NEW DELHI: 'Test cricket at its best', 'An Ashes match for the ages': Former cricketers, commentators, experts and fans couldn't stop gushing after Australia snatched victory from England's clutches in a thrilling opening Test of the Ashes series at Edgbaston on Tuesday.
Australia captain Pat Cummins sealed a remarkable two-wicket victory for his side in a thrilling climax to a gripping five-day battle.
The visitors, set a 281 victory target, began a rain-delayed day on 107 for three but their chances looked to be slipping away when they were reduced to 227/8. But Cummins, in partnership with Nathan Lyon, launched a fightback and secured victory with an unbeaten 44. In suffocating tension and with every ball like a mini-drama, Cummins struck the final boundary thanks to a fumble by Harry Brook to give his side a 1-0 lead in the series.
1/10:Cummins the hero as Australia edge England in Ashes thriller
Reuters
2/10:Dramatic win for Australia
<p>Australia captain Pat Cummins led his side to a dramatic two-wicket win over England in the first Test at Edgbaston on Tuesday.<br /></p>Getty Images
3/10:England on top when Khawaja falls
<p>The Ashes holders were 209/7, still 72 runs shy of a victory target of 281, when fast bowler Cummins came in to bat after first-innings century-maker Usman Khawaja fell for a painstaking 65.</p>Getty Images
4/10:54 more with just 2 wickets in hand
<p>And after Alex Carey was out to leave Australia 227/8, the tourists still required another 54 more runs with Nathan Lyon the new batsman.<br /></p>Getty Images
5/10:Match-winning stand
<p>But Cummins-Lyon's unbroken stand of 55 saw Australia home in a match to rival the tension of England's two-run win in a celebrated 2005 Ashes clash at Edgbaston.<br /></p>Getty Images
6/10:Cummins hits the winning runs
<p>Cummins, who finished on 44 not out, hit the winning boundary when he edged Ollie Robinson to third man where a diving Harry Brook knocked the ball over the rope.<br /></p>Getty Images
7/10:Lyon plays his part
<p>Lyon, whose missed run out contributed to England's stunning one-wicket win at Headingley in the drawn 2019 Ashes series in England, was 16 not out.<br /></p>Reuters
8/10:Australia take 1-0 lead
<p>Victory left World Test champions Australia 1-0 up in the five-match series as they bid for a first Ashes campaign win in England in 22 years.<br /></p>Getty Images
9/10:Captain Stokes' third defeat
<p>This was just England's third defeat in 14 Tests under captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum.<br /></p>AP
10/10:Costly drop catch
<p>England were left to rue a series of missed chances throughout the match, none more so than when Lyon was dropped on just two by Stokes at square leg.<br /></p>Getty ImagesAustralia's dramatic win in the first Test ensured a hugely-anticipated Ashes series got off to a thrilling start.
Here's how former cricketers, commentators and fans had expressed about the nerve-wracking match:
