[26] The first morning of the Ashes saw Stuart Broad take the wickets of both openers, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, who (along with Steve Smith) were returning to the Test format for the first time since their suspension for a ball-tampering incident in 2018.

Tim Paine was caught at deep square leg after a "horror shot", and James Pattinson fell two balls later for a duck, leaving Australia 112/7 at the end of the 40th over.

[35] Burns and Ben Stokes survived the remainder of the extended final session, building a 73-run partnership, as Travis Head and Matthew Wade were brought in to bowl a few overs before the new ball, which claimed no victims by the close of play; England were 267/4, trailing Australia by 17 runs.

[38] As play resumed on the third morning, England caught up to Australia's total, Stokes reaching a half-century before edging to the wicket-keeper on the next ball he faced from Cummins, the fifth wicket having stood for 88 runs.

Shortly after drinks, Nathan Lyon was the next man to strike for Australia, taking Burns' wicket and dismissing Moeen Ali for a duck in the same over.

Woakes and Broad survived the half-hour left until lunch to put England on 328/8, the game in the balance as Australia had limited their first-innings deficit to only 44 runs at that point.

[35] Khawaja was finally out off Ben Stokes' second ball, having stood for a 48-run third-wicket partnership with Smith, who again looked in top form despite being struck by a bouncer later on, which prompted the intervention of team doctors in light of new concussion protocols.

[35][40] The fifth wicket having stood for 126 runs, skipper Tim Paine was the man in for the few overs left until tea, by which point Australia were 356/5, giving them a comfortable lead of 266.

Paine was found not out after an England review for leg before wicket, but the sixth-wicket partnership, having stood for 76 runs, was broken in the next over as Wade was caught at deep backward square.

Paine was bowled by Ali an over later, offering hints of a collapse, but Pattinson and Cummins, both unbeaten, then added 78 runs before the Australian side declared on 487/7, leaving England a target of 398.

[40] The final morning saw Burns become only the fourth England batsmen to bat on all five days of a Test, but this accolade meant little when he was dismissed early, caught by Lyon at gully off Cummins' bowling.

Lyon struck with the next ball, removing Stokes for his 350th Test wicket,[35] becoming the fourth Australian to reach that landmark, joining Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Dennis Lillee as England were in the midst of a collapse.

[47] Despite troubling performances by other members of the side, including Buttler, Bairstow and Ali, Root did not wish to make any "shotgun decisions" and noted that, despite the team's inconsistency, England were far from being out of contention.

[48] England's prioritisation of white-ball cricket was also put in a bad light after disappointing performances by players more accustomed to One Day Internationals than Tests.

[49] Australian skipper Tim Paine noted that Anderson's exclusion had deprived England of one of the world's best bowlers, and that his side's confidence grew as a result.

[48] However, he also warned against becoming complacent, making parallels with Australia's performance in preceding tours against India, South Africa and Pakistan, where they "[jumped] the gun with an emphatic win only to surrender a high-profile series".

[52] The idea, which had already surfaced before, had also been opposed by the umpires themselves, who "[were] happier to accept criticism of their decision-making on a basis of skills, conditions, eyesight – just about anything so long as they are not regarded as biased towards one side".

Australia struck in the second over, Jason Roy out for a three-ball duck, caught by Paine off Hazlewood's bowling, the latter returning to the Test side after not being selected for Edgbaston.

Australia reviewed for lbw against Bairstow a few overs before the interval, but this turned out to be a poor decision and the England batsmen did not lose any more wickets before the break, by which point they were 201/6.

Stokes then thought he had Wade trapped for another lbw, but the on-field decision was overturned and Australia lost no further wickets before rain brought an early lunch, the total now 80/4.

Wade was caught at slip off a delivery by Broad shortly before drinks, but Paine survived with Smith until lunch, the latter reaching a half-century to bring Australia's total to 155/5 at the break, England failing to make any further breakthroughs despite a few close calls.

A review for lbw against Cummins was soon struck down as Archer continued to put pressure on the Australian batsmen, including hitting Smith directly in the neck with a bouncer; the batsman fell to the ground briefly, but had to retire hurt, though he was able to walk off the field unassisted after a chat with the team doctor.

The new man in, Siddle, lasted only a few overs, failing to reach a double-digit score, at which point Smith was brought back in; however, he was soon out leg before wicket to Woakes after an unsuccessful review.

[68] The evening session was unaffected by rain, and Australia's third wicket stood for 111 runs before Warner, having previously successfully overturned an on-field decision, was caught off Archer.

[68] The second day was played in sunny conditions, but this did not prevent England from struggling with the bat; Denly was the only batsman to reach double digits, scoring 12 after surviving an lbw review.

[69] The England debacle continued after lunch, with Woakes out on the first ball of the afternoon session, the final three wickets then falling in quick succession as the home side was all out for 67, with Hazlewood picking up a five-wicket haul for the visitors.

[69] The dismal batting performance of both teams, the previous 18 wickets having fallen for 110 runs, appeared to continue into the second Australia innings as Warner was lbw for a duck in the second over.

[69] After the interval, the fourth wicket stood for 46 runs before losing Head with the total at 97/4, only for Wade and Labuschagne to build a 66-run partnership after surviving multiple reviews.

The final wicket fell half an hour before lunch as Lyon was bowled out by Archer and Australia finished with a lead of 358, setting what would be England's highest ever run chase in Test cricket.

Stokes promptly cut the next ball from Cummins through the covers for four to give England the most unlikely victory imaginable, completing their highest ever run chase in Tests.