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Captain Pat Cummins' brilliant 44 not out and his crucial 55-run ninth-wicket partnership with Nathan Lyon (16 not out) helped the Australian pacer to a two-wicket win over England in the first Ashes Test. of the 2023 series here at Edgbaston on Tuesday.
Chasing a fourth innings target of 218 to win the match, Australia, who ended day four on 107/3, were in trouble after losing Alex Carey for 20 with the score at 227/8.
The first game of the new ICC World Test Championship cycle ended in dramatic fashion, with Cummins scoring a captain's knock to guide his side to a famous victory in the Birmingham twilight.
Despite missing the day's first session due to rain, England, who declared their first innings on 393/8 and were dismissed for 272 in their second, were sniffing their chances as they needed only two wickets and Australia were 54 for 1. Runs were required.
However, Cummins and Lyon shared an incomplete 55-run partnership for the ninth wicket as they gave Australia a winning start in their attempt to bring the urn back to England after many years.
England looked to be favorites when Cummins came to the crease, but the skipper added 18 runs with Alex Carey and then played a decisive role in a match-winning stand with Nathan Lyon as the opening Ashes match went down to the wire.
It was Cummins who scored the winning runs, hitting an unbeaten 44 to embrace the unbeaten Lyon (16 not out).
Rain washed out the entire first session to reduce the day's play, resuming with Australia on 107/3 and all results still possible when play started in the afternoon.
Needing 174 runs to win, Usman Khawaja and Scott Boland sweated it out to give England an early breakthrough before Stuart Broad got an edge off Nightwatchman. Boland's 20 was his highest Test score to date.
Australia bided their time as Travis Head conjured up short-pitched bowling.
But Moeen Ali, who had been battling a finger injury all day, bowled a brilliant delivery and bundled his head in, taking a sharp catch by Joe Root at first slip.
The tourists were well placed, five wickets down at tea. But England found a glimmer of hope when Cameron Green's 66-ball vigil came to an end when he clipped Ollie Robinson's delivery at his stumps to dismiss him for 28.
And Khawaja's 197-ball 65 ended in similar fashion when he was undone by a slower ball from England skipper Stokes.
England delayed taking the new ball, and the decision paid off in style when part-time spinner Root took a sharp catch and bold chance (his third such difficult chance) to dismiss Alex Carey for 20. Australia still needed 54 runs to win. ,
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