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

England by Australia by 49 runs in the fifth and final Ashes 2023 Test at The Oval on Monday, July 31. Set a target of 384, the visitors resumed their innings on 135/0. However, they were bowled out for 334 as Chris Woakes (4/50) and Moeen Ali (3/76) came up with excellent bowling performances. With the win, England drew the pulsating series 2-2. And while Australia retained the urn, they yet again fell short of winning an Ashes series in England.

Australia resumed Day 5 with Usman Khawaja batting on 69 and David Warner on 58. Woakes gave England the early momentum, dismissing both openers. Warner (60) was caught behind off a peach that drew him forward and induced the edge by nipping away late. Khawaja (72) was trapped lbw yet again. He missed a fuller length delivery and was hit in front of middle and leg.

Marnus Labuschagne’s poor Ashes 2023 campaign ended on a familiar note as he nicked one from Mark Wood that angled in and nipped away. Labuschagne was back in the hunt for 13 off 33 balls. Steve Smith and Travis Head, however, brought Australia right back in the contest, adding 95 for the fourth wicket.

Both batters showed good defiance but also hit some key boundaries to keep England under pressure. In the 56th over, Head struck James Anderson for consecutive fours as Australia went past 200. There was a massive moment in the game just before lunch when Ben Stokes lost control of the ball after taking the catch of Smith.

Smith was batting on 39 when Moeen got one to spin sharply and ball ballooned off the batter’s gloves. Stokes at leg gully leapt and caught the ball. However, as he attempted to celebrate, his right hand hits his right knee and the ball popped out. Stokes took the review but the third umpire concluded that the England captain was not in control of the ball. Australia went to lunch at 238/3.

The entire second session was lost due to rain. England, however, were absolutely dominant in the final session of a fabulous Ashes series. Moeen ended Head’s resistance for 43 with a tossed-up delivery that spun from the rough and caught the edge on the way to slip.

Smith (54) was done in by another moment of brilliance from Woakes. The England pacer got one to nip away off the seam in the corridor of uncertainty and Smith could only nick the delivery.

---

Moeen strikes before Broad signs off in style

Mitchell Marsh (6) was the next to go as Australia’s innings fell apart. Moeen got another one to spin sharply and the batter inside-edged the ball onto his pads. The ball lobbed towards the right of keeper Jonny Bairstow, who showed great reflexes and pulled off a stunner. Mitchell Starc (0) played a poor stroke and was caught in the slip cordon off Woakes’ bowling. From 238/3 at lunch, Australia had slipped to 275/7.

There was no rescue act from Aussie skipper Pat Cummins this time. He was out for 9, caught at leg slip off the inside edge and thigh pad as he looked to heave a half-tracker from Moeen. Australia’s lower-order, however, did not give up, as Alex Carey and Todd Murphy added 35 for the ninth wicket.

It needed a moment of magic from Stuart Broad in his last match to end the partnership. He changed the bails at the non-striker’s end for luck. Very next delivery, he produced a jaffa, which angled in towards off and nipped away. The delivery was too good for Murphy (18), who could only nick it to the keeper.

Fittingly, Broad brought down the curtains on the Test, a wonderful series and an exceptional career by claiming the last wicket. He had Carey (28) caught behind in typical fashion, inducing an edge off a probing delivery outside off stump. The England legend couldn’t have scripted the fairy tale any better.