England, having failed to regain the Ashes, embarked on the final Test knowing a victory here to draw the series will thwart Australia’s hopes of a first series win in England in over two decades.
At stumps on the first day, Australia were 61 for one, trailing by 222, after making a steady start to their first innings with Usman Khawaja and David Warner putting on 49 before Warner, on 24, hung out his bat and edged Chris Woakes to second slip.
Earlier, England were dismissed for 283 after an opening stand of 62 but once the breakthrough came after twelve overs there was quick loss of wickets. First Ben Duckett, attempting to play Mitchell Marsh to leg gloved a catch behind. It was the slightest touch and had to be decided by the third umpire.
England lost the second wicket just four runs later. Zak Crawley, after his marvellous century in his previous innings in the fourth Test, was snapped up by Steve Smith at second slip off Pat Cummings. Smith had dropped him earlier on 11 from a difficult chance at second slip.
In a space of 3.3 overs with an addition of 11 runs, England lost three wickets with the dismissal of Joe Root. It was a fine ball from Hazelwood which came in sharply and Root, on 5, played on to his stumps and England were 73 for three having been put in to bat in cloudy conditions.
Australia were letting chances slip with dropped catches. There were three drops in the first session. The third was by Alex Carey behind the stumps, off Cummins, when Harry Brooks, on 5, got a thick edge.
He soon settled in to play some aggressive shots taking two fours in an over from Mitchell Starc and followed up with a four and a six over deep mid-wicket off Marsh. At Lunch England were 131 for three.
After the break, with two singles in the first over Brook brought up his seventh Test half century and continued with his aggressive stroke-play. He took his score to 64 with two consecutive fours off Cummins and Moeen Ali, having hit Cummins for six over deep mid-wicket in the 31st over, helped himself to another, hooking a bouncer to take his score to 24.
A bowling change for the 34th over, brought on off-spinner Todd Murphy and he struck in his first over, bowling Moeen through the gate for 34. The fourth wicket stand of 111 had brought considerable recovery to the innings with Brooks on 68 from 67 balls at that stage.
But Australia were quick to hit back again in a space of nine overs. With Moeen’s wicket, England had lost four for 27. Ben Stokes, on 3, played across the line to a ball from Starc that moved away to hit his off stump, that was 193 for five and Jonny Bairstow dragged on a ball from Hazelwood as it came into him.
Brook finally went for 85 when his flashing drive ended in the hands of Smith at second slip. He had faced 91 balls hitting eleven of them for four and two sixes.
A useful stand of 49 between Woakes and Mark Wood ended with Wood beaten by the turn and flight from Murphy for 28. The innings ended half-an-hour after tea with Woakes held at wide fine leg for 36 to give Starc 4 for 82.
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