More reaction and analysis
That’s all for today. I’ll leave you with Ali Martin’s report from the Kia Oval. Thanks for your company and emails, and especially your donations – night.
A bit more from Jimmy
The batters deserve all the plaudits. It’s been amazing to watch. On that wicket yesterday we could have tried to graft our way to 160, and we’d get bowled out, so the way we counter-attacked was brilliant.
[Would you like a bit more rest between innings?] You’ve just got to bite the bullet with that. We all love the way we’re playing.
Yes we’d love a whole day off with our feet up, but the way we look after ourselves, we’re in a good enough place to [bowl again after 50 overs’ rest].
[On Old Trafford] We’ve had many games where the rain has saved us so you can’t have it both ways. It’s the nature of cricket. Sometimes it goes your way, sometimes it doesn’t.
The pitch got slower today, especially when the ball gets softer, and it felt like you had to really bend your back. Hopefully it’ll be a good pitch to bat on tomorrow. The big miss for us is Mo – the pitch is dry, so he’d be a massive part of the fourth innings if we could get him out there.
More from Jimmy Anderson
Strangely, the ball has felt really good coming out of my hand for most of the series. Unfortunately, we all know as professional cricketers, you go through lean patches whether you’re a batter or a bowler. You just pray it’s not in the most high-profile series you can play in!
I try to look at it objectively. Yes I haven’t take the wickets I wanted, but I’m still trying to do a job for the team, still trying to create pressure and help the guy at the other end.
I’ve tried not to listen to [media talk of retirement], because that question has been there for the last six years, or even longer. The last 3-4 years, I feel like I’ve bowled as well as I ever have: I felt like I’ve been in so much control, my body’s in a good place, my skills are as good as they ever have been. I don’t feel like I’m bowling badly, or losing pace, or that I’m on the way out. I feel like I can still offer a lot to this team.
The selection side of it is a completely different issue. If Baz and Stokesy say, ‘You’ve not got the wickets we’d have liked’, I’ll be absolutely fine with that. But I’ve no interest in retiring any time soon. I feel like I’ve got a lot more to give.
Jimmy Anderson talks to Sky Sports
If we look at the day overall, it’s been a good effort, but with the position we were in we’re a bit disappointed that they got a lead. Credit to Pat and Murphy, I thought they batted really well. On the whole I thought it was a really good day for us.
I do think we bowled really well before lunch, though I was a bit surprised that they didn’t try something to get us off our length. I’m pleased with the way I bowled all day. I felt in good rhythm; I was getting it to carry through, which is unusual! Yesterday I bowled a lot of wobble seam. Today I tried to keep it simple and hit the pitch as hard as possible with a straight seam.
Maybe I was trying too hard yesterday. That can happen, especially in a short session when you’re striving for wickets. Today I wanted to just settle in all day and home in on an area.
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Steve Smith on the run out that wasn’t
[On his actual dismissal] I thought it was a free hit (because England had just moved Harry Brook from deep midwicket]. It sat in the wicket a bit and I pretty much middled it straight up in the air!
[On the run out] Initially I thought I was out. But I think Jonny knocked the bail, would that be right? It was close, I got given not out in the end. I can’t do much else!
[Is it hard to concentrate when you resume an innings in those circumstances?] Nah, not hard. You just get back in the moment, play the game. You might have a bit more freedom and think, ‘I could have been out there’ and go a bit harder, but it’s not hard to get going again.
More from Steve Smith
I’ve been working on a few things in the week and I feel like I got in good positions today I’d been moving a little bit too far across. I love batting at the Oval, it’s a lovely place to play and you get value for your shots. Unfortunately I couldn’t capitalise today.
(Says the man who got the second highest score of the match.)
Steve Smith speaks to Sky Sports
There’s a bit of swing around with the overheads but the wicket itself played quite nicely. A lot of us got in but weren’t able to go on.
[On his dismissal] I thought it was time to start a counter-punch. It didn’t come off and maybe I hit trigger too early with the way Cummo was batting. Overall we’re a bit disappointed we didn’t get bigger lead.
There was no set plan. They bowled really well this morning – they didn’t give us any freebies – so credit where it’s due. We knew if we could take them deep we’d get opportunities to score at the back end of the day, which we did. If the batters were in [in the last hour or two] it would have made a huge difference.
They’re very good swing bowlers and they got it going for most of the day. The new ball didn’t do as much. You want to keep the scoreboard ticking but guys are also allowed to bowl well and you have to respect those periods. If we had more wickets in the shed at the end of the day, we could have got more reward.
“YJB’s astringent post-99 interview was definitely a comedy joy,” writes Robert Wilson. “ Well done for recognising it. It’s a fascinating format, the post-play rancorous rant. It’s full of unintended comedy, of course, but it’s generally somehow likeable as well (with the possible exception of KP). I always think the best of them are directly influenced by the master - Bairstow definitely.”
