England bowled out for 146 as Australia win first Ashes Test to end Edgbaston hoodoo

Australia took a mighty step towards retaining the Ashes – and winning a series in England for the first time since 2001 – by storming England’s Fortress.

The hosts had won 11 straight matches at Edgbaston, but now are 1-0 down in a series that they must win.

A remarkable comeback win was sealed as Australia bowled England, who needed to bat though the final day to keep the series tied, for just 146. Nathan Lyon took six wickets (and nine for the match), and moved past 350 in his career, while Pat Cummins, the world No1 bowler, defied a sluggish surface to take four and blow England away with significant pace.

Given Australia were 122 for eight on the first afternoon, that they conceded a 90-run first innings deficit, and that they had lost their top three before wiping that out on the third afternoon, this was an extraordinary win for Australia and defeat for England, depending on which side of the fence you are sat. It was a great Test match for three days, then Australia grabbed a half-chance – and never looked back.

The presence of the brilliant Steve Smith in Australia’s order covered some gaps in their team, but they will not worry about that now. Their bowlers were terrific, and have power to add –Mitchell Starc will surely play at Lord’s. England have cause to be concerned, not least because Moeen Ali is struggling with bat and ball, and other World Cup winners look jaded. They must decide whether Joe Denly is Test class, and how to replace James Anderson, who will miss the next couple of Tests.

Rory Burns was England’s major positive in this match after a wonderful first innings century, but Cummins struck a major blow to England’s hopes of saving the game by removing him early on the final morning. His swift short ball did not get up, and Burns was caught at point.

Nathan Lyon was the catcher, and he took the other three wickets to fall in the morning session. The first was Jason Roy in absurd fashion after more than an hour’s hard graft with Joe Root. Roy came down the wicket and tried to plant Lyon into the city centre. He did not get to the ball’s pitch. It spun, and bowled him. Had it missed, a stumping would have done the trick. Lyon had soon gobbled up Denly and Root, both caught at bat-pad. Root had twice survived being given out lbw by Joel Wilson, continuing an awful match for the umpires.

After lunch, it was Cummins’ turn to rough England, dismissing the struggling Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow. He bowled Buttler, then had Jonny Bairstow caught at third slip with a short one that followed him. Bairstow thought he had been caught off the forearm, not the glove (as Wilson eventually adjudged), and reviewed. It had taken just a little bit of the wristband of his glove.

Next ball, Lyon dismissed Ben Stokes with one that turned and bounced. Eventually, he got his bunny Moeen Ali too, to complete his five-fer. This time he made four, not nought, and was caught at slip, not bowled. Stuart Broad went next ball, caught at first slip. Out came Anderson to face a hat-trick ball, which he survived, just as he did the next over.

Chris Woakes had been playing a gem of an innings at the other end, but he could not do it all. Cummins returned and Australia’s victory, by 251 runs.