Joe Root speaks!
And that, my people, is a series. On behalf of all the OBO types, thanks for your company and comments – it’s been hilarious. Well done to Australia, I don’t even know what to England but I hope they get some time at home to enjoy, and see you again soon. Ta-ra.
Here’s Ali Martin’s report of the final day.
On the other hand...
Chris Silverwood says first and foremost, the batting hasn’t been good enough, and they need to look at why that’s happening. Pushed for an explanation, he begins by blaming bubbles and schedules, then references “other things” making wooly comments about structures and such.
He’s encouraged by the official acknowledgement that red-ball cricket needs a reset, and says that there are talented players coming through. Gower then presses him on mistakes off the pitch – selections, for example – but he says nothing specific, saying he’ll speak to people he trusts to get honest feedback, and pushed on his position, says there’ll be a review.
He seems a nice enough bloke, but I’m afraid there was nothing in that interview – no insight, no fire, no vigour – that makes you think he can sort this, and there never really had been. Someone will pay for this with their job, and presumably it’ll be him.
“Frustrating, that second innings,” Root tells David Gower. He notes that Australia got more runs than they ought to have done, scoring on both sides of the wicket, and England didn’t make the most of their starts, getting out to poor shots today.
Asked if he’s had the support of those above him, he responds to an entirely different question, saying there’ll always be poor sessions and performances, but the batters haven’t posted a decent total and you can’t win Tests if you don’t get 200 in either innings.
So Gower wonders what needs to change, and Root says he sympathises with the young guys, but they’ve got to learn quickly, though they’re not given much opportunity a level below this one. He won’t think about changing personnel now, as “there’s a lot of emotion flying around” – a proper sit-down is necessary.
Root also notes that the pandemic and schedule take a toll – “it does wear you down” – saying that it’s a challenge no one’s ever had to wear before and England have done it more than anyone else, but that doesn’t excuse the performances.
Back in the studio, we’re back on our old themes. Sort the system, be like New Zealand, pick the best players. And I don’t say that to denigrate the estimable Butcher and Cook, I say it because we all know what the answers and, yet we’re flailing about desperately because we also all know that those in charge have different priorities.
Cummins raises the replica glass urn, while back in the studio, Cook notes that he played in two five-nillers, but this series is worse than those – in roughly the way that a taser to the dress circle is worse than a baseball bat to the face or a donkey kick to the solar plexus.
Back in the studio, Mark Butcher says he wishes Gilchrist had gone as easy on his England team as he did on Root just there, but we’re now back in Hobart for Travis Head to get his player of the series award. Who saw that coming?
He prefers his ton in this Test than at the Gabba because of the conditions - I’m surprised at that, because the one in Brisbane took that first match away from England. He’s glad to get another shy at international cricket now he knows what it’s about, and says the batting unit is excellent and there’s serious competition for places. He thanks England, and can’t wait for tonight – I’ll bet. Imagine the joy and love he’s feeling right now - I’m feeling emotional at the thought and I’m just an idiot in a box room 10,000 miles away.
Cummins says these are the series in your diary as an international cricketer, and he extols his attacking options tough chortles that Lyon won’t be thrilled with his use of them. He also namechecks Boland, Green and Richardson, thanks the governing bodies for putting the series on in “unpreeecedented” circumstances, and thanks England for coming. Ouch. He finishes by thanking Australia for all the support, especially given the tough times many states are experiencing. What a mensch he is.
Gosh, Gilchrist starts by thanking England for coming, then says we’ve been here before, him interviewing Root with a victory having been on the table only for ignominious defeat to follow.
Root says England have played good cricket in parts - very small parts – but can’t sdo enough to get the win. It’s frustrating, he says, and the team need to go away from here ad stop making the same mistakes because there’s another series along soon. The the batters haven’t given the attack anything to bowl at, but ultimately his team have been outplayed and he praises Australia for that.
Gilchrist then praises Mark Wood and tries to prompt Root to say he needs more pace in his team, but Root just congratulates his mate and the crowd applaud as obvious a top bloke as there can be in the world.
Adam Gilchrist is on the dais taking us through the presentation and begins by congratulating Hobart on hosting its first ever Test, then calls Joe Root to interview, the poor man.
“But at least the top brass keep their bonuses, eh?” emails Andrew Benton.
Cricket is the winner. It’s the feel-food story of the winter!
“We are making this look even easier than it is, which is quite a feat,” tweets Guy Hornsby. “Shot selection is an absolute joke today bar Root and perhaps Crawley. I know it’s not nice to criticise players, but if so, what on earth have Billings, Pope, Woakes, Stokes been doing then?”
Criticism is part of the game I’m afraid, and the sad reality is that is barely matters what Pope and Billings did because the chances of them navigating the chase were so slim. Both have talent so it shouldn’t be that way, but it is. Sometimes in sporting institutions, a malaise - usually starting at the top – sets in, permeates and percolates down, rot overriding the talent therein. See United, Manchester.
What I wouldn’t give for just one batsman from that side. It’s mad to think that not that long ago, England’s line-up read Cook, Strauss, Trott, Pietersen, Collingwood, Bell, Prior and now look.
#England's batting average in 2021-22 is 20.21, their lowest in an #Ashes series since 1890. Their highest-ever, 51, came only 11 years ago, under Andrew Strauss. @danielharris
— Tim de Lisle (@TimdeLisle) January 16, 2022
“What a magnificently close finish that could have been if Australia had simply forfeited their second innings,” muses Brian Withington.
I think you’ve invented a new form of the game. Quick, contact a patent attorney then call the ECB and the dry ice manufacturers.
I’m excited to see how this Australia side develops. They’ve got work to do with the batting, but Travis Head looks good to go and Cameron Green is a potential superstar. They go to Pakistan in March, and that series should be a belter.
Australia have, of course, been superb: their attack are superb, and on the odd occasion they’ve needed it, their batters have found something superb enough. England, on the other hand, have been pitiful. They’ve given it everything, but in a way that’s even worse because it tells you how far off the standard they are.
AUSTRALIA WIN BY 146 RUNS AND THE ASHES SERIES 4-0!
WICKET! Robinson b Cummins 0 (England 124 all out)
It’s 10 for 56 in 22.5 overs! A golden duck to start, a golden duck to finish, and that is that! I believe they call it poetry! A Cummins full toss is far too good for Robinson, and finally, blessedly, this is over. Bye! Ta-ra! See ya!
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WICKET! Wood b Cummins 11 (England 123-9)
Indicate the way to my habitual abode, I’m fatigued and have a desire to retire. I consumed an alcoholic beverage 60 minutes ago and it’s penetrated my cerebrum. Wood premeditates a pull, drags on – that’s three in the innings - and this series is ending as it started and as it continued. That’s nine wickets lost for 56 in 22ish overs.
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39th over: England 123-8 (Wood 11, Robinson 0) Target 271 Wood makes room to slash Cummins’ yorker for four, then does so again to hammer over cover for four more. the counter-attack is on!
