It was a day of jubilation for England as they asserted their dominance in the fifth and final Ashes Test at The Oval, ending the third day with a commanding lead of 377 runs. The England camp were all smiles as their star bowlers, James Anderson and Stuart Broad, walked off the field to a well-deserved standing ovation, with bats in hand. England’s performance was nothing short of spectacular throughout the day, with the exception of a late wobble where they lost five wickets for 47 runs in the final hour of play.
England Openers stick to the “Bazball” approach
The opening duo of Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett set the tone early on, providing a flying start that left Australia’s bowlers searching for answers. Their aggressive approach paved the way for England’s commanding position, and once they departed, the rest of the top-order batters continued the onslaught.
Joe Root shines again, in tandem with Bairstow
Apart from Harry Brook, who fell early, all of England’s top-seven batters made promising starts. Joe Root, England’s champion batter, was in sublime form and looked destined for a century until he fell agonisingly short by nine runs. However, it was Root’s partnership with Jonny Bairstow that truly put England in a commanding position. The duo combined brilliantly, adding 110 runs for the fifth wicket and effectively quashing any thoughts Australia had of restricting England to under 350 runs.
Starc and Murphy costly wicket-takers
While Mitchell Starc and Todd Murphy were the most expensive bowlers for Australia, they still managed to claim seven wickets between them. Nevertheless, England’s resilient batting lineup ensured they were not bowled out, and the veteran duo of Anderson and Broad will aim to push the team close to the 400-run mark on the fourth morning.
As the focus shifts to the penultimate day’s play, all eyes will be on how Australia’s batters approach the daunting chase. England’s dominant display has shown that there are no demons in the pitch, challenging Australia to bring their A-game and exhibit remarkable resilience. The outcome of this match and the Ashes series hangs in the balance, promising another exciting day of cricket.