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Fifth Test, The Oval
Day Five
The final day started brightly for England as NGIN Roome continued his spell from the previous night with the wicket of Duff with 200 still needed for the win. Delonge came in and started a positive partnership with Slim, but hooked a short ball off Smyth-Brown to the boundary fielder for 19. With the score on 99/3, the visitors' chase was looking uneasy, but Joel Keast and O'Shea de Slim lasted for the rest of the morning session. Slim raised a composed half century with Keast taking over the aggressor role. At one point Vicente conceded 19 off an over. They took control of the chase and by lunch England were the ones in trouble. 170/3 and only 90 still to get in the last two sessions.
With the draw now out of the question, the home attack needed to fire, and up stepped Heath Davis. In the seamer's first over after the break he fired in a yorker that beast Slim's defences for his first wicket of the innings. In the next over Keast brought up his own attacking fifty with a pair of boundaries off Herregonaes, but as Roome replaced the allrounder to keep the runs down at one end, Davis was ticking. He dismissed Keast lbw and Kasinathan caught at slip in the same over as the Australians dipped to 192/6.
The scoring completely shut down and 10 overs later, midway through the afternoon session, Ruthless and Starfighter had added another 16 runs before Davis picked up his fourth wicket of his spell with an inswinger to Ruthless for 10. Starfighter was fighting a lone battle, hitting a couple of boundaries off Smyth-Brown, but at the other end Davis refused to come off and completed his five-for with another lbw, this time Ruid for 1. 224/8, and an exhausted Davis had 5-52.
With Smyth-Brown conceding runs, the captain turned to allrounders Herregonaes and Mole, and it paid off. Starfighter had been a thorn in the side all session but couldn't clear cover on a lofted drive off the offspinner. Nine down and 30 to get, but that didn't mean O'Fcoco and David weren't going to try. In Herregonaes' next over O'Fcoco ran a pair of byes and edged a four through slips. After a few singles off Mole, a clubbed boundary and a wild delivery that went for four byes off Herregonaes, the 250 came up. Then another boundary, this time Thexton David sending his fellow spinner to the leg side boundary. Five to get. The captain kept the faith in Herregonaes - who smashed David's stumps. 3-1, and the Forumers' Ashes 2023 went to England.
England won by 5 runs
POTM: Red Inksquid
Day Five
The final day started brightly for England as NGIN Roome continued his spell from the previous night with the wicket of Duff with 200 still needed for the win. Delonge came in and started a positive partnership with Slim, but hooked a short ball off Smyth-Brown to the boundary fielder for 19. With the score on 99/3, the visitors' chase was looking uneasy, but Joel Keast and O'Shea de Slim lasted for the rest of the morning session. Slim raised a composed half century with Keast taking over the aggressor role. At one point Vicente conceded 19 off an over. They took control of the chase and by lunch England were the ones in trouble. 170/3 and only 90 still to get in the last two sessions.
With the draw now out of the question, the home attack needed to fire, and up stepped Heath Davis. In the seamer's first over after the break he fired in a yorker that beast Slim's defences for his first wicket of the innings. In the next over Keast brought up his own attacking fifty with a pair of boundaries off Herregonaes, but as Roome replaced the allrounder to keep the runs down at one end, Davis was ticking. He dismissed Keast lbw and Kasinathan caught at slip in the same over as the Australians dipped to 192/6.
The scoring completely shut down and 10 overs later, midway through the afternoon session, Ruthless and Starfighter had added another 16 runs before Davis picked up his fourth wicket of his spell with an inswinger to Ruthless for 10. Starfighter was fighting a lone battle, hitting a couple of boundaries off Smyth-Brown, but at the other end Davis refused to come off and completed his five-for with another lbw, this time Ruid for 1. 224/8, and an exhausted Davis had 5-52.
With Smyth-Brown conceding runs, the captain turned to allrounders Herregonaes and Mole, and it paid off. Starfighter had been a thorn in the side all session but couldn't clear cover on a lofted drive off the offspinner. Nine down and 30 to get, but that didn't mean O'Fcoco and David weren't going to try. In Herregonaes' next over O'Fcoco ran a pair of byes and edged a four through slips. After a few singles off Mole, a clubbed boundary and a wild delivery that went for four byes off Herregonaes, the 250 came up. Then another boundary, this time Thexton David sending his fellow spinner to the leg side boundary. Five to get. The captain kept the faith in Herregonaes - who smashed David's stumps. 3-1, and the Forumers' Ashes 2023 went to England.
England won by 5 runs
POTM: Red Inksquid
