The Ashes 2023 LIVE: Cricket score as England bid to deny Australia in fifth Test at the Oval

England are bidding to level the series and deny Australia their first Ashes victory overseas for more than 20 years, as the fifth and final Test begins at The Oval today.

Australia may have already secured the ultimate prize and retained the urn after the rained-out draw in Manchester put them 2-1 ahead and ensured they could not lose the series, but there is still plenty to play for. As England captain Ben Stokes put it this week: “I think 2-2 sounds a lot better than 3-1.”

Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum have opted for the same England XI which dominated the fourth Test before the weather scuppered their chances of victory, keeping faith with legendary bowler James Anderson despite his wavering form. For Pat Cummins, this is a chance to become the first Australian captain since Mark Waugh in 2001 to win an Ashes series in England, after defeats in 2005, 2009, 2013 and 2015, and a draw four years ago.

Follow the score and all the latest updates from the Oval below.

Ashes LIVE: England vs Australia, fifth Test

• Australia won the toss and elected to bowl first

• England and Australia resume combat in fifth Ashes Test

• Australia lead 2-1 and retain the urn – but England can still draw the series

England 41/0 (8), Zak Crawley 10, Ben Duckett 30, Josh Hazlewood 0-22 (4)

11:38 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Josh Hazlewood breaks a run of 15 scoring shots by nipping one back into Zak Crawley’s knee roll, but it’s shooting down by quite a distance. England take a leg bye to keep turning over the strike. Duckett’s on the march again, blotting a sort-of forehand bash to mid-on.

A first bowling change. Pat Cummins was some way below his exemplary standards at Old Trafford.

England 39/0 (7), Zak Crawley 10, Ben Duckett 29, Mitchell Starc 0-18 (4)

11:33 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Australia’s three seamers gather for a planning session on the go, with their opening pair struggling to build pressure. Mitchell Starc’s early accuracy has given way to a more scattered array, with England collecting six singles in his over to make his life resetting his lines and lengths two rather different batters all the tougher.

England 33/0 (6), Zak Crawley 7, Ben Duckett 26, Josh Hazlewood 0-21 (3)

11:27 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Ben Duckett is on the offensive, charging down to Josh Hazlewood and swatting him back down the ground baseball-style, in the process almost taking out his partner with a bit of friendly fire. Zak Crawley’s star jump ensures Duckett gets the boundary he deserves. A promising start from England’s dimunitive dasher.

England 24/0 (5), Zak Crawley 5, Ben Duckett 19, Mitchell Starc 0-12 (3)

11:23 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Ben Duckett advances a couple of steps down the track and pushes for four through point, reaching for an outswinging full toss. Mitchell Starc has already capitalised on Duckett’s trigger across his stumps once in the series and probes the pads, but Duckett is equal to it, content licking aerially through square leg with the sweeping fielder up in the ring and cleared comfortably.

That man goes back and is twice in the action, Todd Murphy sprinting to long leg to deny Duckett another boundary before the left-hander finds him again to once more nick the strike.

England 13/0 (4), Zak Crawley 5, Ben Duckett 8, Josh Hazlewood 0-12 (2)

11:19 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Another nick from Ben Duckett, again straight down into the Oval turf and wide of the gully, too, with the backward point sweeper around to do the fielding as Duckett’s terrier legs scurry back for a second. Duckett steals the strike with a flick to fine leg having got right across his stumps.

England 8/0 (3), Zak Crawley 4, Ben Duckett 4, Mitchell Starc 0-1 (2)

11:14 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A beaut! This is a brilliant start from Mitchell Starc, a wobble seamer pitched a little shorter on middle stump and jagging ever-so-slightly away from a fending Crawley, who gurgles an admission he’s been beaten.

NOT OUT! England 8/0 (2.3), Zak Crawley 4, Ben Duckett 4, Mitchell Starc 0-1 (1.3)

11:13 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A good decision from Joel Wilson (who has his shades on, if you were wondering) - it looked nice for Mitchell Starc but wasn’t quite doing enough through the air. A few centimetres away but tracking to miss off peg. Australia lose their review.

