Skip to main content

Stuart Broad strikes late for England to leave first Ashes Test on a knife edge

An opening Ashes Test already featuring more twists than a novelty cocktail straw now heads into a decisive final day in which all four results are possible and shades of 2005 abound. Australia have made inroads into a pursuit of 281 for victory but England, buoyed by the latest trademark Stuart Broad burst, still believe.

The tourists had seemingly taken full control of the game’s destiny on a see-sawing, gripping fourth day. Led by four wickets from their blue-eyed captain, Pat Cummins, and supported by four more from Nathan Lyon, they rolled for England 273 all out, thus setting a target one run shy of their famously thwarted chase here 18 years ago.

Though it would represent their second highest chase on these shores, the placid nature of this much-maligned pitch - and Moeen Ali’s issues with his spinning finger - are in their favour. They started their pursuit in good order too, first innings centurion Usman Khawaja surviving a chance fourth ball - an edge flying between Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root at first slip - before he and David Warner set about compiling a 61-run opening stand that calmed any Australian nerves.

But once Ollie Robinson produced a beauty to finally remove Warner for 36 caught behind, it set the stage for Broad to provide the latest lurch in the match. Replacing his colleague at the Pavilion End, and typically whipping up the packed house at Edgbaston, he sent Marnus Labuschange and Steve Smith packing in the space of four overs to leave Australia 107 for three, still 174 runs shy of the target.

Continue reading...

from The Guardian https://ift.tt/IwKuzqQ

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Coronavirus live news: Brazil adds record 34,918 daily cases as infections surge in six US states

Beijing Covid-19 outbreak ‘extremely severe’; French police fire tear gas at healthcare protest; New Zealand cancels compassionate quarantine exceptions. Follow the latest updates Beijing travel restricted to tackle ‘extremely severe’ situation Brazil suffers record case increase Six US states see record case increases Covid-19 outbreaks in New Zealand and China highlight stark choices See all our coronavirus coverage 1.10am BST More on the rise in cases in the US now: Across the United States, 17 states saw new cases rise last week, according to a Reuters analysis. In Oklahoma, where President Donald Trump plans to hold an indoor campaign rally on Saturday, new cases rose 68%. Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday said officials were considering other, possibly outdoor, venues for the Tulsa event. The virus spreads far more efficiently in enclosed spaces. On Tuesday, Oklahoma health officials urged anyone attending the rally to get tested for the coronavirus before arrivi...

Apartment 7A review – Rosemary’s Baby prequel is a vacant rehash

Strong performances from Julia Garner and Dianne Wiest can’t add enough weight to a pointless horror that fills in gaps we didn’t need filling in There wasn’t any urgent necessity to this April’s horror prequel The First Omen , a film that took us back to tell a tale we mostly knew already. Filling in the specifics of Damien’s backstory, before he was adopted by a couple unaware of his satanic conception, was not something even the most impassioned Omen fans were thirsting for but it came to be because of Disney’s Fox purchase and a greedy desire to stuff its streamer Hulu with content associated with known IP, the common contemporary reasoning that forces existence: could over should. But a strike-affected release schedule, and I would imagine some enthused test screenings, pushed it into cinemas instead and while it wasn’t without its problems, it was made with such visual flair and frightening inventiveness that it ultimately felt like a worthwhile revisit. Months later, the same ...

How Rico Lewis helped harden up Manchester City’s treble challenge | Jamie Jackson

Guardiola believes advent of the teenage talent sowed seeds of change that turned his side into champions again Mid-January, the Etihad Campus. Before Tottenham’s visit a discontented Pep Guardiola is addressing a Manchester City team meeting that includes Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, John Stones and Ederson. The champions are in second place, eight points behind Arsenal, each having played 18 games. Performances have dipped and so has the attitude of his players. The final match before the World Cup was a 2-1 home defeat by Brentford . Since the tournament, City have beaten Leeds and Chelsea, drawn with Everton and lost their previous outing , 2-1 at Manchester United. Seven points from 15 is not championship-defending form and, when being knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Southampton is factored in, Guardiola can see City’s campaign derailing. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/h8WjbMX