3 things Australia need to do to win 1st Ashes Test on Day 5
Australia are on the cusp of burying the ghosts of their gut-wrenching loss in Edgbaston back in 2005, after being given a similar challenge in the first Test of the 2023 Ashes. The Men in Yellow were given a target of 281 to chase down after a solid bowling display on Day 4 of the contest.
Usman Khawaja and David Warner gave the visitors an ideal and optimistic start to the run chase, but things fell apart close to the end of the day's play. England came back strongly with three wickets, including the ones of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne to leave the contest on a knife's edge ahead of Day 5.
Australia's botched run chase at this very venue in 2005 coupled with their poor chasing record in the recent past are only a few of the obstacles to overcome. Weather potentially playing spoilsport and the relentless England bowling attack also have to be dealt with by the remaining batters.
On that note, here are three things Australia absolutely have to get right to take a 1-0 lead in the Ashes with a last-day win.
#1 Usman Khawaja should look to hold one end and anchor the proceedings
Even though the Edgbaston wicket is far from a menacing wicket, batters will have to be careful against an experienced bowling unit. Usman Khawaja showed the perfect template to bat on the pitch and should the other batters play their game and the veteran batter hold his run, Australia should go home without any hiccups.
Khawaja played out 321 deliveries in the first innings, which was almost half of the balls bowled in the entire innings. Barring getting castled by Stuart Broad off a no-ball, the left-handed opener was solid on his way to his first Test hundred on English soil.
His presence at the crease will come as a great source of comfort for Australia and on the contrary, as long as he is there, England will be uneasy for sure.
#2 Australia need to negotiate the first hour carefully and not lose wickets
The first hour has always been the key to a final day run chase. While England took the opposite route on Day 4 by taking on bowlers despite being in a tricky state, Australia are unlikely to follow the same suit.
Scott Boland did a commendable job as night-watchman, scoring an unbeaten 13 runs off 19 deliveries. Given that he has a couple of first-class fifties to his name, it is crucial that he sticks around for a little while longer, fending off the unavoidable initial charge by the England bowlers and not expose the remainder of the Australian middle order in the very first hour of play on Day 5.
Negotiating the first hour unscathed will prove to be beneficial in other aspects as well as it will boost Australia's confidence and will deter England's spirits slightly.
#3 Capitalize on left-handed heavy batting unit
One of the biggest trump cards that the visiting side hold is the presence of a plethora of left-handed batters against a wounded Moeen Ali. The all-rounder has been struggling with a blister on his finger which has prevented him from bowling at full capacity in the last couple of days.
He bowled 33 overs in the first innings and a similar marathon effort is ideally required of him in the second innings as well, but he has struggled so far, with multiple visits to the dressing room to treat the wound. The dry pitch is sporting enough turn which Nathan Lyon has capitalised on, picking eight wickets in each innings.
The pacers might bowl their heart out from around the wicket, but the biggest weapon on a Day 5 pitch while defending a target from left-handers is a fully functioning off-spinner.
The likes of Usman Khawaja, Travis Head and Alex Carey can capitalize but have to be careful at the same time since the Men in Yellow do not have a strong tail due to the absence of Mitchell Starc.
Will Australia chase down the remaining runs to take a 1-0 lead in the 2023 Ashes? Let us know what you think.