The Ashes 2023 | England dismisses Australia to take 7-run lead in thrilling opener

England’s Zak Crawley, right and teammate England’s Ben Duckett leave the pitch as rain falls and the match is delayed during day three of the first Ashes Test cricket match between England and Australia at Edgbaston, Birmingham, England, Sunday, June 18, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AP

It’s a one-innings shootout at a thrilling Ashes cricket series opener after England ran through the Australia tail to take a narrow first-innings lead of seven runs on Sunday.

Australia resumed the third day at Edgbaston on 311-5 and was all out for 386 right before lunch as England seamers Stuart Broad (3-68) and Ollie Robinson (3-55) bounced their way through the lower order.

At 338-5, Australia had looked like taking a useful first-innings lead.

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Robinson claimed the key wicket of Usman Khawaja for a superb 141. The Australia opener, who hit his first test century in England on Saturday, was bowled after advancing and then stretching in an unsuccessful attempt to stop the ball from hitting his off stump. That ended a useful partnership for the seventh wicket of 34, with Australia captain Pat Cummins providing 27 of those runs. At that stage Australia was 20 runs behind.

James Anderson had made the breakthrough for England in the fifth over of the morning session, bowling wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey for a 99-ball 66. Anderson’s delivery reached the stumps to leave Australia 55 runs behind England’s 393-8 declared.

Cummins came to the crease at the start of the tourists’ tail but again showed he can definitely bat, and smashed Moeen Ali for a six and then another in the same over, casting a dampener over the 36-year-old allrounder’s birthday.

Cummins played a true captain’s innings, hitting 38 with three sixes. He was the last man out, again to a short-pitched delivery from Robinson and caught by England captain Ben Stokes.

Ali, who had come out of test retirement for the injured Jack Leach, appeared to have a finger injury, sending down a couple of full tosses, and left the field. It could be a factor for England captain Ben Stokes before attempting to set any generous chase for the visitors.

Australia had reduced the deficit to 16 when Nathan Lyon hooked a short-pitched delivery from Robinson to give Ben Duckett a low catch near the boundary. No. 10 Scott Boland offered a tame close-range catch to Ollie Pope at silly point after another rising delivery from Broad.

One old foe of any Ashes series in England — rain — threatens to make an appearance in the afternoon session with potentially heavy showers.