BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Australia won a thrilling Ashes opener by two wickets at Edgbaston on Tuesday as captain Pat Cummins’ six-smashing 44 not out and Usman Khawaja’s patient 65 combined to give England’s “Bazball” cricket revolution a lesson from Down Under.
Cummins hit two sixes and four fours, and he shared a match-winning ninth-wicket partnership of 55 with Nathan Lyon (16 not out) in the last hour of the final day.
Chasing 281 to win, Cummins hit the winning boundary against Ollie Robinson and Australia finished on 282-8 to disappoint a raucous crowd that sensed another memorable victory at the Birmingham ground after a two-run win in the second Ashes test in 2005.
Khawaja, who hit his first test century in England in the first innings, faced 197 deliveries as he anchored most of Australia’s successful run chase before being dismissed by England captain Ben Stokes.
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