England’s commitment to high-risk, high-impact cricket hurried the first Ashes Test towards a gripping conclusion, setting Australia 281 to win on day four at Edgbaston.

Resuming on 28 for two, England put their foot to the floor as they moved to 273 all out at the end of an elongated afternoon session.

The hosts would have loved one of their middle-order batters to kick on to a substantial score, but saw Joe Root (46), Harry Brook (46) and Ben Stokes (43) dismissed one by one just as they were dragging control away from the Australians.

There were important runs too from from the tail, Ollie Robinson making 29 as the last two wickets put on 44.

Despite delivering emphatically on their promise to entertain, even those who roared their approval from the stands may reflect that England over-reached against Nathan Lyon at times.

Root was stumped for the first time in 131 Tests when he ran down the pitch and swiped fresh air and Brook cut short a highly promising stay when he dragged to midwicket trying to force a boundary.

Former captain Root set the tone for a colourful day with an audacious start, attempting his trademark reverse ramp off Pat Cummins’ first delivery of the morning.

Root has become a master of that audacious stroke but, even by his own standards, attempting it so early – with a crucial Test match balanced on a knife-edge – showed remarkable chutzpah.

Undeterred, he went back to the well twice in the next over, launching Scott Boland over the wicketkeeper’s head for six and then flicking four more beyond the slip cordon. It was a faintly surreal, but utterly exhilarating opening salvo.

England continued to go after Boland, who shipped 31 off his first three overs as his reputation for economy took its second battering in four days.

By contrast, Cummins was working up a head of steam at the Pavilion End and he produced a picture-perfect inswinging yorker to see off Ollie Pope (16), thudding the base of off stump as the batter groped for contact. He finished with four for 63 – an outstanding effort by any measure.

That left England 84 ahead and three down, but the arrival of Brook ensured the tempo did not slow. He took just three balls to register his first four, punching Cameron Green down the ground and quickly dialling up the aggression.

He helped himself to 13 off Lyon’s first over – not the kind of reception the spinner would have anticipated on a wearing pitch – and later launched him over extra-cover with a clean swing of the bat.

Lyon got his rewards for sticking at it, Root overly giddy as he ran down the pitch and left Alex Carey a simple stumping.

Stokes unexpectedly cooled things down, playing safely as he realised the importance of slowing Australia’s roll, but Brook lost his patience as Lyon dried up the scoring options.

Within sight of a first Ashes fifty he swiped at the spinner and was well caught by the diving Marnus Labuschagne at midwicket.

Jonny Bairstow successfully overturned an lbw decision just before lunch, with England heading in at 155 for five. They made another 118 in the middle session, but were bowled out in the extra half-hour as they wrestled for the upper hand.

Bairstow took the lead past 200 with successive fours – an impeccable square drive and a thick edge to deep third – but he was undone lbw by the wily Lyon for 20.

That left Stokes in charge of building the lead and he batted with deliberate focus, putting away the slogs that have too often followed him around as captain.

He hit five boundaries in almost two hours of observance, before his opposite number Lyon trapped him leg-before with the lead at 217.

England will have been happy with their finishing position from there, Moeen Ali making a scratchy 19 and Robinson showing real composure as he chipped away vital runs.

He was close to being out for five, but Labuschagne brushed the ball across the ground after claiming the catch at short leg. He holed to give Lyon a fourth, with Stuart Broad and James Anderson adding 17 more before the latter edged Cummins behind.

England will be hoping for calmer conditions as they seek a match-winning lead in the first Ashes Test, having lost both openers during a hostile spell under lights at Edgbaston.

The home side lost two wickets for two runs during an short but intense 20-minute period on the third afternoon, with Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley unable to survive under dark, floodlit skies.

Rain arrived to spare England any further losses and they will resume on Monday just 35 ahead. Joe Root and Ollie Pope are the men at the crease, tasked with taking the game away from a touring side who will fancy their own chances of setting up a finish.

The forecast looks encouraging for day four, but the prospect of more unsettled weather on Tuesday means things may need to move quickly for either team to assume full control.

Robinson riles Australia

Ollie Robinson could be on the verge of replacing Stuart Broad as public enemy number one in Australia. Having whipped up the pre-series rhetoric by predicting England would give their rivals “a hiding”, he reacted to bowling out centurion Usman Khawaja with a blunt, expletive-heavy send off. He drew plenty of criticism for his outburst, not least on social media, but was unrepentant in his media rounds. He suggested he was merely adding to the “theatre” of the series. He went on to accuse the opposition of playing “defensive” cricket and having “three number elevens”. Expect things to get spicy when he takes the crease.

Mo’s woes

As far as birthdays go, Moeen Ali’s 36th was one to forget. The returning off-spinner started his morning by being fined 25 per cent of his match fee for using an unauthorised drying spray on his hands during the previous evening’s play, then shipped three sixes in a loose four-over spell.