England 8/0 (2.3), Zak Crawley 4, Ben Duckett 4, Mitchell Starc 0-1 (1.3)

11:11 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Swinging back in and Crawley is struck on the pads shouldering arms! That looks very, very close - but Joel Wilson says no! Australia ponder their options and Pat Cummins sends it upstairs. Has it come back enough?

England 7/0 (2), Zak Crawley 4, Ben Duckett 3, Josh Hazlewood 0-7 (1)

11:09 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Plenty of carry in this surface first up, Josh Hazlewood pushing across Ben Duckett to beat an attempted push towards long-on. Then Hazlewood bites the edge, but Duckett’s softer hands save him.

Clattered through the covers! Welcome back, Zak, up and running with a delicious drive played on the up.

England 2/0 (1.3), Zak Crawley 0, Ben Duckett 2, Josh Hazlewood 0-2 (0.3)

11:07 , Lawrence Ostlere at the Oval

Good morning from The Oval, where it is cloudy and a little breezy, as if summer has come to an abrupt end. This is pretty much the dictionary definition of a “bowler’s day” so English expectations should be appropriately cautious after losing what seems like an important toss. But then they have a little momentum from that rained-off Old Trafford Test, despite failing to claim the urn, and Zak Crawley in particular is in fine touch. Let’s see if he can continue that form this morning.

England 2/0 (1.1), Zak Crawley 0, Ben Duckett 2, Josh Hazlewood 0-2 (0.1)

11:05 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Ben Duckett beats his partner off the mark, working to leg from in front of his ribs for a couple of runs backward of square.

England 0/0 (1), Zak Crawley 0, Ben Duckett 0, Mitchell Starc 0-0 (1)

11:04 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A lovely line to start from Mitchell Starc, which hasn’t always been true in this series. Crawley considers a defensive shot to a ball arcing towards him but judges the eventual leave well.

Starc errs for the first time down the legside, starting on Crawley’s hip and his natural shape taking it further down, forcing Alex Carey into a sprawling stop. Four leaves, a forward defensive and that missed nurdle down the legside - it’s a maiden to begin. From the Vauxhall End it’ll be Josh Hazlewood.

England 0/0 (0.1), Zak Crawley 0, Ben Duckett 0, Mitchell Starc 0-0 (0.1)

11:01 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Back of a length in a channel - up go Zak Crawley’s long limbs to lever the bat out of the way. Australia with sweepers on both sides.

England 0/0 (0)

10:59 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Once more unto the breach - the Ashes remain in Australia’s hands but England have a series to square. It’s been a thrill a minute so far - what does this final instalment have in store?

Out come Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley under murky skies. Mitchell Starc, with three slips and a gully waiting, to kick things off for Australia.

Stuart Broad has a pre-play chat with Sky Sports

10:53 , Harry Latham-Coyle

“We love coming to the Oval, it’s a fantastic place to play,” Broad, who has played every home men’s Ashes Test for England since the start of the 2009 series, says. “It was a very disappointing weekend in Manchester so we are hugely motivated to make the Ashes series 2-2. It’s been one of the most enjoyable series I’ve played in.

“I’ve bowled nicely. I set a target at the start of the summer to be available and fit for every game - I didn’t think at any stage I’d play all of them. We’ve bowled pretty well as a unit. I’ve achieved my personal goal and I’m absolutely delighted I’ve had the opportunity to play all of them.

“I think part of the philosophy over the last 18 months has been about enjoying the moment. There are certain times you get in a Test match day where you can look up and think ‘how lucky are we to be playing here, how special is this’. We feel like we’ve played the style of cricket that deserves something out of the series.

[On James Anderson] “There’s certainly no hunger diminished. He’s got a great record at the Oval and bowls well here. I don’t think the pitchess have suited his style of bowling, they’ve been quite slow and unresponsive at times. It’s not necessarily been one of those series for the craft of getting the ball up there and swinging, but he’s someone who is a proven wicket-taker. We know a performance won’t be far away.

“It’s important not to get left too much here. You’ve got to make the batter play. If you can make the batter play consistently with a straight bat, you’re in the game.”

