Ashes Fifth Test: Three lions enjoy Aussie feast

LONDON, July 29

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England batted with positive intent to take control of the final Ashes Test at The Oval today, moving on to 389/9 at the close on the third day with a 377-run lead over Australia.

Joe Root (91), Jonny Bairstow (78) and Zak Crawley (73) were the major contributors for the hosts who trail 2-1 in the series and are battling to stop Australia winning the Ashes in England for the first time since 2001.

Crawley set the tone by driving the first ball of the day from Mitchell Starc to the cover boundary before he and Ben Duckett shared a fluent opening partnership of 79.Duckett fell for 42 when he edged Starc to wicketkeeper Alex Carey and the Australians successfully reviewed the umpire’s decision of not out but that was the touring side’s only success of the morning as they struggled to restrict the flow of runs.

Crawley was out straight after lunch flashing at a wide ball from Pat Cummins and edging a catch to Steve Smith in the slips.

Root joined Ben Stokes and they added 63 for the third wicket before Stokes (42) tried to loft spinner Todd Murphy over long-on and gave Cummins a simple catch. Root looked in excellent touch, hitting 11 fours and one six as he passed fifty for the 90th time in Tests.

Harry Brook, who struck his second ball from Murphy straight for six, was dismissed for seven by a fine lifting ball from Josh Hazlewood which he nicked through to Carey. Root looked certain to make a century but fell nine runs short, deceived by a turning delivery from Murphy that kept low and| bowled him. — Reuters

Brief scores: England: 283 and 389/9 in 80 overs (Root 91, Bairstow 78, Crawley 73; Starc 4/94); Australia: 295.

England’s Broad to retire after series

England fast bowler Stuart Broad will retire from cricket at the end of the Ashes series against Australia, he said after the third day of the final test on Saturday.

Broad, 37, is England’s second-highest test-wicket taker with 602 victims in 167 matches, behind only his long-time team mate James Anderson who has 690. “Tomorrow — well Monday — will be my last game of cricket,” Broad said. “It’s been a wonderful ride, a huge privilege to wear the Nottinghamshire and the England badge.” Reuters