WICKET! Woakes c Carey b Boland 5 (England 115-8)
SCOTT BOLAND CANNOT BE REAL! Woakes makes room, swings hard, edges ... and Carey takes a screamer, still bending and flinging up a right hand to snaffle in the webbing.
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38th over: England 115-7 (Woakes 5, Wood 3) Target 271 In recent times, the Ashes in Australia has been one of the biggest mismatches in sport, and strangely, England’s focus on it is one reason why. Instead of all the planning, they just need to find a good, balanced team: some pace, some swing, some spin, and some batters with technique. Wood takes one to cover and there’s that Woakesian drive I was rattling on about earlier, sent through midwicket for four.
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37th over: England 110-7 (Woakes 1, Wood 2) Target 271 Also not that long ago, Wood was celebrating sixfer; what an absolute state. He forces a rib-tickler to fine leg for one, then Woakes adds one more and he misses with a huge hook before dropping to cover and scampering one more.
WICKET! Pope b Cummins 5 (England 107-7)
Not that long ago, England were 68-0! Does that even need an exclamation? Pope wanders across towards off, looking to whip away, misses, and Cummins hits. It’s another horror show, of course it is, why wouldn’t it be?
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36th over: England 107-6 (Pope 5, Woakes 0) Target 271 England are so England. Woakes plays out five dots, giving Boland a wicket maiden, and he must be wondering why they call it Test cricket.
“Really impressed with Ricky Ponting’s analysis on Oz telly,” says Jim Oliver. “Any thoughts on getting him into the England set up? He knows the game inside out, has trophies/battle-scars galore, plus would not be afraid to ruffle feathers.”
You never know how someone will do in the big chair until they’re in it, but I agree he’s great at explaining the game. Coaching is slightly different – you need to see what’s coming rather than discuss it while it’s going on, and he wasn’t the greatest captain – but this team could certainly use the kind of fibre he has.
WICKET! Billings c Cummins b Boland 1 (England 107-6)
This one sticks in the pitch a little, but this is very tame from Billings, who checks his shot - confidence is a preference – and Cummins collects easily at mid on. Scott Boland, though, what a story!
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35th over: England 107-5 (Pope 5, Billings 1) Target 271 Billings eases to gully for one, then Pope hauls another to square leg; we can go for another hour tonight, but two more wickets and you’d imagine Australia ask for the extra half hour so they can go out or sit about on the pitch, depending. Pope takes a further single, a leg bye follows, and runs are flowing again!
34th over: England 105-5 (Pope 4, Billings 0) Target 271 Billings thighs to square leg for a leg bye and runs are hard to find at this point with little chance of respite. At some point, Woakes will come in to play a few nice drives en route to a good-looking 34, but there are no signs of anything building; these two are surviving, waiting to leave the bad ball that never comes. Pope, though, flicks a pair to midwicket and they scamper two.
“Just wanted to say how frustrating the performance is from England in this Test,” emails Gareth Wilson. “There IS ability in this team; if only England had been able to put Australia under pressure early on in the series. It is not a great Australian team; it may turn out to be one, but lots of their players needed to be put under the pump, and England just haven’t been able to do that. Even if they lose, this final Test has shown England can be, and should have been, competitive in Australia.”
Yes, the big errors of selection and decision at the toss have been, as Rio Ferdinand would say, “well documented”. England don’t need to be as bad as they’ve been, and in some ways this has been the most embarrassing of the many clatterings because it’s not to an all-time great outfit.
33rd over: England 101-5 (Pope 2, Billings 0) Target 271 Joe Root ends the series as England’s top scorer, his 322 runs coming with a 32.2 average. I hate to say it, but that’s nowhere near good enough, which I don’t mean as a criticism of him, just that for his team to compete, he needed to continue batting like God. Meantime, Cummins rattles a maiden at Pope, and this is going to last much longer, I don’t think.
“Why can’t England just let Australia bowl?” wonders Hugh Wake. “No need to score runs at the moment. Preserve the wicket at all costs, then worry about the score tomorrow morning. There’s still two whole days to get the total.”
That ball to Root is one reason why: it’s a fourth innings against a brilliant attack. But also, as per Andy Flower, wickets come when scoring is slow.
32nd over: England 101-5 (Pope 2, Billings 0) Target 271 Goodness me what a state of affairs – Sam Billings it’s your big chance. He sees away two dots, as he sizes up a life-hanging knock.
WICKET! Root b Boland 11 (England 101-5)
It never rains but sometimes it pours so hard it makes your soul bleed. Root gets a grubber that zips into the bottom of off stump, and all he can do is laugh ruefully.
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32nd over: England 101-4 (Root 11, Pope 2) Target 271 Aha, Root’s trusty bat was bust - it was taped and all sorts, so he must’ve been keen on it – and his new one begins by clattering fresh air all the way to the fence.
32nd over: England 101-4 (Root 11, Pope 2) Target 271 Boland replaces Starc, but the over will be remembered for a beautiful “in and around off stump” from Steve Harmison in co-comms. I’m not sure what happens next, because my BT crashes, but they take drinks mid-over.
31st over: England 101-4 (Root 11, Pope 2) Target 271 Pope nurdles into the on side and raises England’s hundred; nearly there! Root then takes one to point before Pope ducks a bouncer that’s too high to put him in any serious jeopardy. England will be relishing tis quiet period, but so will Australia because the scoreboard is doing very little.
“Maybe I’m a little biased because I live down here,” says Thomas Chick, “but I think this pitch has produced the most interesting game of the series. Absolutely rapt.”
Yup, it’s partly the track – but partly the series being secure and partly Wood finally getting the breaks.
30th over: England 99-4 (Root 10, Pope 1) Target 271 Root shoves Starc down the ground, Khawaja dives over it at mid off, the ball dribbles to the fence for a sorely-needed four. That’s 5000 Test runs for England’s captain, who’ll be feeling his responsibility out there, or maybe out there is the only place he can not feel his responsibility. He tries a dab to third, removes the bat, can’t get it out the road in time and does well to see the ball clip into the pitch, then pulls two. He’s away, and this, right here, is the match. Expletive.
29th over: England 90-4 (Root 4, Pope 1) Target 271 The first time I saw Ollie Pope play for England I thought he’d be a fixture for a decade, but it’s not quite gone that way - he’s not as far along as I expected him to be, and we’ve not seen much to think he can navigate a route through this chase. Apart, that is, from a talent so pure it can manifest at any time; he’ll know that this could be his moment, and he acclimatises by playing out a maiden from Cummins.
28th over: England 90-4 (Root 4, Pope 1) Target 271 Well, it was fun while it lasted.
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WICKET! Stokes c Lyon b Starc 4 (England 92-4)
Dearie me. Stokes has seen enough, pulling from outside leg, and he doesn’t get close to the power or elevation he’s after, Lyon running in from deep square and diving forward to hold on. I get that England can’t just let Australia bowl, but that was a profoundly unnecessary shot.
