What happened on Day 1 of 5th ENG vs AUS Ashes 2023 Test at The Oval?

Mitchell Starc claimed 4/82 in 14.4 overs as Australia bowled out England for 283 in 54.4 overs on Day 1 of the fifth and final Ashes 2023 Test at The Oval on Thursday, July 27.

Australia dropped as many as five chances, but their bowlers kept creating wicket-taking opportunities in an impressive display. For England, Harry Brook scored a counter-attacking 85 off 91, but a number of other batters failed to capitalize on starts.

In response, Australia went to Stumps at 61/1 in 25 overs. David Warner and Usman Khawaja got the visitors off to a solid start, adding 49 for the first wicket. However, Warner (24) again failed to convert a start. He was smartly caught at slip by Zak Crawley off Chris Woakes, edging a delivery outside off. At the close of play, Khawaja was batting on 26 and Marnus Labuschagne on 2.

Sent into bat after losing the toss, England got off to their typically aggressive start as the openers added 62 in 12 overs. Ben Duckett could have been dismissed on 30, but Warner dropped a sitter off Pat Cummins at slip as the left-handed batter flashed at one away from the body.

Zak Crawley also got a life on 11 as he edged one off Mitchell Marsh. It was an extremely tough chance for Steve Smith, who flung himself to his right at second slip, but the ball did not stick.

The impressive partnership was broken when Duckett (41) gloved one down leg off Marsh - Australia taking the DRS to get the decision in their favor. Crawley (22) was the next to go. He closed the face on a short-of-a-length delivery from Cummins that straightened a little and edged the ball to second slip. This time, Smith made no mistake.

Joe Root (5) paid the price for playing with an angled bat as he chopped a delivery from Josh Hazlewood back onto the stumps. England could have been in bigger trouble, but Brook got a life on 5 as Alex Carey put down another chance; Cummins was the unlucky bowler again. Brook and Moeen Ali added 111 for the fourth wicket to lift England.

Brook struck 11 fours and two sixes in his counter-attacking knock. He was particularly severe on Starc. In the 25th over of the innings, he thumped the Aussie left-arm pacer for two fours and a six off consecutive deliveries. He brought up a 44-ball fifty in the second session with a single off Hazlewood.

Brook and Moeen took the attack to Cummins in the 31st over, which cost Australia 19 runs. The fine stand ended when Todd Murphy castled Moeen (34) with a quick and full delivery.

Starc then produced a beauty to knock over Ben Stokes (3). The England captain looked to work a full delivery across the line, but the ball moved away and crashed into the stumps.

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Australia keep chipping away

Stokes’ dismissal left England in some trouble at 193/5. There was no rescue act from Jonny Bairstow (4), who inside-edged an incoming delivery from Josh Hazlewood. Brook was the next to go, missing out on a well-deserved hundred. He flashed at a wide delivery from Starc and edged the ball to second slip.

Woakes and Mark Wood yet again offered resistance with the bat, adding 49 runs in an entertaining eight-wicket stand. The partnership ended when Murphy cleaned up Wood (28) with a nicely flighted delivery. Stuart Broad (7) then top-edged a short ball from Starc to cover.

England’s innings came to an end when Woakes (36) holed out to wide fine leg, but not before slamming Starc for a six and a four.