Top 3 bowling performances of Ashes 2023 ft. Chris Woakes

England won the 5th and final Test of the Ashes to level the series and cap off a remarkable comeback after having lost the first two games. Their performance on the final day epitomized their comeback in the series as their backs were against the wall at the start of day 5.

Australia required 259 runs on the final day with 10 wickets intact and it required something special from England to stop them from winning. Chris Woakes stepped up for England as he picked up a four-wicket haul to orchestrate a collapse. England eventually won the match by 49 runs to culminate a terrific rubber which lasted six weeks.

Overall, the series which had many ebbs and flows saw many individuals put up performances of note, not least with the ball.

On that note, here's a look at the top 3 knocks of Ashes 2023:

#3 Mitchell Starc (5-78, Headingley)

Mitchell Starc ended the series as the leading wicket-taker

In recent times, Mitchell Starc has been subject to a lot of criticism owing to his inconsistency. However, in this Ashes series, the experienced campaigner had a huge impact as he picked up 23 wickets in just four games, finishing as the highest wicket-taker. His finest performance came at Headingley when he picked up five of the seven wickets that fell in England's second innings.

Australia had to defend a total of 250 and Starc gave it his absolute best. He picked up the wickets of Ben Duckett, Moeen Ali, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow to give his side a real chance before England managed to cross the victory line. The English batters played extremely aggressive cricket which made Starc returns all the more impresive.

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#2 Chris Woakes (4-50, The Oval)

Chris Woakes played just 3 Tests in the series but had a massive impact

One of the finest bowling performances of the series came from the ever reliable Chris Woakes on the final day of the series. Australia needed 249 runs on day 5 to win the game and the series 3-1. England, meanwhile, required 10 wickets to level the series 2-2.

Woakes stood up for his side as he picked up four wickets to trigger a collapse for the Aussies. He bagged the wickets of Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc which rattled Australia.

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#1 Mark Wood (5-34, Headingley)

Mark Wood holds up the ball after taking a five-wicket haul at Headingly

By the time Mark Wood came into the playing 11, Australia had already won two Tests and England were under serious pressure. Wood immediately made his presence felt as he picked up a five wicket haul at Headingley. Wood first dismissed the in-form Usman Khawaja before returning later to demolish the lower order with his thunderbolts.

The delivery that he bowled to Khawaja was a special one as it has the lethal combination of swing and pace which is always a difficult thing to counter. His 5-34 helped England restrict the Aussies to 263 on what was a decent pitch for batting. He picked up two more wickets in the second innings and also scored 40 runs in the game to help England win the game and make a comeback in the series.