The Ashes 2023: 5 Best Performers of 1st Test Match Between England Vs Australia
The Ashes 2023: The first Test match of The Ashes 2023 series was played at Edgbaston from Friday, 16th June 2023 to yesterday, Tuesday, 20th June 2023.
Test Cricket was at its best because this red ball game wasn’t that one where a team had completely outplayed their opposition.
But the 1st Test was a neck-to-neck battle and it was hard to point out which team was in the winning position.
The rain also showed its presence in this game on the third day and fifth day of this red ball match.
The home side, England and the visitors Australia displayed a brilliant game of cricket which was entertaining for the crowds in the stadium and also for the audience who watched it live on their TV sets and live streaming devices.
The Ashes is like that kind of red ball series that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats, even if they are neutral and they are from participating countries like England or Australia.
The second Test match of The Ashes 2023 will be played at Lords Cricket Stadium from Wednesday 28th June 2023 to Sunday, 2nd July 2023.
Today, in this segment, let us have a look at the five best performers of the 1st Ashes Test Match between England Vs Australia.
1. Usman Khawaja
The player of the match in the first Test match was Usman Khawaja. He played well in both the innings of this red ball match. In reply to England’s 393 runs in the 1st innings, this Aussie opener smashed a brilliant ton in the first innings.
Australia had lost three quick wickets with not much runs on the board. Usman shared a much-needed partnership with Travis Head, Cameron Green and Alex Carey, which had put Australia in a decent position.
Khawaja’s 141 runs was the reason why the Aussies could post a good score of 386 runs. In the second innings, while chasing a score of 281 runs, Khawaja scored a valuable 65 runs.
Overall Khawaja has batted for 518 deliveries in just one Test match and he has scored 206 runs.
2. Joe Root
The ever consistent, Joe Root is England’s Mr Dependable in Test and ODIs. Root has already smashed a ton in the first Test match of this series.
He scored the 30th Test ton of his glorious career. Joe had scored an unbeaten 118 runs in the first innings which allowed the home side to post a score of 393 runs.
In the second innings, Root scored quickfire 46 runs from 55 balls. However, in the second red ball match of this series, Root will want his ton to end as a match-winning one.
3. Pat Cummins
The Aussie skipper was the one who led his team from the front. He contributed with bat and ball in both the innings, which was valuable.
Pat Cummins wanted to win this Test match and at one point in the second innings, it didn’t look quite possible especially after Khawaja got out for well-made 65 runs.
But the never say die attitude of the Australians came in at the right time and because of that Australia won this match by just two wickets.
Cummins played this match like an all-rounder. He couldn’t pick up any wickets in the first innings when England batted.
But his 38 runs were vital in Australia’s first innings. He picked up four wickets in the second innings and also smashed unbeaten 46 runs while chasing a score of 281 runs.
4. Jonny Bairstow
The wicket-keeper batter from the home side was equally good in the 1st innings of The Ashes 2023. Bairstow played with a positive intent in both the innings and that was good to see.
Jonny scored 78 runs in the first innings which was the second-highest individual score after Joe Root’s unbeaten 118 runs. But Bairstow failed to get to the three-figure mark in that innings.
5. Nathan Lyon
The spin bowler from the Aussie team did well in this red ball match and that too on a flat pitch which did not offer any type of help for the bowlers.
On the first day of this red ball match, Nathan Lyon was in the game and in the first innings he got four scalps to his name. That is amazing, because in England, not all spinners are so effective on day one.
In the second innings as well, Nathan was excellent as he bagged another four wickets in this match. Overall Lyon has picked up eight wickets in the first Test match and that too in just two innings.
