Stuart Broad’s Test career got the fairytale finish it deserved as England ripped through Australia on the final day of the Ashes to draw the series.
Ben Stokes’ side were facing a first home Ashes defeat since 2001 as Australia reached 140-0 and 264-3 in pursuit of 384.
But England produced a clinical bowling performance either side of a rain delay on day five of the fifth Test to bowl Australia out for 334 at a raucous Oval.
Australia were attempting to turn their Ashes retention into an outright victory but lost three wickets at the start of the day before collapsing in the evening session.
Chris Woakes was England’s standout bowler – removing Australia’s openers and Steve Smith – while Moeen Ali also produced a crucial spell, taking three wickets.
But it was Broad, not only an England legend but an all-time great, who stole the show by claiming the final two wickets and secure England’s Ashes-levelling victory.
The hosts’ brilliant fightback began at the start of day five as a ball change and cloud cover aided England’s bowlers, who had struggled on day four, allowing Australia to move to 135-0.
Woakes, England’s best bowler since his introduction in the third Test, nicked off David Warner in the fourth over and dismissed Usman Khawaja lbw shortly after.
When Mark Wood got in on the act, removing Marnus Labuschagne cheaply, Australia slipped to 169-3 in pursuit of their second-highest chase in Test cricket.
In challenging batting conditions, Travis Head lived dangerously with several balls dashing past his outside edge, but Australia’s No. 5 was also able to counter-punch with regular boundaries.
Head had one of Australia’s all-time greats for company and Smith also chipped away at the target before he was fortunately and bizarrely offered a reprieve on the stroke of lunch.
Smith gloved Moeen down the leg-side to a leaping Ben Stokes but as England’s captain went to celebrate the ball fell out of his hand. Stokes reviewed the decision, more out of hope than expectation, but the decision stayed not out as he did not have full control over the ball.
The rain came just as the players returned to the field after lunch and persisted for almost 90 minutes, wiping out the afternoon session.
Australia needed 147 from 47 overs when play finally resumed but they were soon on the back foot as Moeen got one to take the edge of Head, ending a partnership worth 93.
England were halfway to a thrilling victory when the impressive Woakes claimed the prized scalp of Smith in the next over, and Moeen took his second wicket in nine balls when an inside edge deflected off Mitchell Marsh’s pad and was caught superbly by Jonny Bairstow.
Australia had lost four wickets for 11 runs when Mitchell Starc went for a duck, Woakes celebrating his fourth of the innings when Zak Crawley took his third catch of the innings.
The target dipped below 100 but Australia lost captain Pat Cummins to Moeen, an inside edge looping up and Stokes gratefully keeping hold of this one at leg-slip.
Alex Carey and Todd Murphy frustrated England for almost ten overs but Broad was not to be denied a fairytale finish and nicked off both to send the Oval wild and level one of the most thrilling Ashes series in history.
From 2-0 down, England performed brilliantly to avoid a rare home Ashes defeat, though they will always wonder what could have been given they were on course for a victory before the fourth Test was washed out.
Australia, meanwhile, will return home with mixed feelings following a tour which has seen them become world Test champions and retain the urn but fail to get the better of England and Bazball.
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