If Jose Mourinho ever wins another major trophy, there won’t be enough popcorn in the world.
Stumps: Australia lead by 12
The change of innings means that is the last action of another seesawing day’s play. Australia were on top at 91-1; then England were in charge at 182-7. But Steve Smith made 71, having survived a Spandex-tight run-out referral on 43, and useful knocks from Pat Cummins (36) and Todd Murphy (34) gave them a slender lead.
England’s four seamers bowled immaculately until fatigue kicked in after tea. The pick was probably Chris Woakes, who finished with three for 61.
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Cummins is out. It’s not even Stokes’ best catch on the ground– remember 2019 – but it’s still a moment of utter brilliance. Cummins slugged Root flat and hard to long on, where the backpedalling Stokes took the catch above his head, just inside the boundary. He threw the ball up before staggering over the boundary, then jumped back into play to collect as it dropped. No celebration, just another bit of everyday superheroism.
WICKET! Australia 295 all out (Cummins c Stokes b Root 36)
A bit of brilliance from Ben Stokes, who takes a solo relay catch at long on. It’ll be checked by the third umpire but it looks fine.
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101st over: Australia 295-9 (Cummins 36, Hazlewood 6) A dipping slower ball from Anderson hoodwinks Cummins, who just gets some bat on it and then smiles warmly down the pitch. If we ever pick a Nice Guys Finish First XI, Pat Cummins will be taking the new ball. The zeal of his performance in this Test has been thoroughly admirable.
Cummins gives Hazlewood three balls to survive at the end of Anderson’s. He does more than that, thumping Anderson through the covers for two. Every little helps, and Australia lead by 12.
The clock has ticked past 620, which means England won’t have to bat tonight. Tomorrow’s an important day. I might even go so far as to say it’ll be a big first session.
101st over: Australia 292-9 (Cummins 35, Hazlewood 4) The new batter Hazlewood slashes Woakes through backward point for four. A good stat on Sky: every completed partnership in this innings has been between 12 and 54. As Nasser Hussain says, unconverted starts have been a theme of Australia’s batting in the last couple of Tests.
WICKET! Australia 288-9 (Murphy LBW b Woakes 34)
Chris Woakes has been the most durable of England’s seamers today, so it’s nice that he gets a late reward. Murphy plays around a good delivery, angled in from round the wicket, and is hit on the pad in front of middle and leg.
He reviews, just in case, but it’s umpire’s call so he’s on his way. Murphy played a fine hand: 34 from 39 balls, including three sixes off Mark Wood.
101st over: Australia 288-8 (Cummins 35, Murphy 34) “Re: Bairstow’s score-settling during press conferences, I would disagree that he actually settled any scores,” says Babor Ahmed. “Rather, all of the points he made in his defence (the injury was really bad, yes I’m still limping, yes I’m rusty because I haven’t played in 10 months) were actually points that reinforced the arguments against his selection.
“‘I’m injured, what do you expect?’ he asked. Well I, and many other supporters, expect England to select players only once they have had enough time to recover form and fitness after injury.”
I was talking about it more from his perspective, but I know what you mean. While I essentially agree with everything you say, we don’t know what conversations he had with Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, or what was a reasonable expectation of performance given the injury he suffered. It’s not a computer game, you can’t produce data to predict future performance.
Players are picked all the time when they aren’t 100 percent fit; Bairstow is slightly different because of the nature of the injury but it’s not like he and England were able to foresee that he would only score one fifty and drop a number of chances. Don’t get me wrong, I think England may well have won this series with Foakes in the team, but that’s only with the benefit of hindsight.
Last summer Bairstow produced some of the best Test batting we’ve ever seen from an England player. I was uncomfortable with him playing as keeper, more because of the potential impact on his batting (before the injury he was a very reliable keeper against pace bowling), but it’s the hardest selection decision I can recall since I started following England in 1988. We can’t ignore the human element of the decision either; you might not agree with it, but to a post-epiphany Stokes considers, that’s an important consideration. You could argue he’s loyal to a fault. You could also argue that – at the time, not with hindsight – it was an extremely nuanced decision.
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100th over: Australia 288-8 (Cummins 35, Murphy 32) Murphy hooks Woakes to fine leg, where Lawrence does brilliantly to save the boundary. The ball kicked up and almost sent his teeth rattling, but he got his face out of the way while simultaneously palming the ball away from the boundary.
A snick from Murphy falls short of Crawley in the slips and runs away for a couple of runs. Woakes, England’s best bowler today for mine, keeps coming and zips another good delivery past the outside edge.
“Half of Australia’s batters have faced more than 50 balls in this innings,” says Jonathan McKinley. “Only Harry Brook faced more than 50 in the England innings. Does this extra batting practice help the Australians going into the second half of the match?”
I don’t know about that, but the extra rest certianly helps their bowlers. That’s one of the big downsides of Bazball, but England will argue – rightly – that the positives comfortably outweigh the negatives.