More worryingly, Moeen appeared to be struggling with an open blister on his right index finger and there are some concerns over how he will pull up ahead of what should be a central role in the fourth innings. He has already bowled 33 overs, seven more than he managed in the entirety of the recent Indian Premier League season. With the pitch beginning to take turn, England will need plenty more out of him to justify their decision to cajole the all-rounder out of retirement.

Big number

Jonny Bairstow made a dashing run-a-ball 78 at a crucial time in the England innings, but that was also the exact number of runs his three missed chances behind the stumps cost his side in the field. A botched stumping of Cameron Green and two dropped catches off Alex Carey helped Australia get within seven of England’s total and invited familiar talk of Ben Foakes’ impeccable glove work. Bairstow is inked into this side for the long haul but he will be hungrier than ever to make a big contribution in the remainder of this game.

Head wins over the Hollies

Travis Head’s back-and-forth with the Edgbaston crowd continued on day three, with fans in the Eric Hollies Stand enjoying every chance they got to get under his skin as he fielded on the boundary rope in front of them. But when Australia emerged after a long rain break in the afternoon, Head charged ahead of the pack and sprinted over to take his position at deep square leg with uncharacteristic gusto. The gesture drew a warm cheer from his tormentors, who warmed to him.

On the first day of the Test, Head put a target of his back with some sloppy fielding efforts that saw him drop Harry Brook and then fumble a boundary soon after. Head played along when the crowd mockingly cheered him for a straightforward stop a few moments later and raised his hand in acknowledgement, drawing a further cheer from the crowd.

England’s fielding adjustments

The ultra-attacking fields set by Ben Stokes have become a key tenet of his captaincy over the past year. But even by his own standards, the pattern he set for Khawaja in the 112th over was audacious. He conjured an ‘umbrella’ field – a semi-circle of close catchers with three on each side of the wicket – in an attempt to unsettle a man with 141 runs to his name. Khawaja obliged immediately as Robinson delivered an accurate yorker, missing with an unusually wild stroke. The Australian took the bait, charged down the track and paid with his off stump.

Ollie Robinson was unrepentant after appearing to give Usman Khawaja an expletive-laden send-off as tempers rose on day three of a delicately-balanced first Ashes Test.

Khawaja’s masterful 141 was ended when England’s ring of close fielders led to the Australia opener attempting to make room, only to york himself as he was castled by Robinson.

Television cameras seemed to show a fired-up Robinson giving Khawaja a verbal volley in his celebration as he helped restrict Australia to 386 and give England a slender first-innings advantage at Edgbaston.

After England closed on 28 for two for a lead of 35, a combative Robinson had no regrets about how he reacted towards Khawaja, arguing past and present Australia cricketers have let their emotions boil over in the heat of battle.

Asked whether he is concerned about having a target on his back for the remainder of the LV= Insurance series, Robinson responded: “I don’t really care how it’s perceived, to be honest.

“It’s the Ashes, it’s professional sport. If you can’t handle that, what can you handle? When you’re in the heat of the moment and have the passion of the Ashes that can happen.

“We’ve all seen Ricky Ponting and other Aussies do that to us so just because the shoe’s on the other foot, it’s not received well. It’s my first home Ashes and to get the big wicket at the time was special for me.

“I think Uzzie played unbelievably well. To get that wicket at the time for the team was massive. We all want that theatre of the game and I am here to provide it.”

As for whether he expects to have to explain his conduct to the match referee, Robinson replied: “I’m not going to comment on that.”

Robinson and Broad finished with three wickets apiece to give England a slight edge before lunch but there were just 10.3 overs possible in the last two sessions because of persistent rain in Birmingham.

It was in a 22-ball window either side of showers where Australia gained a foothold under leaden skies and with the floodlights on – as a docile pitch came to life to make life tricky for England’s batters.

Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley were both dismissed and matters might have worsened as Australia were convinced they heard a noise when Pat Cummins went past the bat of Joe Root but the not out appeal was upheld on technology.

Asked whether England’s openers were irritated at having to go out in gloomy conditions, Robinson said: “Yeah they were but they understand if the umpire says it’s fit to play, it’s fit to play.

“Crack on, you won’t hear any excuses from our side. We still want to be positive and aggressive in our batting, but unfortunately we lost two crucial wickets. That’s just the game.”

Robinson hopes the rest of England’s batters can get towards a total in the 98.3 overs on the penultimate day that will allow them an opportunity to pursue victory.

However, Robinson believes England’s best chance of doing so rests on being able to bowl for all of the final day and give Australia a target to hunt rather than batting them out of the game.

Robinson added: “If they had a score to chase, that would allow us to bowl them out. If they were playing for the draw, playing defensively like they have done so far, it might be slightly different.

“When we are fresh with the harder ball I’m sure we can make inroads, I’ve no doubt we can take the 10 wickets quickly and wrap it up.”

Robinson’s profane tirade towards Khawaja was the main talking point post-play but Australia wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey attempted to downplay the furore.

Carey said: “I didn’t see it at all, Usman hasn’t said anything.

“It’s the Ashes, at times it will be pretty exciting and hostile cricket. I didn’t see anything over the top there. From our dressing room, there was no comment.”

