Live Cricket Score: England vs Australia, 1st Test, Day 5, The Ashes 2023

AUSTRALIA WIN

An unbeaten 54-run stand ninth-wicket stand between Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon has helped Australia secure a thrilling 2-wicket win in the opening game of Ashes 2023. Australia's smarter, more conservative and watchful cricket eventually overpowered England's attacking, thrilling and bold play. They waited and waited and waited for their opportunities - to take wickets and to score runs. And in the end, the patience worked in their favour. By a bare margin, but what a fabulous contest this was. There was rain, wickets and sixes aplenty. Went down till the very end, and the visitors have taken a 1-nil lead. For England, in match that eventually ran so close will they close that bold first innings declaration or will they trust their process that even though entertaining continues to remain baffling.

50 PARTNERSHIP UP for Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins for the ninth wicket. Australia are now just four runs away from victory. England still need two wickets. Memories of a similar contest from 2005?

Pat Cummins has welcomed Joe Root back into the attack after the drinks break with two sixes. A change in intent?37 runs needed now. 2 wickets in hand.

WICKET

Alex Carey finally departs. Joe Root finally takes a catch off his own bowling. A similar shot, although coming much slower back to the slower, leads to the end of Carey's innings. England are now closing in on a win.227/8

DROPPED

Alex Carey has been put down on 11. Tough chance. The left-hander slams the ball straight back to Joe Root, the bowler. But the ball bursts through his hands.

CAPTAIN STRIKES

Ben Stokes comes into the attack and bags a wicket in only his second over. It's the big wicket of Usman Khawaja, who inside edges a slow legcutter back on to his stumps. This is heading towards a nail-biting finish. Alex Carey now has the company of the lower order. 72 runs still needed. Only three wickets remaining. 209/7

TEA

In a long, slow-moving, cagey session of play, Australia have moved to 183 for 5, adding 76 runs for the loss of only two wickets. Usman Khawaja has batted out another session safely, taking his score to 56*. He has Cameron Green for company as the teams head for Tea.

FIFTY

Usman Khawaja has moved along slowly, very cautiously, but his half-century has kept Australia in with a hope of chasing down the target.163/5

WICKET

Moeen Ali has struggled to bowl with his injured finger, and even leaked some runs against Travis Head, but he eventually strikes. Head departs nicking to Joe Root at slips.143/5

Australia have been ultra-cautious in the first hour of play. Only 21 runs scored. The pitch has played slow and not too conducive for big strokes, but there isn't much threat from the ball either.

WICKET

England strike after more than half an hour of play. It's a bluff. Stuart Broad sets a field for a bouncer and pitches the ball full. Scott Boland is stuck in the crease while he attempts to drive. He gets an outside edge to the outswinger which is caught safely by the 'keeper. Third wicket for Stuart Broad. 121/4

Play is finally set to resume. 67 overs can be bowled. With 174 runs needed and 7 wickets to take, that is a fair amount of time.

The covers are coming off. We have lost one session already. But there's still ample time remaining in the day.

While we wait for play to start, here's something you can read: England, Australia keep Edgbaston crowd on tenterhooks

Rain has delayed the start of fifth day's play.

Hello and welcome to the fifth day of the first Test of Ashes 2023. The pendulam of the contest has kept swinging and it's somewhere at the centre right now going into the final day. yet again, Australia's batting fortunes are in the hands of Usman Khawaja, who managed to bat out the last session of play safely on the penultimate day. Australia need 174 more runs to win, with seven wickets in hand. Who will seal this thriller you think?