Pat Cummins rises to the event to seal two-wicket Edgbaston epic

Australia 386 (Khawaja 141, Carey 66, Head 50) and 282 for 8 (Khawaja 65) beat England 393 for 8 dec (Root 118, Bairstow 78, Crawley 61, Lyon 4-149) and 273 (Cummins 4-63, Lyon 4-80) by two wickets

Australia gained an epic first Test by two wickets, to take a 1-0 lead over England at Edgbaston, an hour and 6 minutes after they appeared to have misplaced it.

But 12 overs later, Cummins and Lyon had been nonetheless there. Cummins flogged Root for 2 sixes within the first over of the ultimate hour to make a dent within the goal and after surviving a spectacular effort by Ben Stokes at sq. leg when miscuing a hook, Lyon chipped Stuart Broad over mid-on to take the goal right down to single figures.

The Eric Hollies Stand roared England’s depleted assault on. Cummins dug out a yorker from Robinson and each batters wore quick balls on the physique. With three to win and 28 balls left, Cummins guided Robinson away to the rope, tossed his bat and helmet away, punched the air and lifted Lyon off his toes. It had echoes of the 2005 Test right here – however this time, it was Australia who gained by two.

After rain worn out the primary session, he batted via a day through which Australia added 76 runs for the lack of solely two wickets – one in all them nightwatcher Scott Boland, who edged Broad via to Jonny Bairstow. Travis Head poked Moeen Ali to slide as England stored a lid on the scoring charge, however with 98 to win after tea, Australia had been clear favourites.

Khawaja added 49 with Cameron Green in a sixth-wicket stand that spanned the interval, however when Green inside-edged Robinson’s in-ducker on to his stumps, Stokes sensed a chance.

He introduced himself on for his solely spell of the second innings, battling his continual left-knee damage, and smiled wryly when Khawaja chopped his quick, sluggish legcutter on to off stump. The Edgbaston crowd paused for a second, deceived by Stokes’ non-celebration, earlier than erupting into life. England had a very powerful wicket, and wanted solely three extra.

Root, bowling an prolonged spell from the Birmingham End with Moeen’s blistered spinning finger rendering him unable to grip the ball, dropped two troublesome half-chances off his personal bowling, giving Carey and Cummins a life every. Stokes opted to not take the brand new ball when it turned obtainable; three deliveries later, Root held a surprising response catch.

With Carey gone, Cummins turned the protagonist. He has been criticised all through these 5 days for a perceived negativity in his ways, however took management of the sport in its decisive passage. Root went full, so he cleared his entrance leg and swung him down the bottom for six – then repeated the trick two balls later.

Broad returned, nonetheless with the previous ball, and Lyon hooked the second ball of his spell out to Stokes at sq. leg, 25 yards in from the boundary. He flung himself again, sticking his proper hand over his shoulder; the ball looped in the direction of him however escaped his grasp, then squirmed away from his determined second try.

When Cummins slapped a reduce for 4 two balls later, the goal was right down to 30. Stokes opted to take the brand new ball, nevertheless it provided little for Broad and Robinson. They charged in with unfold fields however had nearly nothing left within the tank; as if to mark the altering of a guard, James Anderson ambled stiffly across the outfield.

Despite the jibes, Lyon batted extra like a No. 3, lacing an off drive for 4 down the bottom to the rope – and beating Robinson at mid-off to his proper. After Cummins’ off-side slap snuck underneath Crawley on the cowl boundary, Lyon flogged Broad excessive in the direction of the Australian supporters.

They had been barracked relentlessly by the neighbouring Hollies Stand over the course of the Test match however jumped to their toes to rejoice an imminent Australian victory. Three overs later, they did so as soon as extra to mark the clinching second of an enthralling run chase.

England had been “devastated”, in Stokes’ phrases, however with out their enterprising ways this sport would have been written off as a rain-ruined draw. Instead, it bubbled as much as a conclusion that had Australians gripped to their tv screens till nicely previous 4am – with the promise of 4 extra Tests to come back.