Australia Openers Start Strongly vs. England in Ashes

Australia Openers Start Strongly vs. England in Ashes

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Australia’s opening batsmen, David Warner and Usman Khawaja, displayed remarkable resilience as they reached an unbeaten partnership of 135 runs against England on a rain-shortened Sunday during the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval. The home crowd was anticipating a memorable farewell for the England fast-bowling legend, Stuart Broad, who had surprisingly announced his retirement after the match. However, Warner and Khawaja remained determined to keep Broad waiting for his farewell wicket.

At the end of the fourth day’s play, Warner stood strong with an impressive 58 not out, while his left-handed partner, Khawaja, showcased his skills with an unbeaten 69. Unfortunately, rain interrupted the match at 2:41 pm (1341 GMT), forcing the players off the field. The persistent downpour dashed any hopes of resuming the game later that Sunday. However, the Australian team was left in an advantageous position, needing just 249 more runs to achieve a 3-1 series victory and their first Ashes campaign triumph in England since 2001.

If Australia successfully reaches the target of 384 runs, it will be the eighth-highest fourth-innings total to win any Test and the second-highest in England. The current record for the highest successful fourth-innings chase in a Test at The Oval is England’s 263-9 against Australia in 1902. The monumental chase would undoubtedly etch this match in cricket history.

For Australia to achieve this feat, Warner and Khawaja’s partnership was crucial. The English pace attack, led by the retiring Stuart Broad, has been a formidable force throughout the series. Broad, who has dismissed Warner 17 times in Test cricket, was eager to add another scalp to his illustrious career before bidding farewell to the game. However, the two Australian openers thwarted all attempts, displaying a masterful command over the English bowlers.

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During the innings, Warner demonstrated his flair, lofting England veteran James Anderson straight back over the paceman’s head for a spectacular boundary. In an unfortunate incident, Anderson unintentionally bowled a head-high full-toss, or beamer, that rattled Warner. The experienced paceman immediately apologized as the ball raced away to the boundary for four runs.

Khawaja, the highest run-scorer in the series, achieved his fifty with a well-timed edge to the boundary off express quick Mark Wood. Warner, who had been struggling to find his form throughout the series, also reached his fifty with a solid knock featuring seven boundaries.

England’s bowlers found it challenging to break the resilient partnership of Warner and Khawaja. The duo comfortably handled England’s quicks, and even the occasional spin from Moeen Ali and Joe Root couldn’t trouble them significantly. Off-spinner Moeen Ali, who once achieved a hat-trick on this ground in a Test against South Africa in 2017, tried his best to create opportunities for England but to no avail.

As the holders of the Ashes, Australia had already retained the iconic urn, arriving in London with a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. This match, however, held tremendous significance as it marked the final appearance of Stuart Broad in Test cricket. Broad, the fifth-highest wicket-taker in Test history with an impressive 602 wickets, received a heartfelt guard of honor as he made his way to the wicket for the last time.

The 37-year-old seamer’s love affair with the Ashes was evident in his emotions as he expressed joy at being able to bowl his last ball and face his last ball against Australia.

“I’ve had a love affair with the Ashes my whole life and the thought of being able to bowl my last ball and face my last ball against Australia fills me with joy,” he said.

Broad had a memorable farewell, facing the first over delivered by fellow paceman Mitchell Starc, whom he dispatched for a towering six off the sixth delivery. Unfortunately, Broad’s long-time bowling partner, James Anderson, was dismissed lbw by off-spinner Todd Murphy, and England were finally dismissed for 395.

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