99th over: Australia 284-8 (Cummins 34, Murphy 30) Cummins edges Anderson just short of Crawley, plunging to his left in a kind of fourth-slip position.
A single brings Murphy on strike, and he flicks a loose delivery to the fine leg boundary to bring the scores level. That’s a cracking comeback from 186 for seven at tea, and another single takes Australia into the lead. Just as bowlers can take wickets for the bloke at the other end, so Usman Khawaja (47 from 157 balls) and Marnus Labuschagne (9 from 82 balls) are responsible for a few of these runs.
98th over: Australia 278-8 (Cummins 34, Murphy 25) Around half an hour to go, and England will be very happy to get off the field. This is a chance for Australia to build a small but potentially decisive first-innings lead.
“YJB seems to treat every dismissal as a chance to give the crowd a stare,” writes Dechlan Brennan, “as if he is being attacked from all sides for something other than keeping errors (I’ll be told off in his next press conference for this).”
I have sympathy with Bairstow, mainly because I know I couldn’t handle a thousandth of the criticism – both fair and excessive – that he has received this summer. It’s a really complicated subject though; there was a very good discussion about how much we should criticise sportspeople on A Slight Tangent (the Off the Ball podcast) after the recent Dele Alli interview.
Also, and I know this is extremely childish, few things tickle me as much as a cranky sportsman turning what should be a celebratory interview into an uncompromising score-settler.
97th over: Australia 277-8 (Cummins 33, Murphy 25) This isn’t a sentence I expected to be typing today, or indeed ever, but Todd Murphy has hit Mark Wood out of the attack. James Anderson replaces him.
Cummins, who is playing his third longish innings of the series after 38 and 44* at Edgbaston, inside-edges into the ground and over the stumps. For all his struggles, Anderson has had rotten luck in this series. A few singles reduce the deficit to six.
“Thanks for highlighting an animal rescue,” writes Tom Mayfield. “All rescues are going through hard times now, so it is helpful to have sponsors and supporters with a bit of clout. If there is time and space could you mention the White Bird Appaloosa Horse Rescue, here in Virginia. That might be opening a can of worms though! Anyway, visitors can see the cricket bat with which I made my highest ever score of 28not out, and saved the match. Village cricket rocks.”
Doesn’t it just. While I remember, thank you so much to everyone who donated to our local animal shelter at tea.
96th over: Australia 274-8 (Cummins 31, Murphy 24) Australia were criticised for their cautious approach this morning, legitimately so, but they are benefitting from it now because England’s four seamers are shattered. Woakes tries a couple of slower balls without success, though at least he stems the flow of runs.
“I’m not much of a stats person but it does seem that the tailenders have had more of an impact on this series that is usual,” says Josh Hardie. “When the sixth wicket is down im now thinking limit it to 100 more or - if time is tight - bash a quick 50. Is that wrong?”
I haven’t checked the data [you’re sacked – ed] but it hasn’t felt particularly unusual. Lower-order batters – never call them the tail, as Duncan Fletcher would say – have been influencing Ashes series for as long as I can remember. For example, the second Ashes Test I ever watched included this Geoff Lawson horror show, which unfolded via increasingly agitated window-shopping sessions at Radio Rentals.
95th over: Australia 273-8 (Cummins 30, Murphy 24) Six more to Murphy, swivel-pulled smoothly round the corner off Wood. There are two men out but he doesn’t care. I must say, I like everything I’ve seen of this kid, especially his calm competitiveness. This is only his 14th first-class game.
And that’s his third six! Another swivel-pull, straight into the crowd. Murphy is doing unto Wood as Wood did unto Starc and Cummins at Headingley. He has 24 from 23 balls; Australia – who were 186 for seven at tea – trail by 10.
94th over: Australia 250-8 (Cummins 30, Murphy 12) Cummins tries to blast Woakes onto the nearest air traffic control map and gets a leading edge over the slips for four. I think that was a slower ball.
Murphy gets a more authentic boundary later in the boundary, slamming a wide ball past backward point. This is the right approach from Australia against a weary attack; they trail by just 23.
93rd over: Australia 250-8 (Cummins 25, Murphy 7) That’s more like it. Murphy gets off the mark by swivel-pulling Wood for six, a shot of such quality that the commentator Mike Atherton mistakes him for Mitchell Starc.
Murphy isn’t the worst tailender, and has a highest score of 41 in his fledgling Test career. England got Smith at a good time because their bowlers look really tired.
92nd over: Australia 241-8 (Cummins 24, Murphy 0) There’s a case for Australia to declare here, or at least to start slogging so that their bowlers get a bit of time at England tonight. Murphy does have one windy woof at Woakes, but the clue’s in the word ‘windy’: the ball zips through to Jonny Bairstow.
