Carnage in in fifth Ashes Test as Poms crash and spotlight hits Warner again

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It was a day of missed opportunities at The Oval as Australia push for their first Ashes series victory in England in 22 years.

England got off to a flying start to be 0-62 in the 12th over, before Mitch Marsh had Ben Duckett (41) caught down the legside and a mini collapse followed.

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Australia took two more quick wickets (which was 3-11 in 22 balls), before a 111-run stand between Harry Brook (85) and Moeen Ali (34) got England to 3-184.

But when Moeen was bowled by Todd Murphy trying to take the spinner on with a sore groin, the day suddenly turned.

Mitchell Starc took four wickets to run through the middle and lower order, as England lost 7-99 to be all out for 283.

Mitchell Starc ripped through the middle order despite an injury issue. Credit: PA Images via Getty Images

But it could have been a lot better for the Aussies who were disappointing in the field, and put down five chances.

David Warner let one slip through his fingers off the bowling of Pat Cummins and, in the next over, Steve Smith fluffed a much harder chance after diving for an edged ball from Zak Crawley.

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At the time, Australian great Mark Taylor said in the commentary: “Australia have bowled poorly. Haven’t caught much better. The bowling has been poor.”

Wicketkeepr Alex Carey also dropped an easy chance from Harry Brook when he was on five.

This was by far the most costly given Brook went on to make 85 and held the innings together for England. Carey has had a great series behind the stumps, but he should have taken this catch to his right.

Captain Cummins swung the game, however, with a fast and furious six-over spell before lunch. His figures could have been a lot better, too, if not for the dropped catches.

Eventually Smith redeemed himself in the slips with a much easier catch and Cummins had Crawley.

It was then up to Starc to save the day.

The left-armer has battled pain in his bowling shoulder for the past week, but broke the back of England.

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His ball to bowl Ben Stokes was a beauty, angling in at the right-hander and straightening to take off stump. Starc also had Brook edging for 85, before cleaning up the tail.

“Winning the toss and bowling, the first objective is to bowl them out. and we managed to do that,” Australian spinner Todd Murphy, who claimed two wickets, told Sky Sports at stumps.

“We created a lot of chances — it would’ve been nice if we could’ve held on to all of them but it’s a good day, all in all.

“As a spinner you just want to get into the game and be involved, it was nice to get in nice and early and do a little bit.”

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Australia then went to stumps on 1-61, with David Warner again caught in the slips off Chris Woakes after making a start of 29.

More scrutiny is sure to come on Warner after surviving an early scare and again failing to capitalise on his start.

He has been out between 20 and 40 five times in nine innings this series.

Australian cricket legend Glenn McGrath said “he looked OK” in his latest innings but was not convinced if he would be picked for Australia again.

“I know he came out the other day and said he wanted to play to the end of next summer, but I think the pressure is on him, the vultures are circling,” McGrath said.

“Unless he comes out in the second dig and produces a big score, I think he might struggle.”

Australia (1-61) trail England (283) by 222 runs with nine wickets in hand.

– With AAP