day's play!

PJ Cummins c Stokes b Root 36 (148m 86b 4x4 0x6) SR: 41.86

Potentially the last over of the day... possibly two more... in fact, almost certainly, as Joe Root is back for a twirl. Out comes the helmet, gully, leg gully

END OF OVER:
103 | 3 Runs | AUS: 295/9

  • Josh Hazlewood6 (7b)
  • Pat Cummins36 (85b)
  • James Anderson26-9-67-1
  • Chris Woakes25-8-61-3

Dezz: "All this talk about tired legs - 102 overs is hardly a marathon is it?!" They are when you're two days shy of 41

102.6
0
Anderson to Hazlewood, no run, full length, angled in at leg stump, Hazlewood blocks well to the on-side
102.5
0
Anderson to Hazlewood, no run, tighter line from Anderson, zeroing in on off from round the wicket, solid block
102.4
2
Anderson to Hazlewood, 2 runs, width, and boshed hard through deep cover! Excellent contact, and they take the two

Three slips in place

102.3
1
Anderson to Cummins, 1 run, flicked around the front pad, out to backward square, and Hazlewood will have three deliveries

One slip, and the rest on the fence

102.2
0
Anderson to Cummins, no run, another slower ball, a firm pull across the line, top-edged a touch but lands safe at deep square
102.1
0
Anderson to Cummins, no run, slower ball, Cummins just about gets bat on the low full toss after being beaten in the flight initially. A back-of-the-hander

So... that is likely to be that as far as England batting tonight. How far can this lead be extended? Anderson has the ball again. One slip for Cummins

END OF OVER:
102 | 4 Runs 1 Wkt | AUS: 292/9

  • Josh Hazlewood4 (4b)
  • Pat Cummins35 (82b)
  • Chris Woakes25-8-61-3
  • James Anderson25-9-64-1
101.6
0
Woakes to Hazlewood, no run, digs out the yorker with a soft-handed block. Well played

Man back leg-side

101.5
0
Woakes to Hazlewood, no run, retreating to leg again, Woakes attacks off stump on a full length, firmly prodded back down the pitch
101.4
4
Woakes to Hazlewood, FOUR, width outside off, rocks back for a slap through point! Get some of that! Stays leg-sided, and boshes it past backward point. Shot
101.3
0
Woakes to Hazlewood, no run, attacking full length, round the wicket, soft-handed block back down the pitch

Another vital display from Woakes, who has been picking off key wickets in every innings since his return. Here's Hazlewood

So, by my clock, there'll be time for one over tonight if another wicket falls in this over

101.2
W
Woakes to Murphy, OUT, fires in the fuller length and this one looks plumb! Murphy reviews, as well he might, but for once he was playing down the wrong line, as Woakes came round the wicket and targetted the base of the stumps. Struck on the knee-roll, umpire's call on the leg stump. He has to go, but that's a magnificent initiative-seizing knock

T Murphy lbw b Woakes 34 (54m 39b 2x4 3x6) SR: 87.17

101.1
0
Woakes to Murphy, no run, up on the toes, from round the wicket, punched back at the bowler off the back foot

END OF OVER:
101 | (maiden) | AUS: 288/8

  • Pat Cummins35 (82b)
  • Todd Murphy34 (37b)
  • James Anderson25-9-64-1
  • Chris Woakes24-8-57-2
100.6
0
Anderson to Cummins, no run, slower ball from Anderson, 73mph, and hops past the edge, a knuckleball, well directed and straightening off the pitch

Root is getting loose

100.5
0
Anderson to Cummins, no run, very full length, onto the front foot, and eased into the covers

Sadib: "Why a moral victory? Is BazBall immoral now?" Wasn't it always? A bit like Bosanquet's googly

100.4
0
Anderson to Cummins, no run, attacking full again, blocked down into the crease
100.3
0
Anderson to Cummins, no run, very full length, rolls the fingers, met with a push back down the pitch
100.2
0
Anderson to Cummins, no run, tight line, attacking the off stump, tidy work from Anderson, forcing a solid squared-up block
100.1
0
Anderson to Cummins, no run, soft hands as Anderson aims full outside off, under-edged into the pitch and back up again

So 100 overs done, and Australia lead by 5... England's innings lasted 54.4!

END OF OVER:
100 | 4 Runs | AUS: 288/8

  • Todd Murphy34 (37b)
  • Pat Cummins35 (76b)
  • Chris Woakes24-8-57-2
  • James Anderson24-8-64-1

shaz: "Amazed by Aussies fighting spirit!!! Ashes living up to the expectations. Good hand Pat, Way to go."

99.6
0
Woakes to Murphy, no run, full length, punched drive back down the pitch, mid-off gathers

Evan: "That's…(dare we say it?)…a moral victory for Australia, and one that seemed unlikely an hour ago." I think it genuinely has to count as such, yes...

99.5
0
Woakes to Murphy, no run, loose this time, a flash at the fuller length outside off

Match Coverage

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Australia 4th innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st140UT KhawajaDA Warner
2nd1UT KhawajaM Labuschagne
3rd28SPD SmithM Labuschagne
4th95SPD SmithTM Head
5th10SPD SmithMR Marsh
6th0MR MarshAT Carey
7th1MA StarcAT Carey
8th19AT CareyPJ Cummins
9th35AT CareyT Murphy
10th5JR HazlewoodAT Carey