WATCH : Mitch Starc’s unplayable ball cleaned up Ben Stokes

Starc delivers to Stokes, and it’s a beauty! Bowled! A magnificent ball from Mitch Starc as he claims Ben Stokes’ wicket for the 9th time in Test matches. The delivery was full and swinging away, catching Stokes off guard as he misjudged the line.

Anticipating the angle from over the wicket, he attempted a flick to mid-wicket, but the late swing deceived him, leaving the bat untouched and sending the off stump flying. A significant setback for England’s batting lineup.

During the post-Lunch session on Day 1 of the ongoing fifth Test match at The Oval in London, England resumed their batting from 131/3. The second session witnessed the departure of Harry Brook, who scored 85, along with Moeen Ali (34), Ben Stokes (3), and Jonny Bairstow (4). Prior to Lunch, Pat Cummins took the wickets of opener Zak Crawley (22) and Mitchell Marsh dismissed Ben Duckett (41). Furthermore, Josh Hazlewood struck to remove Joe Root (5).

In the previous Test at Old Trafford, England faced a heartbreaking loss due to persistent rain, which dashed their hopes of reclaiming the Ashes urn. Despite their dominance throughout the match and a 61-run lead with five Australian wickets down in the second innings, the weather favored Pat Cummins’ team, enabling them to retain the Ashes.

Leading up to the fifth Test, Ben Stokes, the skipper, asserted that the team has moved on from the disappointment and is determined to give their best in the Oval Test. Speculations are rife that the fifth Test might mark James Anderson’s swansong; however, Stokes emphasized that England will still need the services of the experienced pacer in the future.

Conversely, David Warner is also expected to play his final Test on English soil, with the batter indicating that he is likely to retire from the format at the end of the year.

Updated: July 27, 2023 at 8:40 pm

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