[Watch] Pat Cummins throws bat and helmet in the air after hitting winning runs in dramatic Ashes opener
Australia captain Pat Cummins displayed animated celebrations as the visitors edged out England by two wickets in the nail-biting first Ashes Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Tuesday, June 20.
Cummins was unbeaten on 44 from 73 balls, hammering four boundaries and two sixes, as Australia chased 281 with 4.3 overs left on Day 5. It was apparently a come-from-behind victory for Australia, as England had reduced them to 227 for 8 when they needed 54 runs more to win.
A fightback from Pat Cummins, along with the determination of Nathan Lyon on the other hand, took Australia past the finish line. Cummins clubbed England off-spinner Joe Root for a couple of sixes in the 83rd over before crunching one through the covers for a boundary off Stuart Broad in the next over.
Lyon banked on the bad balls from Stuart Broad to hit the senior England pacer for two boundaries. He was solid in his defensive approach to tackle the good ones from Broad and Ollie Robinson.
Although Lyon was dropped by Stokes while he was batting on 2, Broad got close enough to beat his bat on numerous occasions. As Australia required three runs in the last five overs, Cummins opened the face of his bat to guide it towards the third man and eventually beat the fielder for four runs to seal the winning momentum.
The Australian captain threw his bat and helmet in ecstasy before lifting up Nathan Lyon to celebrate the win.
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| Relive the winning moment from an exhilarating 1st Test in #TheAshes 🤩The iconic finish this match deserved 🤌
📹 | Relive the winning moment from an exhilarating 1st Test in #TheAshes 🤩
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Pat Cummins bailed Australia out from England scare
Australia needed 174 runs to win on the final day of the Ashes opener with seven wickets in their hands. Opener Usman Khawaja and nightwatchman Scott Boland resumed with an overnight score of 107/3.
Broad removed Boland after his brief resistance in the early overs. The injured Moeen Ali got the better of Travis Head for the second time in this Test. Just before a partnership between Khawaja and Cameron Green could flourish, Robinson forced the Australian all-rounder to chop on to his stumps.
England captain Ben Stokes ended Khawaja's defiance in the 72nd over before Joe Root returned a spectacular one-handed catch off his own bowling to dismiss Alex Carey.
Australian lower-order batters held their nerves as Cummins and Lyon were involved in an unbroken 55-run stand to take Australia 1-0 up in the five-match Ashes series.