ENG vs AUS 5th Test: Australia & England are all set to cross swords in the fifth & final Test of the Ashes 2023 series today on the grounds of the Oval. Australia has retained the series with a 2-1 score & will aim to impose sheer dominance over England by winning the fifth Ashes Test. England was looking favorite to win the fourth Test but they failed to do so as rain played the spoilsport & resulted in the fixture ending in a draw. Though England have failed to win the Ashes 2023 they could still level the series by winning the fifth Test.
ENG vs AUS 5th Test: Teams Preview
England Preview
Initially after suffering consecutive losses in the first two Ashes, England bounced back two register a gleaming win in the third Test. Even in the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford, they were in astute form as they were all set to level the series by winning the crucial Test. But Rains had some other plans as the fifth day of the Trafford Test was washed out resulting in the match ending in a draw.
Coming to their batting lineup it looks potent as usual with every batter stepping up & playing the ‘Bazball’ brand of Cricket. Zak Crawley stood out in the fourth Test by playing a spectacular knock of 189 off 182 balls. He would be their go-to man in the fifth Test. The other best batter in England’s clan who took the limelight is Ben Stokes. He has amassed 360 runs in 7 innings at an average of 51.42 with one ton & two fifties in his kitty. He will continue to replicate the same performance in the fifth Test of the Ashes 2023 series.
Harry Brook is another consistent performer for England returning with figures of 61,3,75 & 50. Though he was not consistent in terms of his performance he has improved a lot with each passing fixture. He will aim to enhance his performance & bring consistency in the fifth Ashes 2023 Test. The man to watch for England is none other than returning batter Bairstow who played a stunning knock of 99 runs in the fourth Test. He has proved that even after a long break a veteran remains the same. His gleaming performance helped to shut the critics.
Mark Wood & Woakes returns to the bowling lineup
In the bowling department, Stuart Broad is the second fast bowler in the history of England to reach the 600 Test wickets mark. He has led England’s bowling attack by scalping 18 wikcets in the series at an average of 28.55 and will be the team’s go-to bowler yet again. The other bowlers who did the job for the English side were fast bowlers Mark Wood (11 wickets in 4 innings at 17) and Chris Woakes (12 wickets in 4 innings at 19.50). Both of them managed to rattle Australia’s batting lineup & will come in handy in the fifth & final Test of Ashes 2023 at the Oval.
Overall England looks like a settled unit that will just need to execute their ‘Bazball Plan’ to win the fifth Test & level the Ashes 2023 Series.
Australia Preview
Australian clan managed to retain the series by taking an early lead in the series with two consecutive wins in their kitty. However, their performance in the last two Tests was not satisfactory as they were not good with both bat & ball. In the Old Trafford fixture, they were bowled out for just 317 runs & later conceeded a huge lead to the “bazball team by allowing them to post 592 runs total. In the second innings, their misery with the willow continued as they were reeling at 214-5. They were still 62 runs behind England & were witnessing their loss closely. But it was rain that acted as their savior with the fifth day getting washed out due to rain thereby resulting in the fixture ending in a draw.
Marnus Labuschagne, who displayed his class in the last Test with scores of 51 and 111, has undoubtedly regained his form and confidence. With the amount of resilience and determination Labushcagne has displayed he will be Australia’s go-to-man in the fifth Test. Alongside him, opener Usman Khawaja, with an impressive tally of 377 runs in 8 innings at an average of 47.12, has been a pillar of consistency throughout the series. His solid technique and ability to anchor the innings will be crucial in setting up a competitive total. Despite a slightly lackluster series, Steve Smith’s reputation as a big-match player cannot be undermined. With 248 runs in 8 innings at 31, he continues to be a significant threat to the English bowlers in the final Test.
Hazlewood & Cummins will lead, Murphy could return
One of Australia’s biggest revelations on this tour has been Mitchell Marsh. The batting all-rounder made a grand entrance in the third Test and has already amassed an astounding 248 runs at an average of 76. His explosive style of play allows him to shift the momentum swiftly, and Australia will heavily rely on him to provide valuable contributions with both bat and ball.
Despite struggles in their bowling in the fourth Test, Australia boasts a formidable attack that can dismantle any batting lineup. The duo of Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins will be the ones to watch out for in the final Test. Hazlewood’s impeccable line and length have earned him 13 wickets in just 5 innings at an average of 29.69, while Cummins, with 16 wickets in 7 innings at 33.36, remains a potent threat with his pace and bounce.
In a potential move to bolster their bowling, Australia might opt for the young off-spinner Todd Murphy over the under-performing Cameron Green. Murphy’s inclusion adds an element of excitement to the bowling attack. With only 5 Test matches under his belt, he has already scalped 15 wickets, showing immense promise as a match-winning spinner.
ENG vs AUS 5th Test: Match details
Match: England vs Australia, 5th Test, The Ashes 2023
Date and Time: Thursday, July 27 – Monday, July 31, 2023, 3.30 pm IST
Venue: Kennington Oval, London
ENG vs AUS 5th Test: Predicted Playing XIs
England:
Zak Crawley, Moeen Ali, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Ben Stokes (c), Harry Brook, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes, James Anderson/ Ollie Robinson
Australia
Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, David Warner, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Marsh, Todd Murphy, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc
Pitch & Weather Conditions
The pitch at Oval is batters friendly however after three days, bowlers start getting assistance from the pitch. Seamers are the ones who will reap the benefit of bounce & movement produced by this pitch after two days. With the weather likely to be more cloudy for the most part of the five days, it will be again seamers who will reap its benefit. If rain occurs then it will become more difficult for the batters to bat on this moist pitch. Considering the rain forecast for the maximum part of the fifth Test, expect a low-scoring total in these cloudy conditions. The team winning the toss will likely choose to bowl first with cloudy & moist conditions in place.
ENG vs AUS 5th Test: Final Prediction
Both teams are aiming to gain a lot from the fifth & final Test of the Ashes 2023. Australia no doubt will be eager to register a series win while England will put their every effort to draw the series. Both the teams look in firing form but looking at the recent performances of both the teams it seems like England will overpower Australia in the fifth Test.
The inclusion of two of their best pace bowlers Mark Wood & Woakes has added new life to their bowling. They will now find a way to dismantle Aussie’s batting order with Steve Smith their major target. England’s batting also looks in great form with every batter firing cylinders & amassing runs in bulk. Despite Australia having an edge we think that England are favorites to win this fixture with their baseball approach.
ENG vs AUS 5th Test: Live Streaming details and channel list
TV: Sony Sports Network
Live Streaming: Sony LIV App