England were left cursing their luck after losing both openers under dark skies in a 20-minute spell that may have altered the course of the first Ashes Test.

Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley fell in successive overs on the third afternoon as they battled fiercely difficult batting conditions and an Australian attack intent on seizing its chance.

The pair had walked out under thick, dark skies after a 75-minute rain delay and failed to survive a mini-session that saw 22 balls bowled, two runs scored and two wickets fall under the floodlights.

Further downpours spared Ollie Pope and Joe Root, who will resume on 28 for two and attempt to turn a narrow lead of 35 into a match-winning position.

The Dukes ball, which had offered nothing over the first two days, came to life during that brief period, but it took considerable skill from Pat Cummins and Scott Boland to ensure it did not go to waste.

Cummins had Duckett (19) brilliantly taken in the gully, the latest on Cameron Green’s production line of outstanding catches, while Crawley (seven) endured a handful of close calls before Boland finally took his outside edge.

Beyond that there were half-a-dozen loud appeals as the ball wobbled through the air and zipped off the pitch, and England will be relieved not to have suffered further losses before the rain returned to bring an early end to proceedings.

Until their struggles in failing light and unsettled overheads, England had enjoyed the best of the day and moved themselves back into a strong position.

They took Australia’s last five wickets for 48, bowling the tourists out for 386 to sneak a slim first innings lead of seven. Ollie Robinson belatedly announced himself in the series, following a wicketless outing on Saturday with three dismissals, with James Anderson and Stuart Broad taking one apiece.

Australia began on 311 for five, 82 behind but seemingly well set with centurion Usman Khawaja at the crease alongside Alex Carey.

Anderson almost parted them with the fourth delivery of the morning when he took Carey’s inside edge from round the wicket.

Anderson had already started to celebrate as Jonny Bairstow tumbled low to his right, but watched in dismay as the ball squirmed free from the wicketkeeper’s glove.

It was a painful start for Bairstow, who already had a missed stumping against Green and another dropped catch off Carey on his ledger, and his frustration was plain to see.

Anderson went back to the drawing board and got his man for 66, forcing one through Carey’s defences and trimming the bails.

Moeen Ali started up at the other end, fresh from receiving a fine from the ICC for using an unauthorised drying agent on his hands during Saturday’s play. If that was an unwanted present on the spinner’s 36th birthday, then things did not get a lot better as he worked through a messy spell.

A return to first-class cricket after almost two years in retirement has clearly caused some damage to the all-rounder’s spinning finger – hence the spray which caught the match referee’s attention. He got away with one loopy full toss but could not stop Cummins launching him for a couple of sixes as he struggled to get any purchase on the ball.

Ben Stokes began to set some highly unusual fields in a bid to knock Australia off their stride and it seemed to work when Robinson uprooted Khawaja’s off stump for 141.

With a ring of catchers stationed in front of square on both sides of the wicket, the centurion tried to manufacture a blow through the covers and ended up misreading a precision yorker.

The tail was knocked over with efficiency after that. Nathan Lyon pulled Robinson straight to deep square-leg and Boland backed away visibly before popping Broad to silly point for his third of the innings. Cummins was last to go for 38, holing out off another Robinson short ball.

Duckett and Crawley made a measured start after lunch, taking advantage of Australia’s cautious fields to pick up easy singles for the second time in the match.

After 6.5 overs they had moved to 26 without loss, in no trouble at all. The subsequent rain delay, and the sharp deterioration in conditions, meant things were incomparable when they re-emerged in nightmare circumstances at 3.30pm.

The rain was close, but not close enough to spare the top-order pair as Australia made full use of the assistance to claim the upper hand.

England lost both openers under dark skies at Edgbaston as Australia seized the initiative on day three of a gripping first Ashes Test.

England lost Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley in consecutive overs in desperately difficult batting conditions in a mini afternoon session slotted awkwardly between two heavy rain showers.

That left the home side 28 for two, a fragile lead of 35 with everything still to play for.

The hosts had rallied impressively with the ball in the morning session, taking the last five Australian wickets for 75 runs to eke out the narrowest of seven-run leads.

Their openers then added another 26 after lunch in untroubled fashion, only for everything to change in dramatic circumstances after a 75-minute rain delay in the afternoon.

The teams came back out under thick black clouds at 3.30pm, with the floodlights cranked up and batting conditions suddenly the most precarious of the match.

Only 22 deliveries were possible before an almighty downpour, with England losing two wickets for just two runs as the Dukes ball came alive in fading light. Duckett (19) fenced at one that wobbled in the air and straightened up off the pitch from Pat Cummins, with Cameron Green pulling off the latest in a long line of outstanding catches in the gully.

Crawley (seven) then followed in the next over, Scott Boland capping an outstanding burst from the Birmingham End by finally to taking a thin nick after multiple close calls. There were half a dozen loud appeals in addition to that crucial double strike, with each batter seemingly clinging on in trying circumstances.

When the rain did come it was a sweet relief for Ollie Pope and Joe Root, surely sparing England further losses.