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28th over: England 92-3 (Root 4, Stokes 5) Target 271 Still no Nathan Lyon, who’s yet to bowl in this match, as Starc bounds in again; Stokes turns his first ball to square leg for one, then Root chops to third man for one more. I wonder how long England will keep knocking it like this, because they’ve being trying to get them quickly until now.
27th over: England 90-3 (Root 3, Stokes 4) Target 271 And here we are: Cummins replaces Green, and we might just see the match settled in the next half-hour or so. His third delivery is a beaut, moving just enough off the seam and ripping past Root’s outside edge before beating Carey as well, then his final ball almost tempts the fated run-down. Maiden.
“I say, here’s fun,” says Darrien Bold. “England team for the first test in WI? Who’s inked in?”
Anything to divert attention from the tension in the middle, I say. Is there a chase on? Not as far as I know! I guess Crawley, Root, Stokes, Bairstow, Wood and Broad.
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26th over: England 90-3 (Root 3, Stokes 4) Target 271 Stokes forces two through midwicket, and is looking more like himself now. In retrospect, it’s not surprising that it took him a while to get going in the series – at the time, it was hard not to expect that he’d personality the usual miracles – but he’ll be absolutely loving this, which is half the battle. Too many English batters play like they’re undergoing an ordeal, because they are.
25th over: England 88-3 (Root 3, Stokes 2) Target 271 England just need to see Green away, because when he finishes his spell Australia will be forced to bring Cummins back. Root adds one more to backward point, then Stokes steps across, gets through his pull while the ball sticks in the pitch, and wears it on the hip. No harm done, and single to cover ends the over.
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24th over: England 86-3 (Root 2, Stokes 1) Target 271 “Yes” says Root as he tucks the returning Starc – the returning Starc, just what you need – to long leg for one. Starc then flings one on fifth-stump line, inciting Stokes to play and miss, and the squeeze is on. England need 185 to win, but that looks a monster for the now.
“And now Green gets praised for getting Crawley out,” says Anthony Bradley. But Crawley played a walking shot with bat going from slip to mid on. Surely batsman error?”
Not mutually exclusive, in mine.
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23rd over: England 85-3 (Root 1, Stokes 1) Target 271 England have lost three for 15 in 6.2 overs and you fear for them now ... OK, you perpetually fear for them, but you fear for them particularly at this juncture. Stokes gets away first ball, guiding to point, then Root gloves one that lifts and scampers a start of his own. Cameron Green is a problem.
WICKET! Crawley c Carey b Green 36 (England 83-3)
It’s three for Green! He persuades Crawley to drive and this time he doesn’t get all of it, a little bit of movement off the seam doing the work, and what a spell this is! That’s the thing with this attack – there’s no respite, and this time it’s the second change getting it done!
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22nd over: England 83-2 (Crawley 36, Root 0) Target 271 We are not, of course, unfamiliar with what we’re seeing, and you get the feeling this partnership will need to take their team most of the way; another quick wicket, and that might be it. Or, as the old English adage goes, one brings 10. A leg bye is all this Boland over yields.
“Is it just me,” wonders Seth Levine, “or does Malan look like a proper Test batter in every format of the game except Test cricket?”
Ha! He did pretty well to get into the side, I reckon – I doubt he expected to – but there was no one else, and they thought the pitches suited his game. In general, it’s hard to know where England go from here – you could make cases for this to be it for him, Burns and Buttler – but who comes in?
Ian Botham literally just said that he tested positive for Covid in Australia and thought to himself “that can’t be right because I’m feeling fine”. He’s a UK trade envoy.
— Matthew Stadlen (@MatthewStadlen) January 16, 2022
21st over: England 82-2 (Crawley 36, Root 0) Target 271 The crowd are up as Root comes in, but he calmly plays his first ball to point. Looking at the wicket again, Malan didn’t move his feet, and though we can perhaps blame the bouncer that hit him, he didn’t to that one either, so let’s just congratulate Green for a crucial spell.
WICKET! Malan b Green 10 (Australia 82-2)
HERE WE GO! Malan tries another run-down, and this time – like Burns before him - he plays on! This is a bazzer of a spell from the brilliant Green, and this is cooking!
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21st over: England 82-1 (Crawley 36, Malan 10) Target 271 It seems like England have decided, as a collective, to throw hands at this. Malan misses with a square cut, then Green cramps him as he tries to play a run-down.
20th over: England 82-1 (Crawley 36, Malan 10) Target 271 Malan sees off four dots, then drives a single to deep backward point; he looks recovered, which reminds us that these lads are not like the rest of us because not 10 minutes ago, a hard projectile clattered his swede. I’m still not recovered, and I’m sitting at a desk in my trackies.
19th over: England 81-1 (Crawley 36, Malan 9) Target 271 Off we go again, Malan taking his time to get settled again and rightly so – that rung his bell and I daresay his ears are going still going like he’s just come out of Fabric. He lets two alone, then chucks everything at a cover drive, edging in the opposite direction past leg stump, then Crawley comes forward to show him how it’s done. That’s a gorgeous shot, and he looks a proper batter now.
19th over: England 76-1 (Crawley 32, Malan 8) Target 271 Malan is pretty decent against the quick stuff, and he carts Green – coming around - on the up, through point; that’s a delicious thunk. So Green bangs his next one in and it skids then lifts, an absolute brute. Malan tries to get out the road, swaying back and twisting neck while turning head but transfixed into keeping his feet still. Goodness me, that is unpleasant, and he wears it on the side of the lid; there’s a break while he reorientates himself and gets a new one. Cricket is hard.
18th over: England 72-1 (Crawley 32, Malan 4) Target 271 Crawley plays out a maiden from Boland with composure that is extremely disconcerting. What on earth is going on?
“More amapiano on the OBO please!” emails Gil Southwood. “Been a huge fan of Mas Musiq since I heard my neighbour blasting them out his window two years ago. Where do you put England’s chances of a win here? I’ve just woken up in a covid-riddled fugue state to 68-1, but with the openers actually doing their job, 271 seems doable. Maybe it’s the covid driving my optimism, who knows.”
By West Indies there’ll be a Spotify playlist, I promise – I do have one already, but it’s interpolated with Ghanaian tunes – though I guess Amena is Ghanaian and Nigerian too. I’m not sure about you, though, but my experience of covid, admittedly right at the start of things, tells me that it’s the polar opposite of optimism, which makes this farrago all the harder to believe.
17th over: England 72-1 (Crawley 32, Malan 4) Target 271 Pink ball, final session, pitch doing plenty; this is why we’re here. And Malan has a slash at a wide one, but because he does it with intent, he sends the ball scooting wide of gully for four, crystallising part of England’s problem through this series: they’ve been tentative in attack and defence. On the other hand, even when you pick the wrong option, if you commit to it you’ve got a better chance of getting away with it.
We go again, Green to bowl the five balls remaining in his over...
