Agence France Presse
Birmingham, July 31: Ian Bell (65 n o, 90b, 10×4) delighted a capacity crowd at his Warwickshire home ground with a sparkling unbeaten knock as England beat Australia by eight wickets to win the third Test at Edgbaston here Friday and take a 2-1 lead in the ongoing Ashes series.
Earlier Australia resuming at their overnight score of 168 for seven folded for 265 to set England a target of 121. Steven Finn (6/79) was the other hero for the hosts.
Bell was well-supported by Joe Root (38 n o, 63b, 6×4, 1×6), who struck the winning boundary off Mitchell Marsh. The two put on an unfinished 73-run partnership for the third wicket after England had lost skipper Alastair Cook (seven) and Adam Lyth (12) early on.
There was a moment of concern for England when Cook was bowled by a superb swinging delivery from left-arm paceman Mitchell Starc to leave the hosts seven for one.
But Bell, roared on by England fans in a sun-drenched crowd, took charge with a flurry of four fours in seven balls off Starc, including one down the ground and a classic cover drive. He was, however, given a reprieve on 20 when, with England 35 for one, he edged Starc to second slip only for Australia captain Michael Clarke to drop the two-handed catch.
Root coming in at the fall of the second wicket, showed few signs of nerves in cutting his first ball, from Hazlewood, for four. Bell’s late-cut boundary off Starc saw him to his second fifty of the match.
Australia resumed Friday on 168 for seven, 23 runs ahead and the two not out batsmen overnight, Peter Nevill (59, 147b, 7×4) and Starc (58, 108b, 6×4, 1×6) went on to make fifties and shared an eighth-wicket stand of 64 that boosted Australia’s second innings total to a semblance of respectability.
Nevill’s leg-glanced boundary off Finn saw him to a maiden Test fifty. Having survived one appeal for a catch down the leg side on 53 by opposing wicket-keeper Jos Buttler, Nevill eventually fell in similar fashion when the diving England glovesman held a stunning one-handed chance, high to his left, off Finn.
Starc’s straight six off spinner Moeen Ali saw him to an 83-ball fifty, including six fours. It also gave Australia a lead of 100 before Ali ended the innings when he had Starc caught in the covers.
Brief scores: Australia 136 and 265 (Peter Nevill 59, Mitchell Starc 58, Steven Finn 6/79) lost to England 281 and 124 for two (Ian Bell 65 n o) by eight wickets.