“Isn’t cricket brilliant?” says Felix Wood. “I’m loving the contrasting tactics in this game, it’ll be fascinating to see whether England deal with an injured spinner as well as Australia did. Smith seems to have got the good side of the two only really controversial decisions this series, but frankly you can’t feel too hard done by if you make such a basic error. Would Foakes have done that? I think we all know the answer.”
We’re going there again are we.
91st over: Australia 240-8 (Cummins 23, Murphy 0) Todd Murphy, meet Mark Wood. There’s an appeal for a catch down the leg side – only Brook at short leg – and then a short ball whooshes past his noggin. He survives.
90th over: Australia 239-8 (Cummins 22) The Sky Sports chaps show that a field change may have led to that wicket. Harry Brook was brought up to square leg, and that’s where Smith was aiming when he sliced the ball over his head.
That was the last ball of the over. Australia trail by 44, and it looks like the series will end as it began: with a one-innings shootout.
“This has all the makings of one of those Australian lower order partnerships,” says James Male. “Truly their ability to destroy souls is unparalleled. Thankfully I’m off to see Oppenheimer rather than endure this.”
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WICKET! Australia 239-8 (Smith c Bairstow b Woakes 71)
Steve Smith falls to a fine catch from Jonny Bairstow. He started to get a bit frisky in that Woakes over, clunking one ball over mid-off before launching another miles in the air. Bairstow ran a long way back, almost to third man, and steadied himself to take the catch. It was a slightly odd shot from Smith, who had serenely stockpiled runs for most of the day, but, well, nobody’s perfect.
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89th over: Australia 235-7 (Smith 68, Cummins 21) On Sky Sports, Ian Ward has demonstrated that Steve Smith should probably have been given run out in the 78th over – although, as he says, “it took about 50 minutes, with the help of about 12 other people including two former international captains”. I suppose England are still in the red after the 2019 World Cup final.
Mark Wood does comes into the attack, though his first over is a bit stiff, with everything below 90mph. Smith pulls Broad for a single to bring up a determined fifty partnership from 94 balls.
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88th over: Australia 232-7 (Smith 65, Cummins 21) Woakes replaces Anderson, who bowled a harmless spell of 3-1-9-0. Cummins reaches for a very wide full toss and inside-edges it for four more. Weird cricket all round.
In the last two Tests, when everything started to get on top of him, Cummins scored two runs in three innings. But he bowled magnificently yesterday, and this batting performance – the odd bit of luck notwithstanding – has also been more Edgbaston than Old Trafford. Nobody on either side has looked more focussed in this game.
“I’ve lived in Japan for 23 years now, married to my Japanese wife for almost 18,” says Mark Steward. “She’s been aware a certain Jimmy Anderson plays cricket, but by her own admission has no idea what he looks like or what he does. But when I mentioned to her that this might be Jimmy’s last game for England, she looked genuinely aghast. A household name in even the most irreverent of households.”
87th over: Australia 228-7 (Smith 65, Cummins 17) Another quiet over from Broad. These England bowlers are generally very patient but you can see a few little signs of frustration. Australia have added 33 since Smith survived that run-out chance; they trail by 55.
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86th over: Australia 225-7 (Smith 64, Cummins 15) The new ball is swinging generously enough, but both batters look comfortable and Stokes may need to turn to Wood before this partnership gets out of hand.
“Smith’s hand-eye coordination is as impressive as ever, but I’m not sure his footwork and, in consequence, his balance has been as precise as in previous tours,” writes Gary Naylor. “It’s shown in his frustration in not being able to score singles at will, one of his biggest strengths. Of course, Steven Smith at 90 per cent is probably the best batter on either side, but it’s a waning of a once fierce flame.”
85th over: Australia 223-7 (Smith 63, Cummins 14) A superb short ball from Broad follows Cummins, who tries to limbo dance to safety. As he does so the ball hits the top edge and flies over Bairstow for four. This partnership is now worth 38, and we could be heading for another one-innings shootout. England should beware the precedent of Brisbane 2017, when they were on top until Smith and Cummins came together.
“Personally I think loyalty and empathy are overrated, Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Give me 1989 any time. I mean that year’s Ashes selection omnishambles, not the Taylor Swift album. As an aside, it’s not exactly rocket science but there’s now been a longer gap between 2005 and this year than there was between 1989 and 2005, which messes with my head a little bit.”
If Taylor Swift ever re-records 1989, one of her promo interviews should begin with an invitation to name the 29 players England picked in the Ashes that year.
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84th over: Australia 218-7 (Smith 62, Cummins 10) Smith tries to drive Anderson and is beaten on the inside. That was a bit strange because the ball didn’t seem to do much. The next ball is too short and pulled imperiously for four. Smith’s hand-eye co-ordination is something else, and he flogs three more through the covers off the penultimate ball.
Australia would have been 194-8 had Smith been run out; instead, things are getting interesting.
83rd over: Australia 211-7 (Smith 55, Cummins 10) That non-wicket aside, England have been a bit flat since that Smith reprieve, and Australia have quietly reduced the deficit to 72.