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As we know, the purpose of the OBO is to share joy, so please allow me to introduce the uninitiated to this. It’s a long old time since a tune smashed me in the face like this one did – I was in Accra over Christmas and new year, it came on in a restaurant I was in, and the whole place went off.
England are so very England. That is tea, and the players troop off with Australia bouncing, despite a session and day that they’ve lost. England need 203 more to win in what’ll be an extended passage – it’s going to be an absolute jazzer, so don’t you go changing.
WICKET! Burns b Green 26 (England 68-1)
YOU KNOW THE KOO! In the final over before tea, Burns plays, changes his mind, leaves, and plays on! We almost sat it a few overs ago, when one bounces over the stumps, and it’s done for him now; he’s done for himself, and how might that change things?
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16th over: England 68-0 (Burns 26, Crawley 32) Target 271 Crawley’s playing nicely now, especially on the on side – his timing is excellent – and he flicks Boland off the hip for four. If he can just stop nicking off, he’ll really be in business, but it looks like through the course of the series, he’s got the mental approach sorted. Well, for now at least – for almost every batter, it’s an ongoing battle.
15th over: England 64-0 (Burns 26, Crawley 28) Target 271 Again, Burns resets well, and sees away the two remaining ball of the over. Two more before tea/dinner/cocktails.
“Literally letting his hair down, Burns is playing more confidently and Crawley is naturally aggressive,” says Colum Fordham. “If England treat this as a chase – one-day style, we’re pretty good at this style of cricket – rather than grimly hanging on for survival, I think they’ve got much more of chance.”
Agreed. If they’d’ve picked the 50-over team and told them to have at it, they’d’ve posted better totals than they have.
NOT OUT!
“Nothing conclusive there,” says the umpire, and though we’re told there was a sound in Dan Norcross’ headphones, no evidence that said gone.
REVIEW!
This is close. It’s not obviously out, but not obviously not out, so the on-pitch decision will probably rule.
15th over: England 64-0 (Burns 26, Crawley 28) Target 271 Green into the attack - what a player he’s going to be when he puts it all together; what a player he already is. And what a shot that is from Burns, a cover drive that tempts Labuschagne into a run, chase and dive; he does really well to scoop away from the boundary, but his elbow was on it while his hand was on the ball and after a look the signal is four. Burns then fends at one outside off, is caught behind, and thinks it’s gone! The umpire says no and Cummins goes upstairs again!
14th over: England 60-0 (Burns 22, Crawley 28) Target 271 I’m sure he’d say to the contrary, but Burns could well be playing for his Test career here, a circumstance which must be lurking somewhere in his mind. Happily, his hair are his aerials, man. They pick up signals from the cosmos and direct them into his brain. Anyhow, Crawley, clips Boland finer than fine for four, before missing one outside off and proceeding like it never happened. I believe they call this competence.
13th over: England 56-0 (Burns 22, Crawley 24) Target 271 Burns nudges to cover and takes a single, then Cummins beats him outside off and he responds by squirting towards wide long on for three. What this pair are doing well is resetting after each decent delivery, and as I type that, Crawley misses with a swiping pull, wearing it on the midriff, then knocks one into the on side. The highest chase to win a day-nighter is 187.
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12th over: England 51-0 (Burns 19, Crawley 22) Target 271 Boland tanks through another tight one that yields but a leg bye. It’s weird to say, but it’s extremely unfraught out there; it’s extremely disorientating and I don’t know where to put myself.
NOT OUT!
It was clipping the top corner of leg, so umpire’s call and Crawley survives.
12th over: England 50-0 (Burns 19, Crawley 22) Target 271 Cummins slants one across that hits Crawley on the pad and there’s an appeal ... it’s rejected, then at the last moment the skip thinks he’d best have a look...
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11th over: England 50-0 (Burns 19, Crawley 22) Target 271 Crawley takes one more to midwicket, raising the fifty partnership, and England are ticking these off. During a quieter over, let’s also pay our tribute to the heroic Virat Kohli, his brilliance, attitude and edge a life-lesson in taking attacking options a one-man advert for this thing of ours.
10th over: England 49-0 (Burns 189, Crawley 21) Target 271 A single to Burns, nudges to deep backward square, and a leg bye, keep England at it. Meantime, a row of fans – presumably those who marked the start of this innings by applauding themselves for singing Jerusalem and God Save the Queen – disturb the enjoyment of those around them.
“This is all a bit unexpected, tweets Guy Hornsby. “Whatever happens - and it’ll probably be capitulation - I hope we can make a fist of it, if only for Mark Wood. He’s such a great guy and has bowled himself into the ground and finally he has figures he deserves. We’ll always have 40-0.”
Agreed on all counts; he’s been England’s best player by far, and it’s a shame his mates have let him down. Just a few days ago, Aggers made a sage case for leaving him out in this Test, given a champo-style pitch that called for the nagging accuracy of Overton. Personally, I’d have flown Darren Stevens out.
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9th over: England 47-0 (Burns 18, Crawley 21) Target 271 Ah, Cummins was just changing ends, and he beats Crawley outside off, then Crawley - who’s found his groove just in time to go home – steps down and across, getting outside off to whip through midwicket for four. His top level is a very useful level; if he can raise his modal level, he can be very serious; he then adds two more with a half-batter, is beaten outside off, then flicks four more through the aforementioned midwicket! Ten off the over, giving England their highest opening partnership of the series, and they’re all over this. Crawley, in particular, is doing a great job of ignoring the balls that beat him to make the most of those that don’t.
8th over: England 37-0 (Burns 18, Crawley 11) Target 271 Cummins thanks himself and brings on Boland’s golden arm; Crawley takes one to midwicket then Burns wears the over’s final ball on the back thigh. There’s a shout but no appeal which looks right to me – it was high, though very close to the stumps – and we see that it was going over the stumps, just.
7th over: England 36-0 (Burns 18, Crawley 10) Target 271 Burns shoves Starc through cover and they run three – England’s openers are building a fine platform for the inevitable collapse, and after Crawley adds one, Burns is beaten by one that leaves him. There’s an appeal for a caught behind, but he wasn’t quick enough to edge it so Cummins opts not to review, then a defensive shot into the ground bounces and it’s going to drop onto the bails ... no it isn’t! It lobs over the top as gizzard is swallowed and belched back up in time to clips for off the toes, for byes follow and that’s 12 off the over! Like I said a procession.
“It was a real treat to wake up and see Wood has a well-deserved five-wicket haul,” emails Tom van der Gucht. “No doubt, there’ll be some comments about how if Archer and Stone had stayed fit we would’ve been more competitive. But, a simple look at the stats on Cricinfo show Robinson, Broad, Anderson and (after this haul fairly reflected the quality of his bowling) Wood show the bowlers have averaged under 30 for their wickets highlighting the disappointing batting displays and mishandling of the spine department. Who knows, if Leach had played more last summer and arrived with better rhythm and confidence, or, if Parkinson had been given a pop at the champ, the Aussie middle and lower order would’ve been restricted too.”