The day began with Australia on 311 for five, still 82 behind but seemingly well set with half their wickets in hand and two set batters at the crease. England needed early breakthroughs to nudge themselves back in front and James Anderson almost delivered one when he took Alex Carey’s inside edge with his fourth delivery of the morning.

Anderson had already started to celebrate as Jonny Bairstow tumbled low to his right but watched in dismay as the ball squirmed free from the wicketkeeper’s glove.

It was a painful start for Bairstow, who already had a missed stumping against Cameron Green and another dropped catch off Carey on his ledger, and his frustration was plain to see.

Anderson continued to cause the left-hander problems and got him after 20 minutes, forcing one through Carey’s defences from round the wicket and trimming the bails with precision.

Moeen Ali started up at the other end, fresh from receiving a fine from the ICC for using an unauthorised drying agent on his hands during Saturday’s play. If that was an unwanted present on the spinner’s 36th birthday, then things did not get a lot better as he worked through his spell.

A return to first-class cricket after almost two years in retirement has clearly caused some damage to the all-rounder’s spinning finger – hence use of spray which caught the match referee’s attention.

He got away with one loopy full toss but could not stop Cummins launching him for a couple of sixes as he struggled to get any purchase on the ball.

Ben Stokes began to set some highly unusual fields in a bid to knock Australia off their stride and it seemed to work when Robinson uprooted Khawaja’s off stump for 141.

With a ring of catchers stationed in front of square on both sides of the wicket, the centurion tried to manufacture a blow through the covers and ended up mis-reading a precision yorker.

The tail was knocked over with efficiency after that, Lyon pulling Robinson straight to deep square-leg, Boland backing away and popping Stuart Broad to silly point and Cummins holing out off another short ball.

Half centuries from Johnson Charles, Shai Hope, Roston Chase and Jason Holder crucially helped the West Indies to 297 in 49.3 overs, which was good enough for a 39-run win against the USA in their opening match of the ICC World Cup qualifier at the Takashinga Sports Club in Harare on Sunday.

Gajanand Singh scored an unbeaten 101, his first in One Day Internationals as the USA, needing 298 for victory, closed on 258-7.

Singh, whose ton came from 109 deliveries and Nosthush Kenjige, who scored a quick-fire 34 not out from 32 balls shared in an unbroken 76-run eighth-wicket partnership that for a while made things uncomfortable for the two-time world champions.

Shayan Jahangir contributed 39 and Aaron Jones 23, but the USA were unable to get on top the West Indies bowling. Kyle Mayers was the best of the bowlers with 2-30 while Alzarri Joseph took 2-68. Akeal Hosein went wicket-less but his contribution was no less crucial as his 10 overs only yielded 38 runs.

The USA justified Captain Patel’s decision to field first when Saurabh Netravalkar had Brandon King caught by Gajanand Singh at midwicket for a duck and Kyle Phillip bowled Kyle Mayers for two to have the West Indies in early trouble at 14-2.

However, Hope and Charles led the recovery with a 115-run third-wicket partnership but both soon fell to injudicious shots. The partnership was broken when Hope was dismissed for 54 off a fullish delivery floated up outside off by Nosthush Kenjige, the Barbadian batter playing an uncontrolled one-handed backhand shot toward Shayan Jahangir mere metres inside the wide cover boundary.

 Five balls later, Charles was on his way back to the hutch for 66 after he skewed a Steven Taylor delivery off a thick edge to Saurabh Netravalkar inside the ring at backward point as the West Indies slipped from 129-2 to 137-4.

Nicholas Pooran and Roston Chase set about another repair job with a 55-run partnership but with the score at 192, Pooran skied Taylor to Jahangir on the sweeper boundary to be out for 43. With his very next delivery Taylor had Rovman Powell caught Gajanand Singh inside the long off boundary.

At 192-6, the West Indies were in danger of being bowled out for under 250 runs but were spared those blushes courtesy a 74-run seventh-wicket partnership between Chase and Jason Holder, who took the score to 266 when Chase lost his wicket to Netravalkar for 55.

Kyle Phillip dismissed Holder for 56 and Alzarri Joseph for three two balls later as the West Indies closed on 297.

Phillip took 3-56 while Netravalkar and Taylor each took 3-53 in a solid effort against their supposedly superior opponents.

Ollie Robinson helped England salvage a slender seven-run lead on day three of the first Ashes Test, dismissing Australia for 386 to leave everything up for grabs at Edgbaston.

England took the last five wickets for 75 in the morning session, with Robinson claiming three of them as he roused himself from a wicketless second day performance.

He clean bowled centurion Usman Khawaja (141) and bounced out Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins to finish with three for 55, with James Anderson and Stuart Broad picking up one wicket apiece.

The day began with Australia on 311 for five, still 82 behind but in a marginally better position with half their wickets in hand and two set batters at the crease.

England needed early breakthroughs to nudge themselves back in front and Anderson almost delivered one when he took Alex Carey’s inside edge with his fourth delivery of the morning.