Australia win the toss and elect to bowl first

10:45 , Harry Latham-Coyle

There’s every chance this is Moeen Ali’s last Test match, with the all-rounder likely to slip back into red-ball retirement at the end of the series. England’s gamble thrusting him up to number three worked very well at Old Trafford, Moeen setting Zak Crawley on his way in a vital second-wicket partnership and indulging in a few of those glorious offside thwacks of his own. Perhaps the clarity of knowing that he’s not playing for his place will free Moeen up mentally again.

Australia win the toss and elect to bowl first

10:42 , Harry Latham-Coyle

First use of the Oval surface for Australia’s attack, then, battered, beaten and bruised at Old Trafford but looking to bounce back. The weekend washout in Manchester means they did get plenty of rest, but Todd Murphy will have to be used intelligently to take a load off of the big three quicks - England are sure to come hard at the callow offie. Mitch Marsh, though, will have fond memories of his last Test visit here, his five-for in a losing cause here four years ago one of a number of bizarre forgotten oddities of an encounter that very much had an end of term feel.

Australia are keen to right the wrongs of that occasion, when they rocked up with the Ashes already in their grasp and in the end let a first series victory on English soil since 2001 slip meekly through limp hands. This morning is a good opportunity to make a statement of intent by starting with the right intensity with the ball.

Australia win the toss and elect to bowl first

10:35 , Harry Latham-Coyle

“We’d have had a bowl as well,” Ben Stokes confirms, with an unchanged England’s side announced earlier in the week. The two XIs look like this...

England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Moeen Ali, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jonny Bairstow (wk), Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.

Australia XI: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Todd Murphy, Josh Hazlewood.

Australia win the toss and elect to bowl first

10:32 , Harry Latham-Coyle

“There’s a bit of cloud overhead, but it looks like a good wicket,” Pat Cummins says after calling tails. “It’s a similar side to who played four years ago and we finished that Test match wishing we’d gone one better. We’ve got one change from Old Trafford - Todd Murphy comesi n for Cameron Green. Nathan Lyon has always bowled well here and we know Toddy is a class player, so we bring him in.”

Australia win the toss and elect to bowl first

10:30 , Harry Latham-Coyle

England vs Australia: Fifth Test, day one

10:28 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Right, almost toss time at the Oval. The coin hasn’t been Pat Cummins’s friend this summer, five from five falling the opposition’s way, including the World Test Championship final. It feels a bowl first day but a bat first pitch, particularly with Todd Murphy all but certain to come back in. Mitch Marsh has marked out his run-up, which suggest he’s overcome a slight niggle to get the nod ahead of Cameron Green.

James Anderson still hungry to play Test cricket for England

10:24 , Lawrence Ostlere

James Anderson insists that “the hunger is still there” to keep playing as he prepares for the fifth and final Ashes Test at the Oval.

England have named an unchanged squad for the Test, where they are aiming to level the series against Australia, but veteran seamer Anderson has been under the microscope.

The 40-year-old has taken just four wickets at an average of 76.75 across the series, including one at his home ground Old Trafford last week, but he is still determined to keep giving his best for England.

Writing in his column for the Daily Telegraph, Anderson said: “I have certainly not had the returns I would have liked in this series. Everyone goes through a lean patch, but you just do not want it to be in the most high-profile series we play.

“I keep talking to the coach and captain. They want me around, so as long as I am still hungry, want to put in the work, I will keep trying to give my best for the team.”

Ben Stokes still sees himself as an all rounder despite problematic left knee

10:18 , Lawrence Ostlere

Ben Stokes revealed how important playing his role as an all-rounder is to him, after having a limited role with the ball throughout the Ashes series.

The England captain’s left knee has been a problem for years, but it has been getting progressively worse, to the extent that he was hobbling during the Test match at Wellington and could not even walk comfortably.

Stokes has been able to bowl just 29 overs in this Ashes series, but has not bowled a ball since the second Test match at Lord’s where he did so for a mammoth 12 over spell, but was left admitting that if he had stopped earlier, he night not have been able to do so again.

