Ashes 2023 | Twitter reacts as formidable Australian opening stand dampens English hopes on rain-marred Day 4

SportsCafe Desk

BySportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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The fifth Ashes Test at The Oval experienced another huge swing in momentum on the penultimate day as a spirited Australian batting performance made them the favourites for victory heading into Monday. Chasing a target of 384, David Warner and Usman Khawaja proved unbeatable in a stand of 135.

On a day that was expected to be largely about Stuart Broad and his curtain call after a 16-year illustrious international career, the pacer had little role to play apart from the preamble to nearly two sessions of play thoroughly dominated by Australia. The 37-year-old received a huge standing ovation ftom the crowd as well as a guard of honour from the Kangaroos to kick off proceedings and provided spectators a moment of glory with a spectaciular six in the opening over. However, Todd Murphy ensured the English celebrations were short lived as he wrapped up the innings with his fourth scalp in the form of James Anderson, setting up a thrilling fourth innings run chase to cap off an unpredictable series.

The visitors, who had taken on the tag of underdogs given the huge target at hand, shed the inhibition they had shown in the first innings and started with aplomb as Usman Khawaja and David Warner showed little signs of struggle. By Lunch, the duo had already put up 74/0 and both registered their individual half-centuries shortly after the break. While it meant a return to form for Warner in what was just his second half-century for the series, Khawaja's knock saw him race past Zak Crawley to reclaim the position of top run-getter in Ashes 2023.

England only gained some momentum when Mark Wood, who had been inexplicably unused throughout the first session, was finally brought into the attack by Ben Stokes in the 32nd over as the express speedster induced a fair few false shots. Even so, Warner and Khawaja stood firm at the crease at the crease on 58 and 69 respectively by the time the rain came during the Drinks break after 38 overs, bringing a premature end to play. Thus, the men from Down Under now need 249 runs on the final day to take home the urn with a comprehensive margin of 3-1 while the hosts would be hunting for their 10 wickets to deny the Aussies a first Ashes series win on English soil since 2001.

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