Ashes 2023: England, Australia reprimanded for slow over rate in Edgbaston
Ricky Ponting questions Ben Stokes-led England's Bazball approach
England and Australia played a game for ages in Edgbaston but the teams paid the price for the entertainment they produced. The teams were docked two points each along with 40 per cent match fees of all the players. The docked points will reflect in their tally of the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle of 2023-25.
Match referee Andy Pycroft, after the match, which Australia won by two wickets, reprimanded both teams. As per the International Cricket Council (ICC) rules, players get docked 20 per cent of their match fee for each over short. The teams were found two overs short after considering the allowance time to complete the overs.
After taking the docked points into account, England stand at minus two while Australia stand at 10 after getting 12 points for their win in the current WTC cycle.
Also Read:Ricky Ponting questions England's 'style of play' after Edgbaston thriller
Australia equalize Edgbaston 2005 score
England and Australia had played a thriller on the same ground in the 2005 Ashes as well which the hosts had won by the barest of the margins - two runs to be exact. Needing 174 runs on the final day, the game in 2023 also had the same vibes about it.
Australia looked ahead at tea after the morning session got washed out. English skipper Ben Stokes then took the wicket of Man of the Match Usman Khawaja to break the game open. With Moeen Ali being injured, Joe Root was given the ball and he obliged with the wicket of Alex Carey.
Skipper Patrick Cummins and Nathan Lyon then added 55 runs for the ninth wicket as Australia held their nerves and went on to win the first Test by two wickets.
The frantic final hour
The new ball was available to England but they decided not to take it. The move, at first, gave England the wicket of Carey but Cummins then decided to turn on the heat. Needing 51 runs in the final 15 overs (maximum possible), Cummins hit Root for two sixes in the first of those overs, bringing down the equation to 36.
Lyon was dropped in the very next over as Stokes couldn't latch onto a catch despite his superhuman effort. The Aussie pair then played relatively calmly even as the new ball zipped past their edge on more than a couple of occasions.
An edge off a short Ollie Robinson delivery, which seemed to get Australia one run out three needed, was pushed to the boundary at third man, giving Australia a famous win.
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