Anderson, who did not create a single clearcut chance on day two, had already started to celebrate as Jonny Bairstow tumbled low to his right but watched in dismay as the ball squirmed free from the wicketkeeper’s glove.

It was a painful start for Bairstow, who already had a missed a stumping against Cameron Green and another dropped catch off Carey on his ledger, and his frustration was plain to see.

Anderson continued to cause the left-hander problems and got him after 20 minutes, forcing one through Carey’s defences from round the wicket and trimming the bails with precision.

Moeen Ali started things off from the Birmingham End, fresh from receiving a fine from the ICC for using an unauthorised drying agent on his hands during Saturday’s play. If that was an unwanted present on the spinner’s 36th birthday, then things did not get a lot better as he worked through his spell.

A return to first-class cricket after almost two years in retirement has clearly caused some damage to to the all-rounder’s spinning finger – hence use of spray which caught the match referee’s attention. He got away with one loopy full toss but could not stop Cummins launching him for a couple of sixes as he struggled to get any purchase on the ball.

Stokes began to set some highly unusual fields in a bid to knock Australia off their stride and it seemed to work when Robinson uprooted Khawaja’s off stump. With a ring of four close catchers on the leg side, the opener tried to force the ball through cover and succumbed to a yorker.

The tail was knocked over with efficiency after that, Lyon pulling Robinson straight to deep square-leg, Scott Boland backing away and popping Broad to silly point and Cummins holing out off another short ball.

England all-rounder Moeen Ali has been fined on his Test return for applying an unauthorised drying spray to his bowling hand on day two of the Ashes curtain-raiser at Edgbaston.

Umpires had expressly prohibited players from using any agents to their hands without prior approval ahead of this highly-anticipated LV= Insurance series between England and Australia.

While the International Cricket Council accepted Moeen’s use of the spray was an attempt to reduce perspiration and not a more serious charge of trying to alter the condition of the ball, he was found to have displayed conduct that is “contrary to the spirit of the game”.

As well as being fined 25 per cent of match fee, Moeen has been hit with one demerit point after admitting a breach of article 2.2 of the ICC code of conduct for players and player support personnel.

An ICC statement said: “England player Moeen Ali has been fined 25 per cent of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC code of conduct during the first Test against Australia in Birmingham on Saturday.”

It was an unwanted birthday present for Moeen, who turned 36 on Sunday and is making his comeback to Test cricket after almost a two-year absence.

Doug Watson is relishing his interim stint as Scotland head coach and has seen enough from the players so far to believe they can qualify for this year’s World Cup in India.

The South African, who also remains head coach of Auckland Aces at club level, took on the temporary role in charge of the Scots in April and will remain at the helm until the end of July.

Watson will lead the team at the World Cup qualifying event which gets under way in Zimbabwe on Sunday and then the 2024 T20 World Cup European qualifiers in Edinburgh next month.

“I’ve got this tournament and the next tournament and then we’ll reassess,” Watson told the PA news agency.

“I’ve been fortunate that Auckland have given me time off to come and do this role.

“It worked out perfectly in terms of timing because the New Zealand season finished at the end of April so that freed me up to spend three to four months out of New Zealand in this job.

“I played cricket in Scotland many years ago and it’s been great to be back. I’ve been really taken care of.

“It’s been a great experience so far, it’s been busy. The squad have been brilliant to work with.”

The Scots play their first match of the qualifiers against Ireland on Wednesday, while they are also in a five-team section with United Arab Emirates, Oman and Sri Lanka.

The top three teams go through to the Super Six stage where there will be two World Cup places up for grabs.

“Yes, definitely, without a shadow of a doubt they’ve got it in them to get to the World Cup,” said Watson.

“We know we’re going to be up against some outstanding teams and everyone’s got the same goal of wanting to be in the top two.

“But Scotland have done really well over the last two to four years. Finishing top of the World Cricket League shows they’re in a good space.

“Now it’s a case of taking everything they’ve learned over the past few years into the tournament. At this stage leading into a tournament of this magnitude I don’t have to drive or motivate the players.

“They’re all motivated themselves and they’re taking on leadership and preparation. We’re pretty clear on what we want to do but it’s about staying calm and present and making sure we don’t look too far ahead and that we just focus game by game.”

Eoin Morgan felt he was incapable of producing the record-breaking 148 from 71 balls that ushered England to a crushing 150-run victory over Afghanistan and to the top of the World Cup standings on this day in 2019.

The England captain pulverised a world record 17 one-day international sixes out of a team total of 25, another new benchmark in the format, while his 57-ball ton was the fourth quickest in the tournament’s 44-year history.

Rohit Sharma, Chris Gayle and AB De Villiers cleared the boundary rope 16 times in an innings, but Morgan’s feat was even more remarkable as it came only days after he limped off against the West Indies with a back spasm.

“Never have I ever thought I could play a knock like that. I’m delighted that I have,” Morgan said. “All the work over the last four years, over the course of my career, it all comes to the front now.

“The last four years I’ve probably played the best in my career. But that hasn’t involved the 50 or 60-ball hundred.”

