Watch: Ben Stokes reacts as Barbie song interrupts press conference
England are bidding to level the series and deny Australia their first Ashes victory overseas for more than 20 years, as the fifth and final Test begins at The Oval today.
Australia may have already secured the ultimate prize and retained the urn after the rained-out draw in Manchester put them 2-1 ahead and ensured they could not lose the series, but there is still plenty to play for. As England captain Ben Stokes put it this week: “I think 2-2 sounds a lot better than 3-1.”
Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum have opted for the same England XI which dominated the fourth Test before the weather scuppered their chances of victory, keeping faith with legendary bowler James Anderson despite his wavering form. For Pat Cummins, this is a chance to become the first Australian captain since Mark Waugh in 2001 to win an Ashes series in England, after defeats in 2005, 2009, 2013 and 2015, and a draw four years ago.
Follow the score and all the latest updates from the Oval below.
Ashes LIVE: England vs Australia, fifth Test
Show latest update
LUNCH! ENGLAND 131/3 (26)
(Getty Images)
Harry Latham-Coyle27 July 2023 13:04
England 131/3 (24), Harry Brook 48, Moeen Ali 10, Mitchell Marsh 1-33 (6)
No sign of Todd Murphy just yet, with Mitchell Marsh taking us through to lunch. Harry Brook will fill his belly two short of a half-century, another crisply-struck drive earning him two from the session’s final ball with the game hurtling along, as has been the fashion all series.
Harry Latham-Coyle27 July 2023 13:03
England 126/3 (24), Harry Brook 45, Moeen Ali 9, Mitchell Starc 0-38 (7)
Violent! Harry Brook eases a lovely drive to the offside boundary before engaging in something more extravagant, front dog cleared and his hands thrashing Mitchell Starc through point with sheer velocity leaving the point sweeper helpless.
Hoicked for six! Brook anticipates Starc’s response is likely to be short, stepping across to winch the attempted bouncer high over fine leg’s head.
Harry Latham-Coyle27 July 2023 13:00
England 112/3 (24), Harry Brook 31, Moeen Ali 9, Mitchell Marsh 1-29 (5)
Moeen Ali is biding his time, happy to pat and prod with lunch not far away. Will Pat Cummins give Todd Murphy a look before the interval? Spin hasn’t played a huge role at the Oval so far this summer but the suggestions before the toss were that this track should take some turn.
Mitchell Starc will bowl what is likely to be the penultimate over of the session.
Harry Latham-Coyle27 July 2023 12:56
England 110/3 (23), Harry Brook 30, Moeen Ali 8, Mitchell Starc 0-28 (6)
Mitchell Starc puts Brook back in his box, spotting a pugilistic charge down the track and dragging down a bouncer that clonks into the batter’s body.
Harry Latham-Coyle27 July 2023 12:51
England 109/3 (22), Harry Brook 30, Moeen Ali 7, Mitchell Marsh 1-28 (4)
Tonked! Cor, that’s some shot from Harry Brook, Mitchell Marsh just a little bit short and manhandled over square leg fora maximum a ball after being clouted to the cover fence. Brook is riding his luck but already has five fours and that hoist for six.
Harry Latham-Coyle27 July 2023 12:47
England 97/3 (21), Harry Brook 18, Moeen Ali 7, Mitchell Starc 0-27 (5)
Moeen Ali follows along with effortless off-side elegance, driving on the up with sufficient force to prompt a fumble from Usman Khawaja sweeping on the point boundary, the home crowd giving the fielder a bit of stick having turned two into four.
Another edge evades the catchers, that gap between third slip and gully found again by Brook. Khawaja takes a step to his right and Mitchell Marsh his left to try to plug the dyke.
Harry Latham-Coyle27 July 2023 12:42
England 87/3 (20), Harry Brook 13, Moeen Ali 3, Josh Hazlewood 1-32 (7)
Harry Brook at last gets that drive away, flaying with loose wrists as Josh Hazlewood’s outswinger curves into his arc.
Pat Cummins takes a breather and tosses the ball Mitchell Starc’s way.
Harry Latham-Coyle27 July 2023 12:38
England 83/3 (19), Harry Brook 9, Moeen Ali 3, Pat Cummins 1-21 (6)
Moeen Ali’s method against the short ball at Old Trafford was to duck and dodge, but he gets himself in a tangle trying to drop beneath Pat Cummins’s first bumper of the day, left with no option but to let it slam into a parrying arm.
Testing stuff from Cummins.
Harry Latham-Coyle27 July 2023 12:33
England 83/3 (18), Harry Brook 9, Moeen Ali 3, Josh Hazlewood 1-28 (6)
It didn’t feel like Australia were effective in that first hour but to have created five catching opportunities behind the stumps inside 90 minutes will please Pat Cummins, even if three have gone down. And that’s almost another, Harry Brook again foolishly throwing his hands in a yearning drive and rather fortunate to find the cordon cavity with neither Usman Khawaja at third slip bnor Mitchell Marsh in the gully close enough to launch for it.
Harry Latham-Coyle27 July 2023 12:30