31 July 2023 , 17:27
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Stuart Broad took the decisive wicket with his final ball in cricket as England salvaged a drawn Ashes series with Australia following a final day laced with tension and drama at the Oval.
Chasing 384 to seal a first Test series win on these shores since 2001, Australia started the day 135-0. And at 264-3, and Steve Smith still at the crease, they appeared favourites before the hosts charged.
They reached 329-8 before the fairytale finish came. Broad, who on Saturday announced he would be retiring at the conclusion of this Test, sent the crowd into raptures when he drew an edge from Todd Murphy.
Moments later, he responded to the roars as he ran in to bowl by then dismissing Alex Carey, with his nick through the Bairstow the final act of an exhilarating Ashes battle. And speaking afterwards, the 37-year-old, who duly embraced his fiancee and daughter, was emotional as he lauded his final day in whites.
"It was absolutely wonderful," he told the BBC. "I thought Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali set the tone absolutely unbelievably. Woakesy picked up a couple of wickets, particularly Steve Smith, who has just been a wonderful player to play against all these years.
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"Once we got a couple we really started to believe. The crowd were unbelievable. It was so loud and we just jumped on the back of that. To contribute to the team with two wickets is very special. When you make that decision you wonder what your last ball will be so to take a wicket to win an Ashes Test match is pretty cool."
Broad embraces James Anderson after sealing the winAnd yet, another tantalising clash at one stage threatened to fizzle out, literally, with heavy rain forcing play to be delayed for two hours in the afternoon. It was Woakes who first swung the pendulum in the morning session, removing both Usman Khawaja and David Warner before Mark Wood dismissed Marnus Labuschagne.
But then a partnership of 95 between Smith and Travis Head, than spanned either side of the rain, put the tourists back in control. However, it came amid another moment of controversy in the series, Ben Stokes appearing to catch Smith before contriving to drop the ball as he went to celebrate - with the DRS decision ruling it not out.
It was Woakes again who delivered when it mattered though, having Smith caught in the slips by Zak Crawley, before Moeen Ali removed Mitchell Starc. And when the same bowling duo got rid of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins respectively, England were on the brink.
Broad leaves the field at the Oval for the final timeAnd it was then that Broad came up trumps one last time in an England shirt, providing the most superb climax to another enthralling five days. But both sides will now arguably reflect with regrets, with Broad himself conceding afterwards the side were left to rue not taking the new ball earlier on the fifth day at Edgbaston, a Test Australia won by two wickets.
"I don't have many regrets with cricket," he said. "I wouldn't have taken the second new ball at Edgbaston. Throughout the series the new ball has been the hardest time to bowl. We found it hard to create changes after that. If I could turn back the clock for that final hour I'd have maybe stayed with the old ball, stayed heavy and short and see if they'd made a mistake." Sir Alastair Cook added: "It had to be Stuart Broad, it just had to be."
Tributes soon flooded in for the star, with former all-rounder Ian Botham tweeting: "Stuart Broad….a magnificent career… a great “Man” and a wonderful person….!! You did it……it was written in the stars…" Commentating for Test Match Special, Michael Vaughan said "He embodies the England shirt," adding: "Broad bowled beautifully today, I don't know why he's quitting. He played magnificently."
Woakes took the player of the match award, with Joe Root and Mitchell Starc adjudged the player of the series for their respective sides.