Any lingering fears over Morgan’s back injury were subsequently allayed following a knock that relegated hefty contributions from Jonny Bairstow (90) and Joe Root (88) to footnotes in England’s 397 for six at Old Trafford.

Morgan was dropped on 28 in the deep by Dawlat Zadran off Rashid Khan, who came in for some heavy punishment from the Dubliner en route to miserable figures of 9-0-110-0.

Afghanistan were never likely to mount a serious challenge to the total as they crashed to a fifth successive defeat to remain rooted to the foot of the group-stage table. However, they managed to avoid being blown away and posted 247 for eight.

Morgan raced past Root in the 40th over, during which he became the eighth man to reach 200 ODI sixes. He converted 50 into 100 in just 21 deliveries, clearing the ropes three times in six Rashid Khan balls, and kept on swinging.

Morgan levelled the sixes record with back-to-back blows off Gulbadin, then brushed off Root’s dismissal by hitting a 17th hard over his fellow skipper’s head. He holed out next ball, finally falling short as he aimed over long-off.

England went on to be crowned world champions for the first time following a dramatic final against New Zealand at Lord’s that went to a Super Over and was eventually decided by boundary count.

England’s bowlers need to rally on day three of the first Ashes Test after a chanceless century from Usman Khawaja and three wasted opportunities left them with a fragile lead of 82 at Edgbaston.

Having sprung a surprise declaration at 393 for eight on the first evening, England saw the tourists respond with 311 for five as Khawaja made an imperious 126 not out.

He carried his bat from first ball to last on day two, shepherding his side from 67 for three to a much sturdier position at stumps. While they look well set with Khawaja and Alex Carey (52no) at the crease, England are just two wickets from opening up the tail.

Yet they will be ruing three chances that went begging, Jonny Bairstow missing a stumping against Cameron Green and a catch from Carey, while Stuart Broad bowled Khawaja on 112 off a no-ball.

With a first-innings lead likely to go a long way on a pitch that is beginning to take spin, both sides will be desperate to own the morning session.

A step too far for Broad

Overstepping the bowling crease has become an increasingly costly habit for fast bowlers since the line has been routinely monitored by the third umpire. Australia captain Pat Cummins overstepped six times in the World Test Championship final against India earlier this month, missing out on two wickets as a result, and Broad failed to heed the warning. He overstepped six times in 16 overs, most painfully when he speared the second new ball through Khawaja’s defences only to see the wicket scrubbed off. Ben Stokes, who has also lost wickets for the same reason in the past, was also called six times. England need to tighten up their footwork.

What they said

Khawaja, joined at his post-match press conference by daughter Aisha, was pleased to answer the doubters who suggested he could not bring his form to English conditions. He had a previous best of 54 and an average of less than 20 in this country, but blew those statistics out of the water with his classy century.

Numbers game

By contrast Australia managed only to stop England scoring from two of their overs on day one. As if to exemplify the sharp contrast in styles, Australia’s batters blocked out three successive maidens to start the day and took 24 balls to open their account for the day.

England’s secret weapon

Broad dismissing David Warner early on day two for the 15th time in his career felt par for the course and there was a sense of expectancy as the old rivals faced off. But Harry Brook being brought into the attack in the 15th over came right out of leftfield. A very occasional medium pacer, he had only bowled eight overs in international cricket before Stokes threw him into the fray unexpectedly. The decision to introduce a 65pmh part-timer in the first session and with Steve Smith at the crease raised more than a few eyebrows. It only cost England a single and he was back for two more in the evening as Stokes tried everything he could to derail Australia.

Tweet of the Day

England’s Twitter harking back to the response Moeen Ali sent after Stokes’ Ashes SOS. It was a mixed bag for Moeen, who snared Travis Head and produced this beauty to see off Cameron Green but England’s off-spinning all-rounder leaked 124 runs in his 29 overs.

#BlueforBob

Actor Stephen Fry and former Australia fast bowler Jeff Thomson were on hand to lend their support as Edgbaston turned blue for Bob Willis, who died in December 2019 from prostate cancer. His wife Lauren Clark set up the Bob Willis Fund to spread awareness and raise money for prostate cancer research.

Australia’s Usman Khawaja revealed some ill-timed verbals from the Edgbaston crowd set him up for an emotional century on day two of the first Ashes Test, marking the moment by throwing his bat into the air.

The tourists were struggling after Stuart Broad dismissed David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne with successive deliveries, but Khawaja rebuilt the innings with a superb 126 not out.

The opener dug in for almost six and a half hours, building important partnerships with Travis Head and Cameron Green, before a late offensive push with Alex Carey saw Australia end the day 82 behind on 311 for five.

Khawaja marked his century with an impassioned celebration that saw him throw his bat high over his head. The 36-year-old has been enjoying a renaissance in recent years, notching hundreds in Australia, India and Pakistan along the way.

Yet runs in England had always eluded him – with a top score of 54 and an average of 19.60 prior to this century – and the fact was not lost on the home fans at the ground.

