The thrilling first Ashes Test match between England and Australia ended in the favour of the Pat Cummins-led side on Tuesday by two wickets. Playing in Birmingham, the visitors held their nerves as Cummins (44*) and Nathan Lyon (16*) stitched an unbeaten partnership of 55 runs and took their side across the line in the chase of 281. Cricket is considered as the gentleman’s game but sometimes the intensity of the contest makes the players lose their cool on the field. An example of that was seen during the match when Australia opener Usman Khawaja engaged in an exchange of words with England pacer Ollie Robinson.
Both the players had a rough meet during Australia’s first innings, when Robinson had dismissed Khawaja and was seen using abusive words to send him off. However, on Day 5, the tension once again rose between them as during the drinks break, both the players were seen exchanging some words, after which Robinson came charging towards Khawaja. It was then, pacer James Anderson came in as the peacemaker and took Robinson away.
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According to the UK media, Robinson began the argument with Khawaja who responded saying, “that’s why you are not a batsman”. In the process, the altercation intensified.
England did well on the 5th day after rain forced the game to start late. With the early dismissals of the likes of Scott Boland, Travis Head, Cameron Green, and Alex Carey, the hosts put themselves in the driving seat but the challenge of Cummins and Lyon came out of the syllabus.
While Cummins went on to score 44 runs off 73 balls, Lyon gave him excellent company with 16 off 28. Their partnership of 55 runs for the 9th wicket dented England’s hopes of taking a lead in the series.
To put things into context, this is the joint-highest score that has been chased down by a visiting side at Edgbaston, with South Africa also chasing down 281 in 2008.
Overall, the 55-run stand between Cummins and Lyon was the 4th highest in the history of Test cricket for the 9th wicket in a successful run-chase. The successful 282-run chase is also Australia’s 4th highest in the history of the Ashes.
England, having lost the opening Test, would look to bounce back in the following matches.
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