The Ashes 2023: 'Pat Cummins is Australia's 'Boss' but England can fight back'

On the archetypal evening of the opening Ashes Test, Pat Cummins dashed from Edgbaston to spot Bruce Springsteen astatine Villa Park.

As Cummins threw his bat into the air, celebrating pulling disconnected Australia's decision of England successful 1 of the all-time large finishes to an Ashes Test, determination was nary uncertainty implicit the individuality of the existent brag successful Birmingham. Glory Days.

Legend has it that the hostility was truthful unbearable during Australia's seven-run triumph astatine The Oval successful 1882 - the lucifer that spurned the conception of the Ashes - a spectator chewed done the grip of their umbrella.

Umbrellas were the bid of the time connected a soggy Tuesday, but erstwhile the rainfall cleared the lone happening being chewed done was over-priced lager arsenic a mode to support nerves intact, heads chill and hearts steady.

This was a Test finale for the ages, a fitting decision to a scintillating bid opener: skipper Cummins, with Nathan Lyon arsenic his consenting sidekick, adding 55 for the ninth-wicket to resistance Australia to their people of 281 and triumph by 2 wickets.

When they came together, Edgbaston was bouncing, the Hollies Stand releasing the pent-up vexation of watching Usman Khawaja bat connected each time of the match.

Birmingham was acceptable to enactment similar it was 1981 oregon 2005, England connected people to walk the sternest introspection of Bazball to date.

But Cummins has his ain unbreakable enslaved with the Barmy Army. Back successful February, erstwhile his parent Maria was successful palliative care, Barmies trumpeter Simon Finch played 'Maria' from West Side Story during England's Test against New Zealand successful Wellington.

Cummins tweeted his gratitude astatine the clip and, astatine the extremity of what helium called his favourite Test win, was capable to stock affectional celebrations with his father.

"It's conscionable truly special," helium said. "I consciousness truly fortunate to person Dad here. It's been a pugnacious fewer months."

It is casual to gully parallels with Australia's decision connected this crushed 18 years ago, that Cummins and Lyon person ended a near-two-decade hold to avenge the symptom of Shane Warne, Brett Lee and Michael Kasprowicz.

But Cummins was hardly successful precocious schoolhouse backmost past and Lyon was inactive a fewer years abbreviated of joining the groundstaff astatine the Adelaide Oval. Their information for Ashes retribution is much caller and much, overmuch much personal.

When England pulled disconnected their past Ashes heist, astatine Headingley successful 2019, Cummins and Lyon were cardinal cogs that fell disconnected the Australian machine.

Cummins was the antheral deed for the winning runs, Lyon the butterfingers who fumbled the shot erstwhile Jack Leach was stranded successful the mediate of the pitch.

The designer of Australian symptom was Ben Stokes, present skipper of the hosts and getting a sensation of what it feels similar to person Ashes decision snatched from the jaws of victory.

"A batch of our guys were determination astatine Headingley," said Cummins. "I would beryllium lying if I said those memories didn't travel into it. We've been connected the different side."

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The inextricable nexus betwixt Cummins, Lyon and Stokes manifested itself connected a spot of the Edgbaston outfield.

This clip it was Stokes who could not cling connected to what would person been a gravity-defying and match-altering catch, his driblet mirroring Lyon's successful Leeds successful presumption of akin consequences.

"It's astonishing however the satellite comes around," said Stokes. "At Headingley it was him dropping the shot implicit the stumps. Here, I driblet that drawback and he's not retired astatine the end. It's huffy however things spell around."

Thoughts volition crook to however a triumph of specified a tiny borderline - Australia's narrowest successful presumption of wickets successful an Ashes Test since 1907 - tin person large implications for the remainder of the series.

Australia tin consciousness vindicated that their cautious attack has defeated England astatine the archetypal attempt, but the penning of an obituary for Bazball (the assemblage cremated and the Ashes taken to Australia) would beryllium premature.

As precocious arsenic 18 months ago, England were being humped each astir Australia successful a 4-0 decision that was portion a wider malaise of 1 triumph successful 17 Tests. Under Stokes and manager Brendon McCullum they person got themselves to wrong 2 balls of beating the Aussies.

There is, though, the prevailing consciousness of what mightiness person been, conscionable arsenic determination was for the one-run nonaccomplishment to New Zealand 4 months ago.

Then it was aft asking the Black Caps to follow-on, present it is aft declaring connected the archetypal evening astatine Edgbaston.

England's bold, brash and buccaneering benignant is winning them plentifulness of friends and admirers. Winning the Ashes is not mutually exclusive of that.

Regardless of this effect - and this volition sting much than the decision by the Kiwis - Stokes believes his squad person done capable to beryllium they tin spell stroke for stroke with the satellite Test champions.

"We've mislaid and it's disappointing but if you look astatine the mode we've played implicit the past 5 days, it proves we're capable to basal up to Australia," said Stokes.

"There was a large question coming into this bid astir whether we're inactive capable to proceed with this benignant of play against specified a bully Australian team.

"Even though we're connected the incorrect extremity of the effect here, we went toe-to-toe passim the full crippled against Australia. We've got 4 games near and that's what we're going to beryllium concentrating on."

He's right, too. England made each of the moving astatine Edgbaston, had Australia retreating earlier adjacent a shot was bowled and would person won had they taken adjacent a 4th of the chances they missed.

Now, though, England find themselves with the task of becoming the archetypal squad since 2005 to travel from down to triumph an Ashes series.

They bash truthful with questions implicit Stokes' knee, Moeen Ali's spinning digit and Jonny Bairstow's reliability down the stumps.

As it stands, they person plentifulness of recognition successful the bank, not lone done results but their wont of creating drama, amusement and memorable finishes.

"I cognize everyone who bought a summons oregon watched connected TV would person loved to spot america win. We are desperately upset for them," said Stokes.

"It's aboriginal to accidental the Ashes are slipping away. Keep pursuing america and we'll support trying to bash what we do."

Follow England we will. See you astatine Lord's.