“I genuinely do not read the media but when I’m getting sprayed (taunted) by the crowd as I’m walking out there today and as I’m going to nets being told that I can’t score runs in England…I guess it was just a bit more emotional than normal,” he said.

“I think it (the celebration) was a combination of having three Ashes tours in England and being dropped in two of them. Not that I have a point to prove, but it’s nice to go out there and score runs for Australia and just to show everyone that the last 10 years hasn’t been a fluke.”

Khawaja, who attended the end of day press conference with his daughter Aisha in tow, spoke of how the realisation that this will almost certainly be his last trip to England had freed him up.

“These young ones keep me young and make me realise that there’s a lot to life and a lot of good stuff, inshallah, after I stop playing cricket,” he said.

“So for me, it’s just about enjoying it. My wife has been awesome to me, she’s been my rock throughout my career.

“That perspective makes it a lot easier for me to go out there and just play and try and enjoy it as much as I can, whether I get a duck or a hundred.

“Every Test match is a bonus for me because we thought my career was over. In my head, it’s the last (Ashes) tour I’ll be on, unless I pull a Jimmy Anderson and come back when I’m 41.”

Stuart Broad blamed the occasion of the Ashes and bowling on a “soulless” pitch for a costly no-ball as England were punished for a series of errors by Australia in the first Test.

Broad sent Edgbaston into raptures by snaring old rival David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne, the top-ranked Test batter, in the space of two deliveries as Australia lurched to 67 for three on day two.

Usman Khawaja was the calm head the tourists needed, anchoring Australia’s innings with his first ton in England before he was bowled on 112 by Broad, only for replays to show the seamer had overstepped.

It was one of 13 no-balls from England – Broad sent down half a dozen – while Jonny Bairstow fluffed a stumping chance off Cameron Green before missing a regulation catch off Alex Carey, who went to stumps unbeaten on 52 out of Australia’s 311 for five, with Khawaja set to resume on 126 not out on Sunday.

Australia are 82 runs behind England but while Broad admitted irritation at his mistake, he suggested straining for something extra on a surface offering little for the bowlers could have been a factor.

“It’s really frustrating,” he told the BBC’s Test Match Special. “I’m not really a big no-ball bowler. I have probably bowled more today than in a Test match day before. There’s no excuse.

“But it is the first innings of an Ashes Test match, you have some big emotions there so you are trying to gain energy from the surface and maybe pushing a little bit too hard. It is something to be aware of.

“It is a very slow, low surface that zaps the energy out of the ball. It is pretty characterless so far, pretty soulless, but you can only judge a surface towards the end of the match and see how it develops.”

Ben Stokes ordered “flat, fast wickets” ahead of the LV= Insurance series but Broad believes tracks such as the one they have encountered in Birmingham are anathema to how England want to play cricket.

“It is certainly one of the slowest pitches I can remember bowling on in England,” Broad added.

“It has been hard work for the seamers and ultimately we are looking to entertain, have fun and get the crowd jumping and it is quite a difficult pitch to get play and misses on and nicks to slip on. Hopefully it is not a trend for the whole series.”

Had Bairstow held on after part-timer Joe Root had drawn the outside edge of Carey or Broad not overstepped when bowling Khawaja through the gate, England would have been into Australia’s bowlers.

But Broad believes England are still in a “really positive place” while assistant coach Paul Collingwood still feels the hosts are in the driving seat, pointing out how they took 20 wickets in all three Tests against Pakistan at the back end of last year on similarly lifeless pitches.

“We were probably half an inch away from taking all their wickets,” Collingwood said. “We weren’t far away but we’re still in a magnificent position in this game. That wicket isn’t going to get any better as it goes on.

“We’ve come up against some slow pitches in places like Pakistan and found a way to take 20 wickets, I think this bowling unit taking 20 wickets on all surfaces has been a strength of this team.”

Having boldly declared on 393 for eight on Friday, Stokes threw another curve ball on Saturday when he brought on the medium pace of Harry Brook after Broad and James Anderson’s initial foray.

The Yorkshireman sent down just one over and then two more later in the day before the second new ball was taken, conceding just five runs and even delivering a maiden to Khawaja.

“It was Ben’s plan at the time,” Collingwood added. “It just shows how maverick the team can be at certain times. Harry said if he gets a newer ball he reckons he can take four or five wickets, but I’m not too sure he’s getting a newer ball!”

Former West Indies all-rounder and current assistant coach, Carl Hooper, has described being back involved with West Indies cricket as a “fantastic feeling” and believes the West Indies are ready for the ICC World Cup Qualifiers.

The 56-year-old who represented the West Indies in 102 Tests and 227 ODIs from 1987-2002, was named as part of new white ball coach, Daren Sammy’s staff.

Hooper described “helping batsmen prepare for games” as his primary role on the staff.

“Obviously, it’s a fantastic feeling,” Hooper told the media in a press conference on Friday.

“West Indies cricket has always been dear to me. I’ve been away for a long time but I’ve kept track of our progress or lack thereof so it’s good to be back,” he added.