Imagine the muddle England’s selectors would’ve got themselves into with a compliment from which to select! But yeah, Archer was a huge miss.
6th over: England 24-0 (Burns 11, Crawley 9) Target 271 This is terrific, intense stuff and the contest we hoped this series might be. That it’s gone differently reflects lots of things – bubble life, the excellence of Australia’s attack, the poverty of England’s batting, some poor calls from England’s brains trust. But what’s been disappointing is that England are capable of better – not better enough, but better – and Crawley comes forward to create a half0volley, driving Cummins down the ground for four, the only runs from the over.
Updated
5th over: England 20-0 (Burns 11, Crawley 5) Target 271 Burns drops Starc into the pitch and Crawley wants a single, but the now-wise Burns sends him back. His hair looks extremely lank under that lid, like an an early-70s dweeb thinking he’s Charlie George, and when Starc strays straight he clips him off the toes for four, then slashes at a wide one, so poorly he misses it. England have broken the back of this one now.
4th over: England 16-0 (Burns 7, Crawley 5) Target 271 Thanks Sam and, as the man who saw three holes in the ground, “Well, well, well.” Like you, I’m thinking yeah, England can do this, at the same time as thinking “Ahahahahahaha!”, and as I type that, a thick edge from Crawley flies past a diving Khawaja at three and scoots to the fence for four more. Furthermore, we now know that lb appeal in the previous over was out; it’s a procession!
Rory Burns is the last English opener to be run-out in a Test since... Rory Burns against New Zealand in Hamilton in 2019.
— Matt Back (@MattNotFront) January 15, 2022
Prior to that, the last English opener to be run out in a Test was... Rory Burns against Sri Lanka in Galle in 2018.#ASHES
Updated
3rd over: England 12-0 (Burns 7, Crawley 1)
Starc appeals for LBW but Crawley’s inside edged onto pad. There’s no real interest. He has three slips and a gully, the usual set up. No sign of swing yet, maybe a little seam. He’s on Crawley’s hip and the youngster turns him easily to long leg. Starc nearly beats his defence as Burns comes across the ball, but again no real interest. Once Starc moves it, Burns looks to be struggling.
That’s me! Dan Harris will take over now. Cheers for the company.
2nd over: England 11-0 (Burns 7, Crawley 0)
Burns leaves the first two from Cummins, and the next hits him near the nethers. He seems fine, so it probably missed him. Burns’ outside edge gathers him two more as he runs it between slip and gully.
Australia visibly rattled by Burns’ hair. Advantage England #Ashes
— Adam Hopkins (@AW23Hopkins) January 16, 2022
1st over: England 9-0 (Burns 5, Crawley 0)
Mitchell Starc has four shadows spiking out from his person, which means it’s time for the lights. Burns takes strike, hair billowing from his helmet. The second ball squares him up and his edge flies between third slip and gully. He gets four. 267 to win. Starc responds with one that takes Burns’ stomach. Burns eventually punches one to cover for a run. Starc can’t get the radar right with his first to Crawley - it’s well down leg. The next flicks Crawley’s pad and races to the rope, too. Nine from the over.
Colum writes in: Hi Sam, Lovely to see Mark Wood’s smile as he uproots Cummins’ stumps. Throroughly deserved 6-37. Brilliant bowling, ably supported by Broad. I hope it’s not the last smile we see from the England team as they tackle the not insignificant total of 271 against Cummins, Starc and co. I’d love to see Crawley counter-attacking but this is going to be tough. Best, Colum Fordham
England need 271 to win
Sensational display from Mark Wood, and he’s given his country something in the realms of possibility to chase. It will be a phenomenal effort to do so in these conditions and in the context of the series, but they’re in with a chance. There’s still 58 overs left in the day - we’re going to get a good sense of things before the day’s done!
WICKET! Cummins b Wood 13 (Australia all out 155)
Bang. Cummins slogs, shows all three stumps, Wood hits them. Six wickets for Mark Wood. Brilliant bowling. 6-37 all up. Career best for him.
56th over: Australia 155-9 (Cummins 13, Lyon 4)
Carey goes, bringing Lyon to the crease. He looks great. He gets two to deep square, then middles a drive down the ground that Rory Burns somehow knees away at mid off, allowing Lyon to get two more. Wood’s going again. He deserves another.
Five catches in the second innings for Sam Billings on debut
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) January 16, 2022
WICKET! Carey c Billings b Broad 49 (Australia 151-9)
Carey’s caught behind! He falls one short of what would have been a well-deserved half century. He lunged forward to stroke Broad through cover, but it took his inside edge and was taken by Billings, who now has five dismissals.
55th over: Australia 151-8 (Carey 49, Cummins 13)
Carey’s now farming the strike, refusing a single out to deep point half way through the over. He’s happy to sit back and defend. But then, as is always the way, Carey gets a single from the final ball, and keeps the strike.
Pat Cummins does not want to face Mark Wood. He's a smart man. #Ashes
— Andrew Wu (@wutube) January 16, 2022
54th over: Australia 150-8 (Carey 48, Cummins 13)
Broad to Cummins and Wood to Carey is the “match-up” Australia wants. So England offers Cummins space on the off side - he finds it and takes a single. Australia wants the runs. Carey then flashes Broad to the point boundary sweeper and gets his own single. Cummins has to duck under the next. Cummins declines a run on the last ball.
53rd over: Australia 148-8 (Carey 47, Cummins 12)
Wood is in to Carey with that sharp angle around the wicket, and he falls over as the first one flies past Carey on the leg side. Carey is nearly chest-on when Wood delivers - it’s not Shiv Chanderpaul but it’s a gateway to Chanderpaul. It’s working - Carey sways back and cuts Wood over point for four! He moves to 47, and Australia to 263 ahead.
England's best modern day version of body line (under current laws)#AUSvsENG #Ashes
— Rob (@VeggiePatchGuy) January 16, 2022
Nice to meet @Cricket_Ali & @StocksC_cricket @BlundstoneArena pic.twitter.com/8FzhsQpQtp
52nd over: Australia 144-8 (Carey 43, Cummins 12)
Broad takes up the mantle from the other end, and he’s in the Carey who steers him behind point and calls “two!” straight away. He gets them. He’s on the front foot and defending thereafter, and he’s able to open the face and gather one in front of point with a ball remaining. They may have wanted to keep him on strike there. Cummins defends the last, he’ll be happy up that end.
Ouch 😬 #Ashes pic.twitter.com/CJGIWi0gIU
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) January 16, 2022
51st over: Australia 141-8 (Carey 40, Cummins 12)
Wood around the wicket to Cummins with dark clouds overhead, and it’s nasty straight away. A few balls in and we see Cummins slapped with one on his left tricep. He’s jumping, bouncing, and using his bat to cover his face. He screams “no!” when refusing a run a little louder than normal. He ducks the fifth with more certitude - maybe that’s the way to go. A play and miss to finish the over off.