“As this is the last Test for a while, care to make a few predictions for the next squad travelling to India?” says John Starbuck. “Allowing for what goes on in the intervening franchise actions, a majority of the current team can expect to be aboard, but who loses out?”
Of this XI, I suspect the only absentees – fitness permitting – will be Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes. Would need to think about it but you’d imagine Ben Foakes, Will Jacks, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Dan Lawrence and Rehan Ahmed will all be in the squad, plus one or two more. They would love to have Olly Stone and/or Jofra Archer. There will be a lot to think about, especially if Indian continue their recent policy of preparing result pitches. If that’s the case we might see some extremely funky selections from England.
Cummins is not out!
My word, it swung so much that it would have missed leg stump. It was a lovely delivery from Broad, a huge inswinger that beat Cummins all ends up and hit both pads. Cummins’ review seemed like an afterthought, but replays showed it was going down.
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Australia review: Cummins LBW b Broad It took Joel Wilson an age to give it, but it looks out.
82nd over: Australia 210-7 (Smith 54, Cummins 10) Anderson shares the new ball. Cummins defends with authority, as he has all series against anyone other than Mark Wood, and it’s a maiden.
81st over: Australia 210-7 (Smith 54, Cummins 10) Stuart Broad takes the new ball. Smith leathers an inswinger through mid-on for four to reach a sedate 50 from 98 balls. It’s only his second fifty-plus score of a peculiar series.
He on-drives the next ball for four as well, though this shot doesn’t have quite the same flourish. The sliding Anderson seemed to save the boundary but replays showed he had scooped the ball against his trailing arm as he made contact with the sponge.
“Are we perhaps a bit premature with, ‘Personally I would have preferred England to lose this series 3-2 than draw 2-2’,” says Andrew Baker. “This could still be lost 3-1 or 2-1. It seems anything could happen in what has been the most engaging series I’ve seen in a long time.”
Oh I didn’t mean to suggest England have won this game. All I was clumsily trying to say was that a series decider, even if it ended in defeat, was preferable to a draw at Old Trafford and a win here.
80th over: Australia 201-7 (Smith 46, Cummins 9) Joe Root bowls the last over before the second new ball, though most of it spent looking at replays of the run-out that wasn’t. Smith was two-thirds of the way off the field when he looked again at the big screen and realised Bairstow had made contact with the stumps.
79th over: Australia 201-7 (Smith 46, Cummins 9) On Sky, Ricky Ponting thinks Smith should have been given out. At least I think that’s what Mark Butcher has just said on his behalf. You’ll hear more about it I’m sure, especially if Smith gets 200.
One part of the off bail was out of the groove when Bairstow disturbed the stumps before collecting the throw, so the deciding factor was whether the other side was removed with ball in hand before Smith made his ground. The third umpire Nitin Meton decided not. That looks a fair decision for me, albeit borderline, but I’m not entirely sure I know what I’m talking about.
78th over: Australia 198-7 (Smith 45, Cummins 8) Well that was a bit of an anticlimax.
Urgh, it looks like an error from Jonny Bairstow, who accidentally knocked the stumps as he shaped to collect Ealham’s throw. The third umpire decided the bail was out of the groove before Bairstow broke the stumps with the ball in his hand. It was a really tight decision, which could have gone either way.
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Smith is not out!
Hang on, what’s happened here? Smith was walking off, but now the third umpire has given it not out.
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WICKET! Australia 195-8 (Smith run out 43)
Steve Smith has been run out by the substitute George Ealham! Dust off Gary Pratt’s contact details this instant!
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77th over: Australia 193-7 (Smith 42, Cummins 6) Harry Brook continues after tea, bowling medium-paced filth. Cummins almost overbalances after missing a leg-side delivery, but he flicks a similar delivery for four to end the over.
“Much as I’d prefer it if England had gone onto win at Old Trafford, I don’t think it really ruins what remains a riveting series, unless England winning is the only factor that matters,” says Steve Holt. “In 2005, the boot was on the other foot - Australia’s charge towards an enormous first-innings total was thwarted by rain, which denied them a shot at levelling the series. I don’t remember too many complaints about the weather ruining things then.”
It feels like they are two slightly different points, and also Australia’s dominance at the Oval in 2005 wasn’t comparable to England’s last week. Personally I would have preferred* England to lose this series 3-2 than draw 2-2, because the two-eyed cricket fan in me (and everyone else) would have experienced the thrill of a series decider.
* Okay, I like to think I’d have preferred that. But given the emphatic tantrum I had after Ben Stokes’ declaration at Edgbaston, maybe I’m not as two-eyed as I want to be.
76th over: Australia 188-7 (Smith 41, Cummins 2) The first ball of the session is a beauty from Woakes that beats Cummins’ tentative push. A couple of runs from the over, it says here.
“Jeremy Boyce got the wrong Pataudi (son), who was quite an attacking batsman in spite of one eye,” says Puneet Mohan. “It was the father who was the slow poke.”