Hooper, one of the finest cricketers Guyana has ever produced, also acknowledged that being around some familiar faces has eased his transition into the role.

“I’m among some familiar faces as well especially from the coaching staff perspective. I know Daren (Sammy) and Floyd (Reifer). James Franklin is new to me but I think I might’ve played against him,” he said.

“Then, when it comes to the players, I know quite a few members there. I met Jason (Holder) when I was stationed back at the High-Performance Center in 2014 or 2015, I know Shamarh (Brooks) as well and, of course, the two locals from my country, Romario (Shepherd) and Keemo (Paul) I also know so I’m among some familiar faces and it’s good to be back,” he added.

Hooper is currently with the team in Zimbabwe as they prepare to open their account in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers against the USA on Sunday and he expressed confidence in the team’s chances to advance through the qualifiers and into the World Cup scheduled for October 5-November 19 in India later this year.

“We’re ready. You get a feel or a vibe of the energy in the team. I think Daren (Sammy) is an inspirational leader and he’s been tasked with trying to get the West Indies into the World Cup which will be massive for us. The energy’s been great and we’re looking forward to the game on Sunday and I’m sure we’ll do well.

Stuart Broad was in the thick of things as England and Australia vied for control on day two of the first Ashes Test, conjuring a big double breakthrough before reprieving centurion Usman Khawaja with a careless no-ball.

Broad raised the roof at Edgbaston in the morning when he dismissed old rival David Warner and the world’s number one batter Marnus Labuschagne with consecutive deliveries, but Khawaja batted from start to finish as Australia finished 82 behind on 311 for five.

Khawaja’s supreme 126 not out dragged the tourists back from a parlous 67 for three, but Broad will be kicking himself after bowling him late in the day only to be called for overstepping.

England had already squandered a couple of chances at the other end, wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow fumbling a stumping against Cameron Green and dropping a regulation catch off Alex Carey.

While Ben Stokes has stayed true to his attacking principles – with bat, ball and by springing a surprise declaration at 393 for eight on Friday afternoon – Australia have dug their heels in with a more conservative, traditional brand of Test cricket.

Khawaja was the personification of that, occupying the crease for 279 balls across almost seven hours but the 36-year-old did so with no little style.

Amid long periods of studied concentration he picked his moments, striking returning spinner Moeen Ali for five fours and two sixes.

It was a mixed day for Moeen, entrusted with 29 overs and aggressive fields in his first bowling day since reversing his red-ball retirement, removing Travis Head (50) and Green (38) at a cost of 124 runs.

Australia began by blocking out three maidens in a row, one more than England allowed in their entire innings, offering further evidence of the growing culture clash between the sides.

It took just over half-an-hour for England to make their move and it was Broad, preferred to Mark Wood for his experience and big game mentality, who made it happen.

Warner, who was tortured by Broad in the 2019 series, attempted to pound him through the vacant cover region but lost his shape and dragged down his stumps.

It was the 15th time Warner had been dismissed by Broad, a stranglehold that the seamer refuses to let go.

Next up was Labuschagne, whose long stint at the top of the ICC rankings could not spare him the ignominy of a golden duck.

Broad spoke earlier in the season about designing a new outswinger with Labuschagne in mind and it worked first time, Bairstow diving low in front of first slip to pouch the outside edge.

Steve Smith survived the hat-trick ball, dragged down attempting to bring in leg-slip, but seemed in the mood for a long stay.

At the ground where he scored twin centuries four years ago, he soaked up 59 deliveries, including an unexpected cameo from Harry Brook’s modest medium pace, before Stokes took matters into his own hands.

England fans have spent months worrying about his chronic left knee problem and whether it would stop him bowling this summer, but he answered the question just before lunch.

The last ball of his second over skidded through, thumping Smith just above the knee as he sat deep in the crease. Stokes flung both arms into the air and implored Marais Erasmus to raise his finger, with the umpire obliging after a long look. Smith called for DRS and looked aghast when he saw three reds on the big screen.

The afternoon session checked English momentum as Australia added 110 runs for the loss of Head, caught at midwicket flicking Moeen off his toes.

Khawaja was impeccable, pulling reliably whenever England dropped too short, and joining Head in going after Moeen.

Bairstow’s failure to stump Green spared the all-rounder a duck and he went on to add 72 with Khawaja either side of tea.

Moeen returned to get Green, bowling him with a beauty that spun sharply through the gate, but Australia were decisive winners of the final session.

Khawaja moved assuredly towards three figures, reaching his first hundred in England with a late cut off Stokes and flinging his bat in the air as he celebrated with raw passion.

He came into this game with a top score of 54 in England and an average of less than 20, but put those statistics firmly to the sword.

Carey proved awkward as England visibly tired in the evening, making an unbeaten 52 after Bairstow grassed a thin edge off Joe Root’s spin.

But the real morale killer came when Broad speared the second new ball through Khawaja’s defences only to see the wicket chalked off as a no-ball.

They never quite recovered from that, with James Anderson and Ollie Robinson reaching the close without a chance between them, and will need to lift themselves on day three.