DINNER: Australia 141-8 (Australia lead by 256 runs)
On the face of it, that was an excellent session for England. They’ve found six wickets, and they’re so close to giving themselves something achievable to chase. Mark Wood was sensational, tearing in and terrorising the Australians with pace and bounce, getting himself five wickets in the process. He may yet nab two more.
He’s been supported by Broad, who’s gone very close with a few LBW shouts, and Chris Woakes, whose no-ball dismissal of Alex Carey has the legal eagles scrambling for interpretation. In short, it was extremely close but for what it’s worth (little), this author didn’t see anything behind the line.
Alex Carey has been the beneficiary of a bit of luck, but has played with toughness and positivity to finish 40 not out here. It’s been a crucial innings in the context of the match.
Many will think Australia have more than enough already, and that may be so, but this has been an excellent effort from England this session to bring themselves back into the game. They need to finish off Australia quickly, and somehow navigate Cummins, Starc, Boland and Green under lights to give themselves a shot.
We’ll be back to chronicle it all in half an hour or so.
50th over: Australia 141-8 (Carey 40, Cummins 12)
Cummins hacks Broad to deep mid wicket and it’s cut off, but not before Cummins gets two. He then drives for one, left of mid off. Carey steers then next past gully and for three as Broad shouts “no!” Australia’s lead passes 250. Last ball before the dinner break, and Carey pulls Broad for four in front of mid wicket. 11 from the over to finish for Australia.
Are SuperSport moonlighting on Australia's DRS?#Ashes
— Greg Baum (@GregBaum) January 16, 2022
49th over: Australia 130-8 (Carey 33, Cummins 8)
Wood is around the wicket to Cummins and Australia’s skipper dabs one behind point which goes all the way to the rope. Malan, sliding in, should have stopped that. Wood then slams one in to Cummins’ glove but there’s a run - he’s only centimetres away from breaking his arm, surely! Carey’s now backing away and trying to loft, but unsuccessfully. He goes inside the line of the next and pulls a single to deep backward square. Cummins fends one just past Pope at bat pad, and gets one.
Mark Wood leaked 0/74 in his opening 10 overs of the Hobart Test.
— Nic Savage (@nic_savage1) January 16, 2022
Since then, he has taken 8/66 from 20 overs.#Ashes
48th over: Australia 123-8 (Carey 32, Cummins 2)
Cummins leaves Broad’s first and it seams back prodigiously and flies just over the off bail. We’re in the final throes of this innings, I feel. How do England’s top order feel? The ball is still moving pretty sharply - it will be a hell of a chase if England can pull it off.
This is frightening stuff by Mark Wood. High 140s (km/h). Pat Cummins not comfortable at all. Who can blame him! Riveting play. #Ashes pic.twitter.com/StV9k2uCFW
— Andrew Wu (@wutube) January 16, 2022
47th over: Australia 122-8 (Carey 32, Cummins 1)
Wood gets Starc, and that’s five wicket! He then delivers a searing yorker to Cummins, around the wicket, which cannons into Cummins’ toe! It’s given! Cummins reviews, and it looks like it might be missing the stumps on the angle, and it is. Cummins laughs. My God, the double bluff at 147km/hr. Cummins is trying to survive by crabbing across and getting out of the way. Wood is over the wicket for the last ball - it’s short, and Cummins somehow scrambles a run with the ball landing in between what seems like 87 fielders on the leg side.
WICKET! Starc c Pope b Wood 1 (Australia 121-8)
Starc fends Wood from inside edge to thigh-pad and it pops up to Ollie Pope at bat pad. Too fast. That’s five for Wood, richly deserved.
46th over: Australia 121-7 (Carey 32, Starc 1)
Starc tucks Broad to fine leg, Carey gets two to deep backward point, Broad is then up for another LBW, celebrappeal and all, and it looks adjacent. But Carey reviews and it’s pitching outside leg! Everything else looked very out, but the replay shows it was - in Brett Lee’s words - ‘a tenth of a millimetre’ outside leg. “Oh what?” says Stuart Broad. Carey gets two to midwicket.
Stuart Broad v technology, an eternal saga.
— Daniel Cherny 📰 (@DanielCherny) January 16, 2022
45th over: Australia 116-7 (Carey 28, Starc 0)
Carey gets a run to backward square leg and it means Wood gets a crack at Starc, but the first - a bouncer - is fumbled by Billings behind the stumps as it didn’t carry all the way. They get a run. Strange. Big shout for one down leg to Carey, but it’s flicked Carey’s jumper. Carey gets a nasty one later on that Carey doesn’t know much about, it hammers his glove and he survives.
44th over: Australia 112-7 (Carey 24, Starc 0)
So Broad gets the breakthrough, and Starc comes to the crease. Let’s hold it there and go to Wood, who’s back on at the other end. He’s about to get peppered.
WICKET! Green LBW Broad 23 (Australia 112-7)
Green is forward but he’s playing across Broad, who is zeroing in on off stump. He misses, it strikes the pad, and the review goes England’s way. This game is close!
LBW Review, Broad bowling to Green
Broad into his work now, a new spell. Green is looking more assured on the front foot. Oh Lord, another celebrappeal from Broad is turned down by Umpire Wilson, and there’s four overthrows? Well they’ve reviewed. It’s close...
43rd over: Australia 111-6 (Green 23, Carey 24)
Ooooh, Woakes gets Green’s outside edge and it hares past Crawley at second slip for four. Woakes then resumes the ascendancy, beating Green’s bat twice more in the same area. There’s another edge to finish and it too rolls past the slips and to the rope. Crucial runs, etc.
From King Thonger: “Good morning Sam, Is it just the new technology that’s causing the problem. For example, Lillee and Botham didn’t bowl a single no ball in their entire careers. There are others equally famous. https://crickettimes.com/2020/07/cricketers-who-never-bowled-a-no-ball-in-their-international-career/
But would they have got through a career in the current era unchallenged? Discuss
Also, can somebody smuggle a triple Jägerbomb out to Mark Wood pronto and get him back on? This is over otherwise.”
Updated
42nd over: Australia 103-6 (Green 15, Carey 24)
More pressure as Robinson ties Carey in knots. Carey is getting forward but he can’t find a way out. At one point he’s trying to whip it from outside off to leg but it beats him. Eventually he squirts past gully, and there’s two runs.
@sjjperry re Woakes, the infinite capacity of this England team to disappoint at crucial moments is 90s-esque. One way of feeling young again, I guess.
— Chris Langmead (@chrislangmead) January 16, 2022
41st over: Australia 101-6 (Green 15, Carey 21)
Woakes is faithfully pursuing “the channel” and he’s beating Green’s outside edge repeatedly. Green just about hangs in there. Double maiden. Game very evenly poised here.
40th over: Australia 101-6 (Green 15, Carey 21)
Carey is managing Robinson now, and it’s remarkable how often he inside edges the ball. He’s struggling to play the Englishman, playing and missing at a couple per over. Maiden.