Urgh, sorry, that’s my fault for not checking. You’re right about his father, whose short Test career included a 79-ball 12 and a 380-ball 102.
The players are back out, and Australia need 97 runs for a bit of the old first-innings parity.
Teatime appeal
Our local animal shelter is celebrating 40 years of rescuing, rehoming and caring for adorable dogs (and other animals). But charities like these are closing all the time and they are in urgent need of funding. If you’d like to donate, just follow this link.
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“All very well to criticise the Australian approach,” says John Jones, “but it’s detracting from an outstanding England bowling performance. Their lengths and lines have been immaculate with hardly a bad ball bowled.”
Yep. It’s been their most forensic bowling performance of the series.
England’s session, NQAT: Australia managed 71 for five in 24 overs. But Steve Smith is still there, having pottered to 40 from 79 balls. And when that’s the case in an Ashes Test, like the man said, nothin’ comes with a gaaaaaaarntee.
Tea
75th over: Australia 186-7 (Smith 40, Cummins 1) And now for something completely different: Harry Brook to Steve Smith just before tea. It feels a lifetime ago that Brook bowled a single over to Smith at Edgbaston; it was 17 June.
Despite the best efforts of Jonny Bairstow, who makes every ball sound like a ball of the century contender, Smith survives the over without alarm. That’s tea.
74th over: Australia 186-7 (Smith 40, Cummins 1) Cummins edges the new bowler Woakes just short of Duckett at third slip, then plays down the wrong line at a jaffa. A maiden. While Australia have been too passive today – 125 for six in 49 overs – England have bowled extremely well.
“Shaping up to be another great Test but gotta be honest, I’m still not over the Old Trafford hangover,” says Max Williams. “The really annoying thing is there’s nothing obvious to blame. You can’t blame England for not winning the match in three days. You can blame England for being 1-2 down but losing the first two Tests is kind of requisite if you want to complete an historic 3-2 comeback. You can’t blame Manchester for being Manchester. You can’t blame the Powers That Be for not ripping up the rulebook and introducing a reserve day ahead of the series on the off chance that this incredibly specific scenario might occur.
“Apologies for this failure to live in the moment but I fear the Old Trafford rain and subsequent lost Oval decider will be the defining memory of this series. A series that came so close to greatness only to be hamstrung in the most dejecting fashion imaginable. Please tell me I’m wrong. Tell me I’ll be tracking down highlights of Zac Crawley’s 189 a decade hence.”
Nah, you won’t, and not only because by that stage technology will be so advanced that the highlights will be tracking down you. But you may well remember how alive you felt in July 2023. I agree with you though – I can’t think of a bigger anticlimax in my cricket-watching life.
73rd over: Australia 186-7 (Smith 40, Cummins 1) Wood’s career-best series continues: he now has 12 wickets at 18. (And 74 runs at a strike rate of 140.)
“I remember seeing Alan Ealham take at least one of those catches against Australia at Lord’s in 1977 - I would have been 11,” says Martin Gamage. “He was regarded as a bit of a fielding specialist at the time, proof that fielding ringers came in long before the days of Gary Pratt.”
Who would have been the first? I was going to say Alan Oakman at Old Trafford in 1956 until I remembered he was actually in the XI.
WICKET! Australia 185-7 (Starc c Duckett b Wood 7)
Mark Wood takes his first lower-order wicket of the day. Might not be his last. Starc, trying to hook, was beaten for pace and top-edged it miles in the air. Ben Duckett ran in from fine leg to take a comfortable catch.
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72nd over: Australia 183-6 (Smith 39, Starc 6) Starc cuts Root to deep backward point, where the other substitute Dan Lawrence saves the boundary with a nifty bit of fielding. Australia trail by 100.
“Afternoon Rob,” says Nick Parish. “I’d be interested to hear your views on Ben Stokes the selector. It seems to me curious that his great innovation in setting batting strategies, attacking fields and creative declarations seems to vanish completely when it comes to actually picking the team in the first place. There have been quite a number of times in this series when England could have made some very positive unforced selection changes, and Stokes just hasn’t gone for it. Excessive loyalty to colleagues? Unwillingness to do anything that might smack of admitting past selection errors? Or something else?”
Loyalty and empathy are two of Stokes’ defining characteristics. I suppose Bazball requires a loyalty that might be perceived as excessive, because if you want people to play with unprecedented freedom you have to give them a degree of security. Cricinfo’s Andrew Miller, who coined the B-word, made this point in our Wisden.com 2001-02 WhatsApp group before the first Test: it’s one for all and all for one, so the squad at the start of the series was never going to change except for injury. Personally I prefer this to the alternative, though I can see both sides.
71st over: Australia 180-6 (Smith 39, Starc 3) Wood had only one ball at Starc in the previous over. This time he gets four, which includes a play and miss and an airy hook that lands well short of fine leg.
