As the shadows deepened, with the clock ticking towards 7.30pm, Australia's inspirational captain Pat Cummins was performing something like a victory lap around Edgbaston as the normally rowdy crowd were unusually muted.
It takes something special for the subdued Cummins for his emotions to bubble over, but you couldn't blame him.
In what was the wee hours back in his country, as his compatriots were about to awake to good news, Australia conjured one of their greatest ever Test victories over England in an epic series-opener that showcased why the five-day format is so treasured by traditionalists who fear for its future.
Australia hauled in a tough chase of 281 at the death with just two wickets in hand to exorcise several ghosts of the past. This had not been a very good team at chasing in the fourth innings with Australia having not been successful in chasing a score over 250 in over a decade. The odds were stacked against them further with Australia having not mowed down such a total in England in 75 years.
But skipper Cummins inspired Australia with one of the most rousing performances from a captain as the tourists drew first blood in the Ashes - the most traditional and treasured contest in cricket between the sport's oldest rivals.
Cummins, who has struggled with the bat for some time, produced his two highest scores in the past five years including a match-winning 44 not out on the tense final day alongside Nathan Lyon in a half-century stand to thwart England and their much-hyped 'Bazball' style of play.
An Australian victory seemed unlikely for much of the match as they encountered England's high-octane approach for the first time since Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum spectacularly revived a moribund side.
From the first ball of the game when England opener Zak Crawley smashed a boundary in a statement, Australia were seemingly on the back foot as they withstood numerous punches from a confident opponent attempting to unsettle them.
But Australia held their nerve amid the avalanche as they mimicked their composed skipper who magnificently led from the front and produced a herculean effort that will go down in Australian cricket lore.
Amid criticism throughout the match, Australia played rather conservatively in deference to England's helter-skelter approach where they play the long format as if it's 50-over cricket.
Australia traditionally excel playing macho cricket and being the aggressors, but they had a specific game plan to curb England's newfound attacking instincts in a copy book borrowed from when they play in India.
It worked, only just, as Australia drew first blood in this blockbuster series as they look to end a two-decade drought in the U.K.
The spotlight inevitably has shifted towards England and the controversial first day declaration by Stokes when more runs were on offer.
As the dramatic final day proved, every run was worth their wait in gold and Stokes had left some on the table with his cull of England's first innings in good batting conditions.
Stokes, of course, was adamant he does not rue the decision but England are now under pressure with their high-voltage strategy under the microscope.
'Bazball' - as it has been popularly coined - attempts to upend traditional and accepted thinking of Test cricket format, perhaps something a little like when Golden State Warriors' small-ball, three-point heavy game burst onto the scene in the middle of last decade to completely transform the NBA.
It has proven extremely successful, but England are now the ones who will have to hold their nerve. There is no doubt they will double down on their approach, but this all-time classic first Test again proved that a sports contest is best served when there is a clash in styles.
Test cricket beyond the powerhouses of India, England and Australia is in genuine peril and this series will only leave the countries who can't afford to play the format extremely envious.
But pondering Test's future is for another day as we savor one of the most dramatic cricket matches ever played with the promise of more to come in a series that is so far living up to the hype.
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June 21, 2023 at 11:17AM
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Australia Win Epic Test Cricket Match As England’s Overly Attacking Strategy Backfires - Forbes
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