On the first day of the fifth Ashes Test held at The Oval, Harry Brook‘s outstanding innings of 85 met an abrupt end due to a remarkable catch executed by Steve Smith. Throughout his innings, he showcased an array of shots, but ultimately, his attacking approach proved to be his downfall.
The turning point came when Mitchell Starc delivered a well-pitched ball that moved away from Brook. Despite being far from the ideal position to execute a cover drive, Brook attempted an expansive shot, resulting in a thick edge flying towards Steve Smith on the right.
Displaying exceptional reflexes, Smith stretched out and secured the catch with both hands. Initially, Australia seemed to be in a spot of bother after choosing to bowl first, and England got off to a flying start.
However, the Australian bowlers fought back, consistently taking wickets, leaving England at 250/7 by Tea on Day 1.
Watch the dismissal video of Harry Brook here:
A perfect delivery from #MitchellStarc and an even more brilliant catch from @SteveSmith49.
Harry Brook departs for a well-made 8️⃣5️⃣#SonySportsNetwork #ENGvAUS #TheAshes #Ashes2023 #RivalsForever pic.twitter.com/o4QkH0IhhN
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) July 27, 2023
Despite a promising 62/0 start, England’s batting faltered, and they stumbled to 73/3, with dismissals disappointing from players like Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, and Joe Root. The partnership of Moeen Ali and Harry Brook then added 111 runs for the fourth wicket, seemingly putting England in a position to stabilize their first-innings score.
However, Australia made a strong comeback, claiming four wickets during the post-lunch session, allowing them to gain a favourable position in the Test match. Presently, Mark Wood and Chris Woakes have contributed a vital 38 runs for the eighth wicket, and England will hope they continue the same way after Tea.
As the match progresses, Australia will be keeping a close eye on the weather, understanding the need to dismiss England quickly to restrict their first-innings total to a modest score.
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