England’s media has labelled Day 1 at The Oval the hosts’ “most disappointing day of the Ashes” after Australia’s patient approach outshone Bazball again.
The fifth and final Test remains delicately poised, but Australia earned honours after bowling England out for 283 and reaching 1-61 at stumps.
Nick Hoult, writing for the UK Telegraph, noted Australia were “more streetwise and better equipped to negotiate difficult conditions”.
“This series is a clash of cricketing cultures. Australia play hard edged Test cricket, England go for it with whiz-bang fun,” Hoult wrote.
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Marnus makes sure not to do a Bairstow | 00:31
“England aggressed at 5.1 an over, Australia grafted to the close 2.4, going nowhere but not giving wickets away. Someone clever, somewhere in the…