“Interesting day,” says Brian Withington. “I’ve been reflecting further that there seems to be a strain of opinion that isn’t just sceptical about the new England brand, but actively despises it. That isn’t just waiting for it to implode (gloriously or otherwise), but wanting to demonstrate that its whole premise is false and its architects are hypocritical charlatans.
“I can understand the former sentiment, and probably subscribe to some of it myself, but I’m simply baffled by the latter. Struggling for a fair analogy but almost feels a bit like fossil fuel advocates who’d prefer the planet to burn rather than see renewables become a success?”
The great Rob Bagchi, once of this parish, used a brilliant line recently to describe somebody, and it feels equally applicable here: “He’d rather be right than happy.”
70th over: Australia 177-6 (Smith 39, Starc 1) Stokes waves a full toss from Root for two, with the substitute George Ealham saving the boundary. His grandad Alan, mentioned earlier by Gary Naylor, took a couple of catches in an Ashes Test in 1977, I think at Lord’s. Edit: yes it was.
A single apiece conpletes the over. No sign yet of Smith going into one-day mode, never mind T20 mode. The tortoise is not for haring.
69th over: Australia 173-6 (Smith 35, Starc 0) Ben Stokes is contractually obliged to recall Mark Wood the moment the lower order is exposed; you can’t really call it the tail when it includes Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins. Smith continues to bat in his bubble, flicking a couple to deep midwicket and working another single into the leg side.
“Great to see Anderson take a wicket,” says Tom Van der Gucht. “I’ve got to say, I was surprised as to how grizzled and gnarled he looks these days when watching him bowl yesterday. It reminded me of when I saw Hugh Grant in Paddington 2 and was surprised he wasn’t still the eternity foppish spring chicken from Four Weddings that existed in my memory.”
Brad Pitt over here! I’d have been happy to look as grizzled and gnarled as Anderson at the age of 25, never mind 40.
Updated
In other news, cricket is likely to return to the Olympics after a 128-year absence
68th over: Australia 170-6 (Smith 32, Starc 0) Carey’s scores since the Lord’s unpleasantness are 21, 8, 5, 20, 10. I know there are other factors, not least the pace of Mark Wood, but that doesn’t feel like a coincidence.
WICKET! Australia 170-6 (Carey c Stokes b Root 10)
Six and out for Alex Carey, whose post-Lord’s woes continue. He cuffed Root emphatically over long-on, only to fall next ball.
Root tossed it higher and wider, and Carey blazed a drive towards short mid-off. Stokes, an allrounder even when he can’t bowl, swooped to take a fine low catch.
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“Seems to me this ultimate Bazball team will need suitable opposition from the traditional school, then we can see which is best, no?” says Jeremy Boyce. “Here’s mine:
G Boycott
Usman Khawaja
Bruce Edgar
Chris Tavare
Mansoor Pataudi
Ken Barrington
Trevor Bailey
Godfrey Evans
Bob Langford
Joel Garner
Geoff Allott
12th man: Mike Hendrick.”
Is Bob Langford the guy who had figures of 8-8-0-0 in a one-day game? And is Geoff Allott in for his batting or his bowling? I’d be tempted to replace him with Bapu Nadkarni.
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67th over: Australia 164-5 (Smith 32, Carey 4) With the sun out, the occasional spinner on and the ball past retirement age in most cultures, this feels like an opportunity for Australia to put some pressure back on England.
Easier said from the office armchair than done. The ball is still doing a bit, and Smith is beaten chasing a shortish delivery from Anderson that leaves him at the last minute. He whacks the pitch in frustration.
66th over: Australia 162-5 (Smith 30, Carey 4) Root continues around the wicket to Smith, with a slip and leg slip. He has dismissed Smith a couple of times in Tests, although on both occasions Smith was in the 210s. Smith reads Root’s arm ball and waves it absent-mindedly into the covers for a single. Australia trail by 121.
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65th over: Australia 161-5 (Smith 29, Carey 4) A philosophical question: can England ever be truly on top in an Ashes Test when Steve Smith is at the crease? He pushes Anderson for a single to move to 29; then an unconvincing LBW appeal against Carey is turned down, because it was going down.
Carey leans into the next ball, the 16th of his innings, driving it sweetly between extra cover and mid-off to get off the mark with a boundary.
“Hi Rob,” says Gary Naylor. “Here’s the 12th man George Ealham’s grandfather from the days when fielding was rubbish. A bit of that from the kid would be handy.”
64th over: Australia 156-5 (Smith 28, Carey 0) Stokes is still chatting with the umpire Kumar Dharmasena about the decision. I think he’s slightly unhappy that England have lost a review even though Carey hit the ball (he waited for Dharmasena to signal leg-bye before going upstairs).
Carey is not out. He was well outside the line, and more than three metres down the pitch. Not a great review. There was a bit of confusion over whether he had hit the ball – I think he did – but the right decision was made either way.