Be wary of those who are too sure of their view on this - impossible to know for sure. But, if it were me on the tools, legal delivery on the basis of the precedent with Michael Gough at the Gabba a couple of summers ago. #Ashes
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) January 16, 2022
39th over: Australia 101-6 (Green 15, Carey 21)
Green tucks Woakes’s first behind square for two as Malan collects, and he does it again for one, later in the over. Australia bring up 100 and the lead is 215.
no ball or not? #Ashes pic.twitter.com/uHfyaO6yix
— kεz (@_kezx) January 16, 2022
38th over: Australia 97-6 (Green 12, Carey 21)
Carey is trying to get a big, deliberate stride in and is generally successful, but Robinson brings one back and almost cuts Carey in half. Carey is then advancing at Robinson to defend. A maiden.
37th over: Australia 97-6 (Green 12, Carey 21)
Big moment as Woakes bowls Carey but replays confirm it was a no ball. A couple of the England players seem aghast at the decision, especially Stokes, but stump cam fails to show any heel behind the line. Did anyone see it differently? There may be one shot from side on that shows a very, very close call.
Either way that ball was too full to pull for Carey, he’ll be breathing a huge sigh of relief to still be there. He gets a single soon after, Green gets a thick edge and runs three, and Carey gets another single behind backward point.
Woakes bowls Carey but it's a no ball!
Carey rocks back to pull, he chops on, and it’s a no ball! It’s very very close, but it’s hard to see any foot behind the line. Stump cam confirms it, even though Sam Billings can be heard saying “there’s a bit behind!”
35th over: Australia 91-6 (Green 9, Carey 19)
Robinson continues, he looks dangerous when he finds that excellent length. One of them screams past Carey’s outside edge. The Australian keeper then pushes one through extra cover for one to conclude the over.
Co Loef says: “That’s it. I don’t expect England to score 190 in the second innings.”
34th over: Australia 90-6 (Green 9, Carey 18)
Woakes is wide and Carey chases it, crunching it through cover for four. Two balls, two boundaries for Australia. And again! This one was straighter and Carey opened the face to go through the same area, maybe a touch squarer. The lead goes past 200. Good counterpunch for Australia there. A newly installed deep point sweeps the final ball meaning Carey finishes it with a single. That’s drinks. Australia lost three wickets in that hour.
The robot has donned a head band as an apology to Stuart Broad.#Ashes pic.twitter.com/rZWd9dwWVB
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) January 16, 2022
33rd over: Australia 81-6 (Green 9, Carey 9)
Robinson jags one past a lunging Carey, moving away nicely. Carey plays the same shot again and it squeezes off the shoulder of his bat to square leg for one. Green is patient and eventually punches one to point for his own single. Carey tries to clip but a minor leading edge helps him with a single wide of mid off, where Wood is fielding. Then Robinson lets the pressure off by straying on to Green’s pads, and he flicks him for four.
32nd over: Australia 74-6 (Green 4, Carey 7)
Woakes elicits an edge from Green but it bounces short of second slip. Another nearly breaches Green’s forward defence, and another almost takes off stump as Green leaves narrowly. He’s nipping it about sharply, this is the Woakes we know. Pope’s now under the lid at short leg. Green will want to get off strike. The next seams back and Green is in a tangle, it hits his thigh pad. A tight leave to finish. A good start for Woakes.
Steve Smith still shaking his head from the player viewing area. Will be fascinating to see how he responds to a below-par #Ashes. Him taking on Pakistan’s quicks in Pakistan is going to make compelling viewing
— Adam Burnett (@AdamBurnett09) January 16, 2022
31st over: Australia 74-6 (Green 4, Carey 7)
Conventional stuff here as Robinson attacks the off-stump, tailing a few back in. Green works one off the hip behind square. Carey finds two in the same spot. Does Wood come back on? He doesn’t - it’s Woakes.
With the damage Wood is doing, it does make you think what could’ve happened if England had the services of Archer and Stone as was planned.#bbccricket
— Henry Moeran (@henrymoeranBBC) January 16, 2022
30th over: Australia 71-6 (Green 3, Carey 5)
Wood steaming in, looking for five wickets. Carey gets off strike with one to cover, and Green is facing leg theory here. Green looks okay, and finds a run of his own behind square. Is Wood losing a little bit of juice? It would be understandable. Wood then tries to beat Carey with a yorker and it almost went through his legs! Carey dug it out. Bouncer to finish and Carey ducks. That might be Wood’s spell, he looks spent! If so, he’s been magnificent.
29th over: Australia 69-6 (Green 2, Carey 4)
Robinson replaces Broad. I mean, we’re really just marking time until Wood gets the ball. Carey flicks one behind square for two, as SEN commentator Alex Doolan notes that “this feels like a very important moment in his career”. Carey nearly beats Broad at mid-on but the veteran makes a great save, then stands up and throws the stumps down. Strong. Carey was home. Robinson pace watch: 127km. Simon Katich describes it as “gentle”. Green then pushes him through cover for two.
28th over: Australia 64-6 (Green 0, Carey 1)
Wood has 4-18, he is essentially unplayable with the short ball here. Australia have no answers and we absolutely have a game on our hands now. Carey is essentially crouched as Wood bowls it, and he’s there at the end of the over, even if Green is scrambling make his ground as they scamper a leg bye. Would’ve been out had Root hit from behind square.
I make it 11 of the 26 wickets to fall in this match so far have been caught on the legside
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) January 16, 2022
WICKET! Smith c Malan b Wood 27 (Australia 63-6)
Another for Wood! Smith top edges a hook shot straight down Malan’s throat. Wood will definitely get another over now. This is extraordinary.
28th over: Australia 63-5 (Smith 27, Green 0)
Broad, decidedly slower than Wood, gets one to nip back and hit Green’s back pad, the appeal is half-hearted and it’s actually quite close, but there’s no review. There’s a leg bye then Smith clips one for a single.
27th over: Australia 60-5 (Smith 25, Green 0)
Australia in some strife now, Wood gets Head and they just don’t have an answer to Wood’s short length and pace. Green is next to receive it, and the first hammers into the splice of his bat. Another bouncer takes off and it’s a wide. The next strikes Green hard in the shoulder. It’s bouncer after bouncer. Wood must be tired.
Adam Collins on SEN notes that Mark Wood has taken 6-58 after starting with 0-75 in the first innings.
Mark Wood 👏🏽🔥
— Trent Copeland (@copes9) January 16, 2022
Plans.
Execution.
Result. BIG result. #Ashes @7Cricket
pic.twitter.com/uudq87KA77
WICKET! Head ct Billings b Wood 8 (Australia 59-5)
Wood gets another! He’s caught down the leg side, it clips his glove, and Billings makes no mistake. Wood is ripping through them here. Head never looked at home there.
26th over: Australia 59-4 (Smith 25, Head 8)
Smith inside edges onto his pad and gets himself a run as Broad continues to target his leg stump. Head crashes one square and Rory Burns, on the boundary, makes a sensational stop to prevent the boundary. Broad is up for LBW again, this time to Head, but it clearly pitched outside leg.
