In a nail-biting encounter, England emerged victorious against Australia in the 5th and final Ashes Test held at the iconic Kennington Oval. Although the visitors started strong, reaching 140/0 while chasing a daunting 384, England showcased their fighting spirit and took all 10 wickets on Day 5 to secure a memorable win. Despite the overall series ending in a draw with both teams winning two matches each, Australia retained the Ashes urn.
The Match's Unfolding Drama
The Test began with England batting first and putting up a respectable total of 283 runs, with Mitchell Starc proving to be the pick of the Australian bowlers, taking four wickets. In response, Australia managed to gain a slender 12-run lead by scoring 295 runs in their first innings. England made a strong comeback in their second innings, thanks to exceptional fifties from Zak Crawley, Joe Root, and Jonny Bairstow, helping the team post a challenging target of 384. Starc and Todd Murphy combined to take eight wickets during England's second innings. In Australia's chase, their top-order batsmen, David Warner, Usman Khawaja, and Steven Smith, displayed their mettle by scoring fifties. However, England's Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali played pivotal roles, taking seven wickets between them, leading Australia's downfall as they were eventually bowled out for 334.
A Record-Breaking Opening Stand for Australia
The match also saw a record-breaking performance from the Australian opening pair. On day four, as England resumed their batting on 389/9, they eventually folded for 395. However, Australia's openers, Usman Khawaja and David Warner, showcased remarkable composure and added 140 runs to become the third-highest opening partnership for Australia in men's Ashes Tests played in England this century. The top two spots are still held by Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden with partnerships of 185 and 158 runs, respectively. Khawaja and Warner surpassed the previous third-place record held by Warner and Chris Rogers, who had a partnership of 114 runs.
Warner's Impressive Achievements
In his final Ashes innings, David Warner scored a commendable 60 off 106 balls, achieving yet another feat by being involved in eight 100-run opening partnerships in the Ashes. This accomplishment surpassed the previous record of 24 such partnerships held by Jack Hobbs. Additionally, during the match, Usman Khawaja, the highest run-scorer in the series, completed 5,000 Test runs. His exceptional knock of 72 runs off 145 balls took his total runs in the Ashes 2023 series to 496 at an average of 49.60, making him the leading run-scorer of the tournament. He also reached the milestone of completing 5,000 runs in Test cricket. Khawaja, who made his Test debut against England in 2011, now boasts an impressive record of 15 Test centuries and 24 fifties.
Stuart Broad's Emotional Farewell
On the third day of the Test, Stuart Broad announced his retirement from the game, bidding farewell to a remarkable career. As he came out to bat, he was accorded a heartwarming guard of honour by the Australian players. Broad ended his batting career with 3,662 runs in Tests at an average of 18.03, including 1,019 runs against Australia.
Broad's Landmark Feat: 150 Ashes Wickets
During the Test, Stuart Broad became the first Englishman to achieve the milestone of taking 150 wickets in Ashes matches. This remarkable achievement put him in an elite group of bowlers, with only two other players attaining this feat in the history of Ashes Tests: the Australian legends Shane Warne (195) and Glenn McGrath (157). In a previous match, Broad also became the second English pacer, after his teammate James Anderson, to complete 600 wickets in Test cricket. Moreover, the Kennington Oval Test marked Broad and Anderson's 138th appearance together in the format, breaking the record of South Africa's Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher (137 Tests together). The only pair ahead of them is India's Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, who played 146 Tests in tandem. Worth noting is that Broad and Anderson are the only pacers to have achieved 600 Test wickets.
Alex Carey Joins Exclusive Wicket-keeper List
According to Cricbuzz, Alex Carey became the sixth Australian wicket-keeper to register 25-plus dismissals in an Ashes series. Although Ian Healy (1993, 1994/95, 1997) and Adam Gilchrist (2001, 2002/03, 2006/07) achieved it many times, Rod Marsh (1982/83), Brad Haddin (2013), and Tim Paine (2017/18) only did so once. During the 2023 series, Carey had 21 catches and five stumpings.
Starc Shines as Leading Wicket-taker
Mitchell Starc delivered an outstanding performance, taking eight wickets in the 5th Test, recording four-wicket hauls in both innings (4/82 and 4/100). As a result, Starc claimed the title of the leading wicket-taker of the series, snatching 23 wickets from four matches at an average of 27.09. Notably, the left-arm seamer's brilliant show with the ball came after being dropped for the series opener. England's Stuart Broad followed closely with 20 wickets in the series.
Smith's Twin Fifties and Surpassing Steve Waugh
Steven Smith showcased his brilliance by scoring twin fifties in the Oval Test (71 and 54). His 54-run knock in the second innings played a pivotal role in keeping Australia's hopes alive during the run chase. The middle-order batsman partnered with Travis Head to share a crucial 95-run stand before Australia faced a batting collapse. This was Smith's 39th half-century in Test cricket, with nine of these scores achieved in England. Moreover, Smith registered 25 scores of 50+ runs in men's Ashes Tests, placing him third on the list of Australian batters with the most such scores in men's Ashes matches. The top two positions are held by legends Sir Donald Bradman (31) and Allan Border (29).
Career-Best Bowling Figures for Murphy
Australia's Todd Murphy had a decent outing with the ball in the second innings. Although he went for runs, the spinner scalped crucial wickets and finished with career-best figures of 4/110 on Day 4. Notably, Murphy recorded the second-best bowling figures by a spinner in Ashes 2023, with the best figures for the series achieved by Nathan Lyon (4/80, 1st Test).
Crawley's Entry into Record Books
England opener Zak Crawley made a grand entrance to the record books during Ashes 2023. He started both the opening and final Test by smashing boundaries off the very first ball. His quickfire 73 off 76 balls in the final innings of the series helped him become England's highest run-scorer in the tournament, accumulating 480 runs at an average of 53.33. Crawley's performance stands as the most runs scored by an England opener in an Ashes series since Alastair Cook's outstanding display of 766 runs in 2010/11.
Key Battles of the Match
Among the key battles that captivated the fans, Jonny Bairstow's fiery half-century in England's second innings stood out. He scored 78 off 103 balls before being dismissed by Mitchell Starc, who has now claimed Bairstow's wicket 12 times in Test cricket. On the other hand, Chris Woakes proved his prowess by dismissing David Warner in both innings at the Oval, taking Warner's wicket for the sixth time in the format.
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