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Ashes highlights: England vs Australia 5th Test - Day 1 scores

20th August, 2015
Venue: The Oval, London
Start Time: 8pm AEST (1100 BST)
TV: GEM (live from 19:30 AEST)
Radio: ABC Grandstand Digital (live from 19:30 AEST)
Online: Cricket Australia Digital Pass

Head to Head: Played 340, England 108, Australia 139, Draws 93
In England: Played 165, England 51, Australia 48, Draws 66

Predicted Teams:
England: Adam Lyth, Alastair Cook ©, Ian Bell, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (w), Moeen Ali, Stuart Broad, Steven Finn, Mark Wood

Australia: Chris Rogers, David Warner, Steven Smith, Michael Clarke, Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill (w), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
Mitchell Johnson: one of the highlights of the last three years. (AFP, Ian Kington)
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20th August, 2015
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The final Ashes Test won’t change which way the urn is headed, but it could serve a different purpose for both England and Australia. Join us for live scores and coverage of the fifth and final Test from The Oval from 8:00pm AEST.

Australia have had a long break between the previous Test and this one to reflect on what’s gone wrong for them in this series. One way or an other, every post-mortem will lead to the one fact that’s seen their demise in this series – clueless batting against quality swing in conditions that assist that brand of bowling.

And if the Oval track continues to behave in a manner that the surfaces at Edgbaston and Trent Bridge did, it won’t get any easier for the Aussies.

Historically, The Oval has assisted slow bowlers but it was only last year in a Test against India that the groundsman had left enough grass on the pitch to leave the visitors with much to do. Much like Australia, India had gone into the final Test having lost two in a row, and were bowled out for a mere 148 batting first.

Joe Root scored an unbeaten 149 of his own in reply, before India fared no better in the second dig and fell to 94 to lose by an innings and aplenty.

Not that one is suggesting things will go as pear-shaped for Australia as that, but the fact is the surface can be expected to continue helping seamers and if both the Aussie batsmen and bowlers don’t adjust quickly enough, a 4-1 scoreline looms large.

Indications between the previous Test and this one don’t seem to suggest much has changed.

In a tour game against Northamptonshire, the hosts piled up 396 batting first from around 90 overs and then had Australia stumbling to 5-87 at one stage. Mitchell Marsh’s 68 and a smashing 82 not-out from the bat of Pat Cummins pulled them through to 312 in reply.

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While that showing made it clear that Australia will be facing a mountain of a task at The Oval, it also brought the performances of Marsh and Cummins in focus. With the ball, Marsh had picked up four while Cummins scalped three wickets as well.

Marsh should return to the side and could well replace his brother Shaun but it still remains to be seen if the selectors gamble on Cummins. One of Josh Hazlewood or Mitchell Johnson could be made to sit out as a result.

For England, James Anderson has been ruled out, which allows Mark Wood a chance to continue. This will obviously be subject what the doctors think of his ankle – he has been playing with painkillers throughout and might need a surgery at a later date according to news reports.

The rest of the side might remain the same unless the track turns out to be an absolutely dry one, in which case there’s a possibility the management brings in leg-spinner Adil Rashid. By the looks of things though, the chances of that happening look bleak.

Follow the live scores and blog of this first day of the fifth Ashes Test between England and Australia from ​8:00pm AEST on Thursday and post your comments ​in the section ​below.

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