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Ashes 2023 | David Warner, Khawaja Take Run-Chase Command, Set Up An Exciting Final Day

image-lkpnxf29Warner is unbeaten on 58 [AP Photo]

Rains washed out nearly 50 overs of action on the penultimate day of the 2023 Ashes decider at The Oval in London.

Earlier in the day, England’s overnight pair of Stuart Broad and James Anderson survived 11 deliveries before the latter was trapped in front by Todd Murphy. The Australian spinner finished with a four-fer and orchestrated a dramatic English lower-order collapse to restrict them for 395.

The visitors’ opening pair eventually took guard at the crease early on Day 4 to chase a daunting 384-run target to seal the Ashes.

Warner, Khawaja’s sparkling 50s keep Australia in hunt

Australian opener David Warner tackled nemesis Stuart Broad’s new-ball threat and self struggles with the bat with cautious-yet-calculated approach. The dynamic left-handed batter, unfazed by England’s ‘BazBall’ hype, went on a traditional path with Test purist Usman Khawaja as the opening pair reached 75-0 before lunch break.

The two cricketers upped the scoring rate in the afternoon, as they added 60 more runs to the total in just 14 additional overs.

Before rains interrupted play and called for an early stumps on Day 4, both Warner and Khawaja had already wiped out 135 runs out of Australia’s 384-run task.


The two openers will resume Australia’s second innings at 135-0 on Day 5, still in pursuit of another 249 runs to seal the Ashes by a 3-1 margin. Hosts England, on the other hand, will be aiming to take 10 wickets as a victory here would not only avoid a series defeat, but would also give outbound Broad, a proper farewell in his final Test match.

Brief Scores:

England: 283 all out (54.4)
Harry Brook 85 (91), Ben Duckett 41 (41)
Mitchell Starc 4-82 (14.4), Todd Murphy 2-22 (6)

Australia: 295 all out (103.1)
Steve Smith 71 (123), Usman Khawaja 47 (157)
Chris Woakes 3-61 (25), Stuart Broad 2-49 (20)

England: 395 all out (81.5)
Joe Root 91 (106), Jonny Bairstow 78 (103)
Mitchell Starc 4-100 (20), Todd Murphy 4-110 (22.5)

Australia: 135-0 (38)
Usman Khawaja 69* (130), David Warner 58* (99)

Australia need 249 runs to win