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The Ashes: Australia surge to 251-run victory over England in opening Test

England v Australia news and betting updates from Edgbaston

Jason Roy was bowled by Nathan Lyon as Australia took charge of the first Ashes Test
Jason Roy was bowled by Nathan Lyon as Australia took charge of the first Ashes TestCredit: Ryan Pierse

First Test: England v Australia
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Scorecard from Edgbaston

Day five: end of match - Australia win by 251 runs

Australia stormed to a clear-cut victory over England in the opening Ashes Test at Edgbastion, bowling out the home side for just 146 as they chased 398 to win.

Nathan Lyon (6-49) and Pat Cummins (4-32) dismissed the whole England team between them. Number nine batsman Chris Woakes top-scored for England with 37.

The second Test starts at Lord's on August 14.

Full betting reaction and analysis to follow

Day five - lunch report

Australia are 1-4 to go 1-0 up in the Ashes series after reducing England to 85-4 by lunch on the final day at Edgbaston.

Spinner Nathan Lyon had been a hot favourite to be the Aussies' leading wicket-taker in the fourth innings of the match and he has lived up to those expectations, dismissing Jason Roy, Joe Denly and England captain Joe Root.

Rory Burns, who made a century in the first innings, was the first man out, caught at gully off Pat Cummins, but Roy's dismissal – bowled charging down the pitch at Lyon – felt like a key moment in England's attempt to save the Test.

A victory target of 398 is effectively irrelevant – England are 250-1 to win the Test – and the draw is out to 11-4 from 11-10 at the start of play.

World Cup final heroes Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler will resume after lunch with plenty of batting ahead of them. Sky Bet offer 5-4 that the match is over by tea and 8-13 that it goes to a final session.

The firm quote England's second-innings runs line at 199.5 but with the out-of-form Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali coming in after Stokes and Buttler, the outlook is bleak for the hosts.


Day four report

Steve Smith's second century of the first Ashes Test set up Australia's victory push at Edgbaston and the tourists are 10-11 to complete the win on the final day.

Smith's 142 and Matthew Wade's 110 helped to set England a target of 398 but survival is the priority for the hosts with the draw an even-money chance.

England are 22-1 to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, having started day four as 4-7 favourites for victory.

However, Smith, Wade, Travis Head (51) and James Pattinson (47 not out) batted Australia into a position of real strength against an England attack missing the injured James Anderson before Tim Paine declared the Aussies' second innings closed at 487-7.

Openers Rory Burns and Jason Roy came through the final seven overs of the day unscathed but England have plenty more batting to do if they are to avoid defeat.

Burns, who made 133 in the first innings, is 11-4 with Sky Bet to reach 50 second time around and spinner Nathan Lyon is the firm's 8-13 favourite to take most wickets for Australia.

Smith, 2-1 to be Australia's leading runscorer in the series and 5-1 to be the top batsman on either side, will end the first Test with a tally of 286 runs.


Day three report

Australia lead England by 34 runs at the close of day three in the first Ashes Test thanks to an unbeaten 46 from Steve Smith.

Tim Paine's men can be backed at 11-5 having reached 124 for the loss of three wickets in their second innings before bad light ended play early at Edgbaston. England are 4-7 to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

England slipped from 267-4 to 328-8 before late cameos from Chris Woakes (37) and Stuart Broad (29) saw them post a first-innings total of 374.

Joe Root's men were in control after reducing the Aussies to 27-2 and then 75-3 but Smith and Travis Head (21 not out) formed a solid middle-order partnership at the crease.

England are 4-6 to win the series, while Australia are available at 11-4 to regain the Ashes.


Day two report

Rory Burns scored his maiden Test century as England's batsmen made serene progress in their reply to Australia's first innings of 284 on day two of the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston.

Burns, who ended the day 125 not out having resumed in the morning alongside Jason Roy, was the star of the show. He defied Australia's bowlers on a surface offering little in the way of pace or turn.

Skipper Joe Root (57) and Ben Stokes (38 not out) also produced valuable contributions as the hosts finished the second day on 267-4 - a deficit of only 17 runs with six first-innings wickets remaining.

Australia had begun the day in the ascendancy as James Pattinson had Roy caught at first slip but from then it was mostly England's day as Burns and Root put on 132 for the second wicket before the England captain was caught and bowled by Peter Siddle.

Joe Denly and Jos Buttler departed cheaply to leave England 194-4 but Burns and Stokes regained the impetus with an unbeaten fifth-wicket stand of 73.

England Jason Roy, Rory Burns, Joe Root (c), Joe Denly, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.

Australia David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Matthew Wade, Tim Paine (c, wk), James Pattinson, Pat Cummins, Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon.


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