ASHES PLAYER RATINGS: Anderson was not at his best while Khawaja held together Australia’s batting

Australia narrowly won the first Ashes Test by two wickets after Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon saw them come home to a thrilling final day of action at Edgbaston.

The day started at 107-3 and chased 281 to win, but play finally got underway at 2:20 PM after the morning was washed out by rain.

You couldn’t afford to take your eyes off the action as England and Australia kept throwing punches.

It looked like Ben Stokes’ side would prevail if they beat the visitors, 227-8, needing a further 54 to win, but an inspired unbroken ninth wicket partnership between Cummins and Lyon meant first blood for the Aussie laundry.

Below, Mail Sports Lawrence Booth examines how each player fared at Edgbaston.

Australia thrilledly won the first Test as they came home with two wickets at Edgbaston

It was a brutal end for England after five exciting days of Ashes cricket

ENGLAND

Zak Crawley7

Immediate history with his first-ball four, going on for a smooth 61 in his first home Ashes innings. Got a good one from Boland in the second innings in the toughest batting conditions of the game.

Ben Duckett4

Famously, he leaves little outside the stump, which twice proved his downfall. The second innings might have been more cautious, when dark clouds seemed to call for caution.

Ollie Pope 5.5

Got a nothing ball from Lyon in the first innings, but couldn’t do much about Cummins’ swinging yorker in the second inning. Averaged 14 in his four Ashes Tests.

Joe Root 9

Imperious in the first innings, mischievous in the second – not least when he tried to turn over Cummins’ first pitch of the fourth day. Stumped for the first time in his 131 Tests, suggesting wrong choice of shot to Lyon. Stepped up with the ball as Ali faltered.

Harry Brook 6.5

Looked classy in both innings, but 32 and 46 left ample runs in the middle. His dismissal in the first innings was mainly unfortunate and partly lame – he should have covered his stumps when the ball exploded out of his eyeline.

Joe Root was at his best with the bat and stepped up with the ball when needed

Stuart Broad continues to be a great competitor and was twice responsible for Marnus Labuschagne

Ben Stokes7

You have to hand it to him: he doesn’t settle for a boring test. Debate will continue to rage over his statement on night one, but if he had caught Lyon in spectacular fashion with Australia still 37 short, he might have been hailed as a genius. Two big wickets and a handy 43.

Jonny Bairstow7

Made a crucial, innings-forming 78 on the first day, then held a beauty to send Labuschagne off for a duck. But he was sloppy behind the stumps, rekindling the old feud about him and Ben Foakes. Still feeling his way back from injury.

Moeen Ali 5.5

Rejected Head twice and Green bowled a beauty, but struggled throughout with a finger blister that ensured a regular supply of buffet balls. Cameos from 18 and 19 for the sake of the old days.

Ollie Robinson 7.5

Started quietly, but burst into life with his expletive dismissal of Khawaja, and was one of Stokes’ go-to bowlers on the agonizing final afternoon. Useful runs too, but maybe regret Australia had three No. 11s.

Stuart Breed 8

He said he had been working on a swing for Labuschagne and Smith, then struck them out in three of the four innings. It would have been different if he hadn’t bowled Khawaja with a no-ball in the first innings, but he remains a great competitor.

James Anderson5

Not at his best, in his own words: just one wicket in 38 overs, even though he had had Khawaja in the first over of the Australian chase. England will have to keep an eye on his condition in the coming weeks.

But Jimmy Anderson struggled as he took just one wicket in 38 overs during the match

Moeen Ali also faltered when he was hampered by a finger blister on his return to Test cricket

AUSTRALIA

Usman Khawaja 9.5

Deserved to be on the winning side after holding both Australian innings together, facing 518 balls in total and spending 13 hours 40 minutes on the crease. Also gave a moving press conference with his daughter on his lap.

David Warner6

Started off in familiar fashion by falling to Broad for the 15th time in Tests, but gave Australia’s chase of 281 a decent start, before being caught behind Robinson for 36.

Marnus Labuschagne 2

Undone twice by his desire to feel bat on ball, and by Broad’s pre-series plan to get him to the outswinger. That’s a century in 31 Test innings outside Australia for the world’s number 1 batsman, compared to nine from 37 innings at home.

Steve Smith 3

Cut a frustrated figure throughout the Test, whether it was disagreeing with Hawk-Eye’s interpretation of his lbw in the first innings, or constantly playing with Australia’s fields – despite Cummins being captain. First round to England.

Usman Khawja was brilliant at the top of the league as he held Australia’s batting together

But it was a tough test for Labuschagne who continues to struggle outside of Australia

Travis Head 7

Changed the momentum of Australia’s first innings with a Bazball-style 50, but looked flustered on the final afternoon, as he fell to Ali for the second time in the game.

Cameron Green 6.5

Fortunately not stunned for a duck in the first innings, but ended up playing two important innings. His other important contribution was not with the ball (he only bowled eight overs), but in the field, where he brilliantly caught Duckett in the trench.

Alex Carey 7.5

Kept immaculate, tied the Ashes record with nine dismissals in a game, and adventurously hit twice for 66 and 20, even though he rode his luck both times.

Pat Cummins 9

Suffered jokes about negative captaincy on the first day, but responded with two crucial blows either side of four wickets in the second innings. His nerves on the last day helped his country to one of their most famous victories.

NathanLyon 8.5

Kept his head under fire to collect nine wickets, including three stumpings, and move within four of 500 in Tests. Was called a “s*** Moeen Ali” by the Hollies Stand, then came out and helped Cummins drive off the runs.

Pat Cummins was fantastic as he helped his team to one of their most famous victories ever

Nathan Lyon was brilliant with the ball and then came out to help Cummins clear the points

Scott Boland5

Partly due to his greater accuracy, he was picked ahead of Mitchell Starc, disappearing for 5.65 a go – easily the most expensive of his nine tests. It only looked constantly dangerous as the clouds rolled in on the third afternoon. Quite a hand as a night watchman.

Josh Hazlewood 5.5

A touch of rust in just his fifth Test in two injury-ridden years, going 4.36 overall – the most expensive match of his 60 Test career. But he got an early win over Duckett and cheaply removed Stokes on the first day.

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