Australia’s Pat Cummins ducks a high ball on day five of the first Ashes cricket Test match between England and Australia at Edgbaston in Birmingham, central England on June 20, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AFP
Australia needs 98 more runs to win the Ashes opener after reaching tea at 183-5 on Tuesday as the cricket thriller heads into its final session on the last day at Edgbaston.
Usman Khawaja is patiently moving Australia toward its winning target of 281. The opener, who scored his first test century in England in the first innings, has so far hit 56 runs from 159 balls. Allrounder Cameron Green is 22 not out in a 40-run partnership that England needs to end quickly.
Forced to leave the field the day before with a painful blistered finger, England spinner Moeen Ali (1-50) returned earlier to give England a key wicket of third-ranked batter Travis Head (16). The 36-year-old bowler was hugged by joyful teammates after Head edged to slip fielder Joe Root. That left Australia at 143-5 before Khawaja and Green came together.
The morning session was lost to rain and players took an early lunch at the Birmingham ground. The umpires have given the teams a total of 67 overs for the day. There are 38 overs left and the test is now unlikely to end in a draw.
Australia earlier resumed on 107-3 with Khawaja and nightwatchman Scott Boland at the crease. With fielders up close, Boland ducked Broad’s bouncer in the eighth over of the day before nicking the next ball behind to Bairstow with Australia at 121-4. Boland hit a test-best 20.