England vs Australia, 1st Ashes Test, Day 4: Usman Khawaja Keeps Australia In Hunt Despite Stuart Broad’s Twin Strikes

England’s Stuart Broad took two late wickets to pile strain on Australia because the opening Ashes Test at Edgbaston headed for a dramatic end. Australia have been making regular progress at 78-1 in pursuit of a victory goal of 281 when veteran paceman Broad eliminated each Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith — the world’s two top-ranked Test batsmen — to depart the Ashes holders 89-3. At stumps on Monday, the World Test champions have been 107-3, nonetheless needing an extra 174 runs to win on Tuesday’s closing day.

Usman Khawaja, who ended his decade-long watch for an Ashes hundred in England with 141 in Australia’s first-innings 386, was 34 not out.

And that meant the left-handed opener was set to turn out to be solely the second Australian, after Kim Hughes in opposition to England at Lord’s in 1980, to bat on all 5 days of a Test.

Khawaja, nonetheless, ought to have been out to only the fifth ball of the innings when he edged James Anderson however neither wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow or first slip Joe Root moved for the catch.

Khawaja and fellow opener David Warner then settled in on a pitch beforehand labelled “soulless” by Broad.

But the breakthrough England wanted got here when Warner fell for 36, with Ollie Robinson’s very good seaming supply taking the surface edge on its method to Bairstow.

Labuschagne, out for a golden duck within the first innings, reverse-swept fours off successive deliveries from off-spinner Moeen Ali.

Broad, nonetheless, proved his undoing on 13 when he poked outdoors off stump and was caught behind.

Smith fell in related style for simply six to the raucous delight of the group.

Australia despatched in Scott Boland somewhat than specialist batsman Travis Head and the nightwatchman survived 19 balls to succeed in 13 not out at stumps.

Cummins and Lyon strike

Earlier, Australia captain Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon took 4 wickets every in England’s second-innings 273.

There have been occasions when England seemed as if they could construct an impregnable lead.

But their want to bat within the aggressive ‘Bazball’ fashion that has proved damaging to opponents in a run of 11 wins in 13 Tests value them a number of wickets on this event.

England have been additionally up in opposition to a powerful assault, quick bowler Cummins main the way in which with 4-63 and off-spinner Lyon taking 4-80.

Lyon’s haul included the important thing scalps of Root and Harry Brook, each out for 46, as he closed in on 500 Test wickets.

England had resumed on 28-2, with each Ollie Pope and Root, who made an unbeaten 118 within the hosts’ first-innings 393-8 declared, but to get off the mark.

Root signalled his intentions from the very first supply, when he did not make contact with an audacious reverse scoop off Cummins, the ball simply lacking his off stump.

The former England skipper was undaunted and reverse-ramped seamer Boland for six within the subsequent over.

But Cummins hit again when he bowled Pope (14) with a thunderbolt yorker that left England 77-3.

Lyon made the breakthrough when the advancing Root slogged and missed, with wicketkeeper Alex Carey finishing a neat legside dismissal because the star batsman was stumped for the primary time in his Test profession.

Australia have been then rewarded for conserving Brook tied down when he miscued a pull off Lyon to Labuschagne.

Stokes additionally fell within the 40s, lbw to Cummins for 43.

Australia have been now into England’s tail however the final two wickets added 44 runs earlier than Robinson holed out within the deep off Cummins.

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