The Ashes LIVE: Result and reaction from England vs Australia as Stuart Broad enjoys fairytale retirement
England win the final Test by 49 runs to draw the Ashes as Broad, Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes take key wickets on day five at the Oval
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Your support makes all the difference.Stuart Broad produced a fairytale finish to his career as he took the final two wickets to give England cricket victory over Australia cricket by 49 runs in the fifth Test and snatch an Ashes series draw.
The 603rd and 604th scalps of Broad’s Test career ensured Ben Stokes’ side levelled the series at 2-2 with Australia all out for 334 to end a thrilling series in style.
Broad, who announced during the Test that he will retire from cricket after the series, left the field alongside Moeen Ali, who is also expected to retire from red-ball cricket following this match, to a standing ovation from the Oval crowd
Follow the result and reaction from a thrilling day five at the Oval below.
Australia 162/2 (47), Marnus Labuschagne 12, Steve Smith 6, Mark Wood 0-18 (4) (target 384)
Mark Wood, possibly with a sore heel, starts around 86mph, sharp enough for any other bowler but down a bit on full gas for England’s fastman. He ratchets it up a little to 88mph, finding extra bounce outside off as Steve Smith twice shoulders arms.
Australia 160/2 (46), Marnus Labuschagne 12, Steve Smith 4, Chris Woakes 2-18 (9) (target 384)
And Marnus Labuschagne is already past his first innings tally, a clip straight of midwicket timed immaculately and rattling away to the fence. A thick inside edge is fielded by Moeen Ali at fine leg, sticking out his right boot to cut it off rather than dive as he nurses that sore groin.
A fine individual series for Usman Khawaja is at an end four runs short of 500 across the five Tests. That is four innings in a row he’s taken a review with him, though. Each side has two left.
Mark Wood replaces Stuart Broad.
Australia 154/2 (45), Marnus Labuschagne 6, Steve Smith 4, Stuart Broad 0-23 (10) (target 384)
Marnus Labuschagne got stuck in his shell in his first hit, unable, or at the very least unwilling, to get anything away in an 82-ball blockathon. He doesn’t seem to dig a similar trench here, pouncing as Stuart Broad offers him width and cracking a drive through cover for a boundary a ball after Jonny Bairstow had been beaten down the legside for four byes.
Australia 145/2 (44), Marnus Labuschagne 1, Steve Smith 4, Chris Woakes 2-12 (8) (target 384)
Cricket, eh? Australia were cruising before the rain came yesterday, but England have been all over them this morning, making the most of favourable conditions with unerring accuracy.
Steve Smith’s record at the Oval is outstanding, but he’s almost in early bother, a thick nick wide of third slip and away for four.
OUT! Usman Khawaja lbw b Woakes 72 (145b 8x4 0x6), Australia 141/2 (43.2)
That one’s given! Usman Khawaja reviews but that looked pretty adjacent...and once ball misses bat, there’s nothing saving him! Smashing into middle stump!
This has been simply superb from England’s seamers this morning. It’s full and straight from Chris Woakes, again preying on Khawaja hanging back and nipping one back into the batter’s front pad. Three reds on ball tracking!
NOT OUT! Australia 141/1 (43), Marnus Labuschagne 1, Usman Khawaja 72, Stuart Broad 0-18 (9) (target 384)
It is outside the line - Marnus Labuschagne had got a long way across. That’s a bit of a wasted review from England, with extra bounce likely to have seen it sailing over the top, too.
Australia 141/1 (43), Marnus Labuschagne 1, Usman Khawaja 72, Stuart Broad 0-18 (9) (target 384)
Testing times for the Australia top order. Stuart Broad cocks the seam inwards and brings one back to beat Marnus Labuschagne’s attempted flick, height an issue and possibly a plotted path past leg-stump, too.
Another inswinger and England like this one rather more - Ben Stokes makes the T signal after Kumar Dharmasena turns the appeal down. Outside the line?
Australia 141/1 (42), Marnus Labuschagne 1, Usman Khawaja 72, Chris Woakes 1-8 (7) (target 384)
A standing ovation for Warner as he departed, a few boo-birds soon silenced as the Oval said farewell to the opening batter.
This has been an outstanding start from Chris Woakes, this firmer ball doing the trick for England. Marnus Labuschagne almost nicks off second ball as Woakes stands one up off the seam. Plenty there for the seamers, which wasn’t true for most of yesterday.
OUT! David Warner c †Bairstow b Woakes 60 (106b 9x4 0x6), Australia 140-1 (41.2)
Nicked behind!
Brilliant bowling from Chris Woakes! His first ball nips back to leave David Warner grateful for an inside edge, and his next is just about perfect, pushing across the left-hander on the angle but the threat of that movement back forcing him to play. A feather edge is swallowed by Jonny Bairstow - Warner’s final Test knock in England is at an end.
Australia 140/0 (41), David Warner 60, Usman Khawaja 72, Stuart Broad 0-18 (8) (target 384)
A charming check-drive from Usman Khawaja, gently pushing Stuart Broad through mid-on. The overnight rain will have made this outfield a little sluggish, and Ben Stokes reels it in a couple of metres short of the straight boundary, Khawaja - who isn’t the swiftest between the wickets - daring not take on the England captain’s arm and content with two.
That early nip has caused a change in approach from Khawaja, imitating his partner with a couple of strides down as Broad delivers. He’s beaten by the final ball of the over, covering the line as it once more swings away from him.
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