“Yes, it is (important to be an allrounder),” Stokes said, after England redressed their balance of the side with the understanding that he couldn’t bowl.

Full story:

Ben Stokes still sees himself as an all rounder despite problematic left knee

Watch: Ben Stokes reacts as Barbie song interrupts press conference

10:09 , Lawrence Ostlere

Ben Stokes had an unusual start to his fifth Ashes press conference on Wednesday (26 July) when he was interrupted by a Barbie song.

The England captain was pranked by Mark Wood as a burst of Aqua’s 1997 pop hit “Barbie Girl” played when he sat down to take questions at the Kia Oval’s indoor school.

Stokes appeared to take the moment in his stride as he puffed his cheeks in deadpan fashion before before correctly guessing who was to blame for the stunt.

Results pitch

10:02 , Lawrence Ostlere

After the damp squib in Manchester, fans on both sides will surely want to see a positive result this time.

The good news is that in 14 Tests dating back to 2008, there has only been one draw – in the 2013 Ashes. England have won eight and lost five in that time, including a rapid contest against South Africa last summer, a game that lost a day to rain and another after Queen Elizabeth II’s death and still hurried towards a conclusion.

Australia also have positive memories, having claimed the crown of Test world champions there against India at the start of the summer.

Stats wars

09:52 , Lawrence Ostlere

There is a great prestige attached to topping the charts at the end of a hard-fought Ashes and two Englishmen currently sit atop the standings.

Zak Crawley’s outstanding 189 at Old Trafford catapulted him up the run-scoring list with 385 but Khawaja, Stokes, Joe Root, Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne have cleared 300 and have a chance to overtake.

In the bowling ranks, Broad is on his own with 18 wickets. Cummins, with 16, is his nearest challenger with Mitchell Starc one further back.

End of an era?

09:40 , Lawrence Ostlere

Amazingly given the number of thirty-somethings involved this summer, not to mention James Anderson’s impending 41st birthday, there are no confirmed retirements heading into this match. Despite that there is a growing sense that many of the key combatants are close to the end of their Ashes journey.

Anderson has vowed he is not hanging up his boots yet, but will surely be taking it easy when England next head Down Under in 2025/26. Among the rest it is asking a lot for Stuart Broad (37), David Warner (36), Usman Khawaja (36), Chris Woakes (34) and Mark Wood (33) to see this stage again.

But first out of the door is likely to be Moeen Ali, the 36-year-old all-rounder who only came out of retirement after an SOS following Jack Leach’s injury.

Ashes LIVE: England vs Australia, fifth Test

09:32 , Lawrence Ostlere

England have less to play for now but, as captain, Stokes is not lacking drive as he seeks to cap a six-week contest that has reinvigorated the Test game.

“Putting the shirt on, walking out, representing the country, leading this team out is all the motivation I need,” he said.

For opposite number Pat Cummins, the goal is clear: becoming the first Australia captain since Steve Waugh in 2001 to win a series outright on English soil.

“We know that it wasn’t our best week last week and at the end of the game it was a bit of a pat on the back, ‘well done, we’ve retained the Ashes’ but really it feels like the job’s not done,” he said.

“This group has been really motivated to win the series.”

Ashes LIVE: England vs Australia, fifth Test

09:26 , Lawrence Ostlere

England are bidding to level the series and deny Australia their first Ashes victory overseas for more than 20 years, as the fifth and final Test begins at the Oval today.

Australia may have already secured the ultimate prize and retained the urn after the rained-out draw in Manchester put them 2-1 ahead and ensured they could not lose the series, but there is still plenty to play for. As England captain Ben Stokes put it this week: “2-2 sounds a lot better than 3-1.”

Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum have opted for the same England XI which dominated the fourth Test before the weather scuppered their chances of victory. For Pat Cummins, there is the chance to become the first Australian captain since Mark Waugh in 2001 to win an Ashes series in England, with defeats in 2005, 2009, 2013, 2015 and a draw four years ago.

Ashes LIVE: England vs Australia, fifth Test

09:19 , Lawrence Ostlere

Follow all the latest Ashes updates from the Oval as England bid to square the series.