25th over: Australia 55-4 (Smith 24, Head 6)
Wood wants to go short to Smith, and his field reflects it. It’s essentially leg theory. Smith paddles the second around the corner and gets off strike. Wood shortens Head up, and he’s ducking, one leg raised, gloves in front of face. It’s not pretty. So he’ll get another. He does, and Head tries to flip it fine, but it hits his glove. It was jumpy. More coming! Wrong, double-bluff, and Head misses a leg stump half volley that strikes the pad.
24th over: Australia 54-4 (Smith 23, Head 6)
It doesn’t take long for Head to flash one square, he does so from Broad’s first but there’s a man on the boundary. Broad is very straight to Smith, who looks uncomfortable trying to defend him from there. But it’s fine margins, as Broad is one centimetre too straight and Smith flicks him to long leg. Head is looking to score, missing out on a cut that seems to go under his bat. The next is driven hard down the ground for four, Head’s bat flourish finishing over his shoulder. Broad might’ve got a hand on it, but the ball still made it. Broad follows up by beating him outside off.
23rd over: Australia 48-4 (Smith 22, Head 1)
So Boland goes, and we’ll see whether Wood goes short to Travis Head. He does, and Head is jumping, riding it off his ribs, uppishly. No one’s there. They need a bat pad. Head flicks the next to deep square for one. Smith defends from his ribs and that’s the over.
Love how much every crowd loves Scotty Boland..
— Melanie McLaughlin (@Mel_Mclaughlin) January 16, 2022
Another huge roar as he walks off for 8.
#ashes 🏏
WICKET! Boland c Billings b Wood 8 (Australia 47-4)
Nick, out! It’s through the chest, a cross-seamer, and Boland can only fend him behind. Boland’s done his job, and now Head’s at the wicket.
Updated
22nd over: Australia 47-3 (Smith 22, Boland 8)
Smith defuses the first few before he whips Broad in front of square for four. Crisp. They move a man to that exact point on the boundary. He tries to work the next in to the onside and he misses, it strikes the pad, the appeal is turned down. It looks high, Broad wants the review, he doesn’t get it. Replay shows it’s high. The next looks much closer, same look, Broad celebrappeals, and Root doesn’t review. Also going over the top. Regardless, it’s encouraging for Broad.
“Talking about the conditions, it’s quite different from last night to today with the sun out. It has moved around a little bit but it looks very playable.” - Greg Blewett likes what he sees from the Hobart pitch today #Ashes #TripleMRocksCricket
— Triple M Cricket (@triplemcricket) January 16, 2022
21st over: Australia 43-3 (Smith 18, Boland 8)
Wood to Boland, and it looks fast. There’s a bat pad, a man at a forward short point, and everything is through the chest, at least. The third is at Boland’s toes and he clips Wood beautifully through mid-on, full face of the bat, and they run four. The next is, of course, at his chest. Woof goes full again, Boland swings and it flies hard, fast and low to the left of Rory Burns who puts it down. It would have been the catch of the series, to be fair. He takes a single. Smith then takes one to deep mid wicket.
20th over: Australia 37-3 (Smith 17, Boland 3)
Smith commences with a sleeveless vest, Boland only needs a shirt. A quiet start for Broad v Smith - a multitude of width, leaves and defence. A maiden to start, no pitch gremlins to report.
The players are on their way...
We’ll be underway in a short few minutes
Unsurprisingly, a couple of counties are keen on Scott Boland!
Boland says his manager has received "a few calls" from England counties about the season ahead. I'm tipping about 18 of them. But isn't sure what he'll do this winter with Australia's three Asian tours. #Ashes https://t.co/RV1YQO4dFH
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) January 16, 2022
An excellent email from Robert Wilson to get you in the mood:
“Dear Sam, Hello there. I’m feeling grateful tonight. Ok, I admit it’s been a big night. I confess that I’m fresh out of a bibulous Parisian dinner party. Quails have been quaffed and drinks have been drunk, Doesn’t matter. My current state of egregious euphoria has nothing to do with Chablis (nor my first cigarette in 18 months), this, this is immense. Thank the Lords and Gods of cricket happenstance that this last Ashes Test takes place at a ground from which on video you can see hills and houses and trees. No concrete bowl of anonymous, vacuum-sealed stadiumitis, the Blundstone is a location with a sense of place - with all the provincial excellence that this entails. It’s making me happier than I deserve to be. There is no five-fer nor unlooked-for ton that is not ennobled by the fact that some neighbouring resident is definitely watching it from their kitchen.
Plus, my ludicrous euphoria is entirely justified. Now I’m not a passionate adherent of all things Nathan Lyon. I can take or leave him (he can be a big old drag in the newspapers before a series) but his three sixes against the fastest bowler of the series don’t just make me feel extremely unsuicidal, they make me feel glad to be concurrently alive in the way that people felt when Tolstoy was knocking his stuff out back in the day. I mean, oooooof.
Every now and then, mere dignity compels you to stop complaining all the time and just admit that it’s pretty sensational to be alive right now. Thank you Hobart. Thank you Nathan. Robert Wilson”
Geoff Lemon is out there in Hobart. The weather looks excellent right now.
Gorgeous day in Hobart for the closing stages of the Ashes. pic.twitter.com/Cez0rDoAJj
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) January 16, 2022
With the series in its final throes, we’re finally seeing some public advocacy for Justin Langer. Last night, Steve Waugh “took” to Instagram to back JL, and now his brother, Mark, seems to have done the same...
Mark Waugh has thrown his support behind incumbent Aussie coach Justin Langer. #Ashes pic.twitter.com/48HjuzaRN0
— Triple M Cricket (@triplemcricket) January 16, 2022
Here’s a deeper, better account of yesterday’s cricket from The Guardian’s chief cricket correspondent, Ali Martin ...
Preamble
Hello again!
Here we all are, this 23rd day on the Ashes calendar (give or take a few early finishes), gathered again for another round of story-making because we can’t get enough. If you’re doing this from the earliest of hours in the UK, more and all power to you.
Though they bookended it with a bit of success, it was another reasonably rough day for the visitors yesterday. 17 wickets fell, 10 of them England’s, as another 2-out-all-out performance resulted in 188 runs on the board, 115 short of Australia’s total. Root briefly threatened. Cummins took 4. You know how it goes by now.
There were some fireworks in the last hour as Broad continued his dominance over Warner, Marnus exited and Khawaja succumbed to Wood, and now England will be hoping the steamrolling can continue this afternoon. That England had yet to post in excess of 300 was the prevailing statistic yesterday, and with Australia 150 ahead, they’ll need to mobilise some wickets quickly to give themselves any sniff of an unlikely victory.
The wicket is tough and Australia will look to build that lead however possible, but whatever the case, we can probably expect some explosive cricket because not only is the pitch willing, it may be that both teams are equally willing to finish things off soon, whatever the result.
