Jason Roy of England walks off after being dismissed. Photo / Photosport
Jason Roy of England walks off after being dismissed. Photo / Photosport
Australia won the first test at Edgbaston by 251 runs to take a 1-0 series in the Ashes.
The highlight of day five was Aussie spinner Nathan Lyon's stunning haul of 6-49 – claiming the scalps of Joe Root, Jason Roy, Joe Denly, Moeen Ali and Stuart Broad – leading Australia to a remarkable comeback victory.
England's collapse was slammed by the UK media, who lamented the quick fall from the highs of winning the Cricket World Cup last month to the embarrassment of a thrashing by Australia at Edgebaston.
Here's how the UK media reacted to England's loss:
Jason Roy's 'brainless' dismissal to Nathan Lyon was worst shot ever played by an England batsman – by The Sun's Dave Kidd
"Jason Roy always seems to feel the hand of history on his shoulder when he plays at Edgbaston.
"The last time, England's opener clattered three successive sixes off the bowling of Steve Smith — the final blow reaching the Skyline, the fourth and highest tier of the South Stand — as Australia were annihilated in a glorious World Cup semi-final.
"And so, facing the canny off-spin of Nathan Lyon, on the final morning of an Ashes Test which England desperately needed to save, Roy decided the time was right to attempt a carbon copy.
"He strode down the pitch with vast confidence, missed the turning ball by a country mile and was comprehensively bowled through the gate to hand Lyon the first of his six-wicket haul.
Jason Roy of England walks off after being dismissed. Photo / Photosport
"Another little piece of history for Roy, then.
"Surely, considering the context of the match, this was the worst shot ever played by a top-order England batsman in Test cricket.
"Roy is clearly not big on context.
"Sure, nobody expected this flamboyant World Cup hero to turn into a blocker when switching to red-ball cricket.
"But this was utter brainlessness. An abject dereliction of duty."
"Labelling a ground 'The Fortress' is asking for trouble. The 'Gabbatoir' it was not. Then again Edgbaston was not to know Jimmy Anderson would break down, Steve Smith would be imperious and a World Cup win would dampen England's energy.
"The script said they would roll from the Lord's Super Over straight over Australia in the Ashes, as if the first would provide petrol for the second. A two-stage summer conquest was on the cards. But nobody could have looked at Jos Buttler batting in this first Test and thought England's white-ball heroes were still on a high. Buttler, the buccaneer, simply planted his feet and fell all over a Pat Cummins delivery that bowled him.
"All the fun English cricket has had with Australia's fall from grace has ended, unless Root's gang can recalibrate after a Test for which they were not mentally ready."
Australia players celebrate after beating England by 251 runs in the first Ashes test. Photo / AP
"Well, that wasn't supposed to happen. On a mild, sunlit Birmingham day Australia bowled straight, fielded well, swarmed around England's batsmen and took wickets with disarming ease in front of stands filled with garrulous southern hemisphere voices.
"As the final clatter began in earnest after lunch the endgame to this first Ashes Test began to feel a little giddy and light-hearted. There were ironic cheers for Moeen Ali as he successfully defended a straight ball from Nathan Lyon. England batsmen were barracked from the centre by the touring support en route to a 251-run defeat. Tim Paine's team weren't just in control here. They were enjoying themselves.
…
"Plus, of course, this is a structural thing. Don't call it a hangover. England's losing start here is not to do with the aftershocks of the World Cup. It's to do with the pre‑shocks, the pre-effects. For four years this team, the red ball one, has been secondary in planning and resources. Men who were being asked here to bat the day out have been encouraged to whack a white ball into the stands rather than work on gritty defence on English pitches. England's team here is pegged around explosive white-ball talents: because these are the talents they have."
"In many ways, this was simply an indelicate enunciation of what Australian cricketers have innately known for decades, an unspoken truth that no amount of culture reviews and fancy slogans and tearful interviews can ever fully elide. Australia's win-at-all-costs mentality led to plenty of things: an uncompromising attitude to player welfare, a spiteful on-field demeanour, and ultimately downright cheating. But - and this part is often forgotten - it also led to a hell of a lot of winning.
"It's in this context that we need to understand Australia's quest to win on English soil, a quest that began with this ominous statement of intent at a half-full Edgbaston. And this was some statement: England's fortress torn down, their batsmen spun to ruin by Nathan Lyon, their bowlers ground into the dirt by Smith and other players not quite as good as Smith. Moreover, the celebrations of the Australian team afterwards spoke not just of a Test victory earned, but of something more: a sort of catharsis, an itch scratched, a plan on the verge of coming to glorious fruition."
