Australia win 1st Ashes Test to go 1-nil up

Australia have rolled England for 146 in the second innings to claim victory in the first Ashes Test match at Edgbaston.

Six wickets to spinner Nathan Lyon and four from paceman Pat Cummins has seen the Aussies complete an incredible comeback and win by 251 runs. They take a 1-nil lead in the series, taking their first win at the venue since 2001.

The visitors slumped to 8/122 on day one after winning the toss and electing to bat, before centuries in both innings from star batsman Steve Smith dragged his side back into the match.

England will rue the decision to play veteran Jimmy Anderson who broke down with a calf injury in just the fourth over of the match and was unable to return. This left the home side a bowler down for the rest of the match.

An awesome spell from Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad ripped through the Aussies on the opening day but they were unable to dislodge the form Australian skipper as he powered on to a spirited century on his return to the Test side. Smith’s innings of 144, assisted by tail enders Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon saw the visitors scramble to 284.

First Test back, first innings, 24th Test hundred – Steve Smith take a bow. 👏

WATCH: @Channel9 and @9Gem
STREAM: https://t.co/ARaHMPPTti #9WWOS #Ashes pic.twitter.com/gxqZpf0WPG

— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) August 1, 2019

At the end of day two, England had almost surpassed Australia’s total with six wickets still left in the shed, but an excellent bowling performance on the third morning restricted the home sides lead to 90, giving the Aussies a chance in the match.

When the visitors lost early wickets in their second innings, it looked as though they might struggle to post a decent total for England to chase.

However, once again Steven Smith looked unstoppable and along with Travis Head, the pair put on a crucial partnership to take the lead past one hundred. Head would eventually fall for 51, but Matthew Wade continued the fight allowing Smith to reach his second century for the match. All eyes were on Smith as he moved on to 142 before being dismissed by Chris Woakes, but Wade has quietly moved into the 70’s and Australia found themselves 241 runs ahead. 

There has plenty of pressure from the Australian public to get Wade back into the Australia Test team after showing great domestic form and the 31-year-old replayed the selectors faith, notching up his third Test century to allow his side to declare at 7/487 and set England 398 to win.

England openers Rory Burns and Jason Roy survived a seven over barrage at the end of day four, but it didn’t take long on the final day for the wickets to fall.

Pat Cummins struck just three overs in to remove first innings centurion Rory Burns for 11. Roy looked to steady with skipper Joe Root, but when Nathan Lyon claimed the opener for 28 the rot set in for England. Roy came down the wicket to the off-spinner, but it spun back through the gate and clattered into the stumps.

Lyon quickly dismissed Joe Denly, before taking the crucial wicket of Root to leave England reeling at 4/85 at lunch.

Cummins continued the carnage after lunch, knocking over Jos Buttler with a peach of a delivery that hit the top of off-stump. The quick captured his third wicket with an attempted short ball that crashed into Jonny Bairstow, with a review from the batsman showing it had just brushed the gloves.

LIVE BLOG: Nathan Lyon gets a wicket after a Jason Roy brain explosion #Ashes https://t.co/APGBaZjDS1 pic.twitter.com/YqRXMVveAO

— The Australian (@australian) August 5, 2019

Lyon found the edge of Ben Stokes bat the very next ball and England were in a world of hurt at 7/97.

Chris Woakes showed some resistance with that bat soaking up 10 overs with Moan Ali, but when Lyon dismissed his nemesis and Stuart Broad with consecutive deliveries he had six wickets for the innings.

Woakes took a liking to James Pattinson but it would last long as he spooned one to Steve Smith off Pat Cummins, to hand Australia an incredible victory.