Australia beat England by two wickets to win a thrilling first Ashes Test at Edgbaston

England v Australia, first Test: Final scores

Australia win by two wickets

• England 1st inns: 393/8 declared (Root 118no, Bairstow 78, Crawley 61; Lyon 4-149)
• Australia 1st inns: 386 (Khawaja 141, Carey 66, Head 50; Broad 3-68, Robinson 3-55)
• England 2nd inns: 273 (Root 46, Brook 46; Lyon 4-80, Cummins 4-63)
• Australia 2nd inns: 282/8 (Khawaja 65, Cummins 44no; Broad 3-64)

Day four report | Day three report | Day two report | Day one report

The Aussies looked on the brink of defeat when captain Pat Cummins came to the crease at 209/7 with 72 still required but he was there at the very end to hit the winning four to complete a remarkable success.

After heavy rain wiped out the morning session on the fifth day, the tourists finally resumed the fifth and final day at 2:15pm on their overnight score of 107 for three in pursuit of a challenging 281.

With 67 overs possible, the only result nobody was predicting was the draw although the possibility of a tie even began to loom deep into the final session when Cummins got the tail wagging alongside the resolute Nathan Lyon at 227/8, still 54 runs short of the target.

Cummins unleashed a couple of lusty blows for six as well as three fours to get some valuable momentum going while Lyon provided a resolute supporting role to pretty much silence the previously raucous Hollies stand.

The home fans were about to explode into life once again when Stokes almost pulled off a stunning catch to dismiss Lyon off the bowling of Broad with 37 runs required but the ball agonisingly popped out of his hand.

That proved to be the last real chance as Cummins (44no) and Lyon (16no) finished the job with nerves of steal and real grit to give the tourists a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

After play had finally resumed on the fifth afternoon, Stuart Broad made the early breakthrough after Australia added 14 to their overnight total when dismissing nightwatcher Scott Boland, who had made a useful 20 before aiming a flat-footed waft and getting a nick through to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow.

Australia added just 21 runs in the opening hour, perhaps content to soak up some pressure before stepping up the intensity later on in the day.

Stokes’ decision to introduce Moeen Ali looked to have backfired as the all-rounder, nursing a blistered spinning finger, conceded 10 runs in his first three deliveries.

But from his fifth, he found just enough turn to take the edge of Travis Head, with the ball sailing into the obliging hands of Joe Root at slip. Head’s departure for 16 left Australia 143 for five.

Khawaja was in no rush to get the job done, content to keep ticking over as he passed fifty for a second time in the Test, taking 143 balls to do so.

Cameron Green seemed nervy at first but steadily settled to provide a useful foil for Khawaja.

The burly all-rounder clubbed James Anderson down the ground in a rare show of force but was almost deceived by Joe Root as the ball caught an inside edge and dropped down past the stumps.

Australia brought the target down to double digits in the next over and went to tea on 183 for five, requiring another 98 in 38 overs, with the Test still delicately poised heading into the final session.

Broad remonstrated with the umpire to get the ball changed after tea to no avail but Robinson was able to prise out Green, who inside edged on to his stumps for 28 trying to steer to third.

Australia’s last recognised batter Alex Carey joined Khawaja out in the middle.

Stokes pulled a rabbit out of a hat after bringing himself on to bowl as he ended Khawaja’s vigil, with the opener departing for 65 off 197 balls.

With the last delivery of his second over, the England captain rolled his fingers over the ball, which stayed low and took the under-edge of Khawaja’s bat before clattering into the stumps.

A grimacing Stokes barely acknowledged the meaningful breakthrough, which has left England three wickets away from a famous Test victory. Australia still require 72 runs.

Carey was living dangerously after the ball flicked his pad before bat as he shaped to cut off Root but an England review showed the ball would have drifted agonisingly past leg stump.

Later in the over, Carey offered a difficult chance when he advanced to Root and nailed a full-blooded whack back towards the Yorkshireman, who could not cling on as the ball burst through his hands.

Pat Cummins then got a top edge to Stokes’ bouncer but the ball bounced just before Pope, scampering back to square-leg, could get to it.

Root had his head in his hands when Cummins, on six, drilled the ball back at him as he once again could not hold on to an awkward opportunity – but the third time was the charm.

After Stokes delayed taking the second new ball, Carey bludgeoned straight at Root, who initially fumbled another tough chance before grabbing hold and leaving England needing just two wickets.

Cummins put some pressure back on to England with successive sixes off Root before Lyon offered an opportunity off the returning Broad.

Despite having five fielders out on the leg-side, Lyon had no hesitation in pulling Broad and the backtracking Stokes looked to have pulled off a wonder-catch similar to his grab in the 2019 World Cup.

But this time, the ball popped out of his hands despite a desperate second attempt. Cummins then backed away and carved Broad for four to bring Australia’s target plummeting to 30 runs required.

The new ball was taken five overs after it was due, with Australia requiring 27 and England two wickets.

Lyon had a couple of flashes outside off-stump, missing both, either side of a fine drive down the ground for four.

Cummins then hammered Robinson – who said a couple of days ago that Australia have “three number 11s” – just wide of the cover fielder for four as the target was brought down into the teens.

Lyon brought the target down to single figures with a flick over mid-on off Broad, who alongside Robinson was preferred with the new ball ahead of England’s record wicket-taker James Anderson.

The 50-run partnership was brought up to leave Australia wanting four – just one boundary – away from an all-important win.

When Cummins steered Robinson fine, Harry Brook fluffed his attempt to parry to Zak Crawley, giving Australia the four they needed to claim a two-wicket victory and go 1-0 up in the series.