Ashes, 5th Test: Australia require 384 runs to win
England have been bowled out for 395 in the second innings of the 4th Ashes Test at the Kennington Oval, London. The hosts are in the driving seat, having set Australia a target of 384 runs. England played attacking cricket in the second innings, with Zak Crawley, Joe Root, and Jonny Bairstow scoring fifties. Meanwhile, Mitchell Starc and Todd Murphy took four wickets each.
A look at England's innings
England started their second innings on Day 3 They wiped out Australia's 12-run lead (295) in no time as Ben Duckett and Crawley added 79 runs. The English batters made full use of the platform that was set. Crawley (73), Root (91), and Bairstow (78) slammed crucial fifties. England were 389/9 at stumps on Day 3 and eventually finished on 395.
A dominant knock from Crawley
Crawley gave England a flying start on day three as he added 79 runs with Duckett. The opener smashed a 76-ball 73, which was laced with nine boundaries. Crawley registered his 10th Test half-century and his third against Australia. Crawley has raced to 2,204 runs in 39 Tests at an average of 31.48. He has scored the most runs in this Ashes (480).
Joint most fifty-plus scores for England in Test cricket
England's talisman Root was exceptional, having compiled 91 off 106 deliveries. Root hammered his 60th Test fifty and his 18th against Australia. He stitched a 110-run stand with Bairstow, taking England beyond the 300-run mark. Root registered his 90th fifty-plus score in Tests and equaled Alastair Cook, who owns the most Test fifty-plus scores by an English batter (33 centuries).
Bairstow's game-changing knock
Bairstow played another blinder as he clocked his 26th test fifty. He slammed a 103-ball 78, which was laced with 11 boundaries. The 33-year-old wicket-keeper batter has slammed three fifties in this Ashes series while scoring 322 runs. Playing his 95th Test, Bairstow has compiled 5,804 runs at an average of 37.20. Besides 26 fifties, he has smashed 12 centuries in this format.
Four-fers for Starc and Murphy
It was a tough innings for the Australian bowlers as all of them went for runs. But Starc was the star of them all as he finished the day with figures 4/100. On the other hand, Murphy, who was mostly taken to the cleaners, also scalped a four-fer (4/110). Murphy was very expensive but he dismissed Stokes, Root, Mark Wood, and lastly James Anderson.
Can Australia script history?
As mentioned, Australia require 384 runs to win the final Test. Notably, they have chased over 380 in a Test only once (404/3 against England, 1948). Their second-highest successful run-chase in Tests came in 1999 against Pakistan (369/6).
