Australia appears to be in a strong position to win the first Test match against England in the Ashes 2023. With 7 wickets in hand, they require another 174 runs to secure victory. Captain Pat Cummins displayed excellent control and took 4 wickets in the second innings.
However, Australia might be concerned as Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith are back in the pavilion. They will face a crucial challenge against Moeen Ali’s bowling.
England relies on the legendary pacer James Anderson to make breakthroughs in this high-intensity clash. Given the batting performance in the first innings, it can be said that Australia is the favorite to win the contest.
Michael Vaughan, in an interaction with Cricbuzz, praised Pat Cummins for delivering a lethal ball that dismissed Ollie Pope. He regarded it as one of the standout deliveries of the year and expressed his delight in seeing England play an aggressive style of cricket, known as “Bazball.”
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“Pat Cummins’ ball to Pope is up there with one of the balls of the year. The skipper Pat Cummins, that was a spell,” said Michael Vaughan.
He also commended Joe Root’s proactive approach in sending a message to everyone watching that England is committed to playing the Bazball way, similar to Zak Crawley’s intent on the first day.
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Michael Vaughan believes that Australia has a slight advantage on the fifth day of the Test match and suggested that they can chase down the target quickly if the fielding restrictions are not tight.
“I’ve got a feeling that Pat Cummins has got more of a say with the bat in hand and the clever way Ben captains and sets his fields, particularly against spin. Australia might take the opportunity if he keeps the field up,” Vaughan commented.
He further expressed intrigue regarding Ben Stokes and whether he would continue playing in the Bazball style on the crucial fifth day, emphasizing that the outcome of the match will depend on which captain can hold their nerve.
“I am intrigued by Ben Stokes, will he continue the Bazball on Day 5 when it absolutely matters, it’s about the win or loss tomorrow, which captain is going to hold his nerve,” Vaughan concluded.