Updated
63.4 overs: Australia 154-5 (Smith 27, Carey 0) Thanks Daniel, hello everyone. Joe Root replaces Mark Wood, whose last spell really was short and sharp – it lasted six balls.
Carey, still on 0, survives a big LBW appeal after missing a lap sweep. It looked outside the line… but Ben Stokes reluctantly goes for the review.
Updated
63rd over: Australia 153-5 (Smith 26, Carey 0) Just the one off that Anderson over. Carey still to get off the mark. Tidy areas from Jimmy.
And with that, I’ll sign off. Thanks for the flood of mails about Bazball Dream XIs and the art of batting fast/slow. Had loads of fun with you.
Rob will take it from here.
Cheers!
I hate this. You might think I’m making a mountain out of a molehill but this doesn’t sit well. It smacks of entitlement quite frankly. Not OK with Broad getting involved with the bails. How would he feel if an Aussie batter inspected the ball he was using?
Whatever @stuartbroad8 did, it worked! 👀#BBCCricket #Ashes pic.twitter.com/InV6MSKQXF
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) July 28, 2023
62nd over: Australia 152-5 (Smith 25, Carey 0) Wood is back and he gets one to spit at Smith but it catches enough bat to squirt away for a single. Carey is bounced but is safely under it before he unfurls a lovely cover drive that cannons straight to the fielder.
61st over: Australia 151-5 (Smith 24, Carey 0) That tentative approach from Australia in the first session is starting to look silly now. England have bagged three wickets in no time and now Carey stands as the last recognised batter. They’re 132 runs behind and in desperate need of a partnership. Anderson will feel a lot better about things having castled Marsh.
This is a great question from James Cooper:
“Simple question. We’ve had stars of days or matches. But who would be your star of the series!?”
Possibly Broad as the most consistent player. What do you all reckon?
WICKET! Marsh b Anderson 8 (Australia 151-5)
The old fella does it! Off the inside edge but it’s the length that does Marsh. Full and inviting a forward press, he’s stuck in his crease and can only prod at it. The crowd erupts. England all over Australia now.
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60th over: Australia 150-4 (Smith 24, Marsh 16) Root is turning his arm over from the Pavilion End. He’s a handy bowler but I think the Australians won’t want to let him settle into a groove. Smith works a single to the on-side, Marsh does likewise with a push down past mid-off and Smith bags a couple with a sweep that catches the toe-end of his bat. Root tossing them up. He won’t mind if the batters try to tonk him.
Spin now. Root replaces Broad. How will the Aussies play this?
59th over: Australia 146-4 (Smith 21, Marsh 15) Marsh leans into a gorgeous on-drive to end the over. Woakes hasn’t quite matched the threat from the other end and delivered a slower ball just to mix things up. Smith picked up a single and Marsh collected a couple as well.
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I’ll keep the tinfoil hat on, Paul Griffon, and you can choose to be sensible.
“I’m wondering if it’s just possible that the Aussies slow scoring rate was not a despicably low antipodean ploy to sneer at the spirit of the game, or besmirch the occasion and by extension England and all she stands for, but instead reflects that playing their opponent’s greatest bowlers is…quite tricky.”
58th over: Australia 139-4 (Smith 20, Marsh) Broad has found a fuller length and he’s looked threatening. Marsh plays around one that hits his pands and he catches a cover drive with the inside half of his bat that dribbles to mid-on. Both batters take a single through the on-side.
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Different strokes…
The clash of styles between these teams has never been more extreme. Australia have already batted longer than England, but have half as many runs and have lost 4 wickets rather than 10. There's very different risk in both methods.
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) July 28, 2023
57th over: Australia 137-4 (Smith 19, Marsh 8) Woakes delivers a maiden to Smith with two balls whizzing past the outside edge. Lovely bowling. Back of a length and making him play.
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Where is Sanath Jayasuriya? That’s what a few of you are asking. John Bowker and Shariq Gilani leading the chorus on that one.
56th over: Australia 137-4 (Smith 19, Marsh 8) What an exciting over that was! Broad had Marsh trapped on the crease as he thwacked his pads. A huge appeal was given not-out and they didn’t review even though replays show it would have flicked the stumps (but would have been umpire’s call). Then, to send a resounding response all that pressure, Marsh pressed forward, unleashed his arms and spanked Broad’s full ball high into the air and deep into the stands. It was a stunning stroke that’s worth checking out if you can.
Updated
A huge appeal for lbw! England don’t review. Broad turned around immediately to appeal which is possibly a sign that he knew it wasn’t out. Marsh was trapped on his crease and played around it. Maybe too high according to Stokes.
55th over: Australia 130-4 (Smith 18, Marsh 2) First Smith prods a single off his hips and then Marsh takes two walking out of his crease and tucking it neatly behind square. Woakes hasn’t quite found his line since the lunch break.
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More Bazball Dream XI chat:
Bob O’Hara says either Jonty Rhodes or Derek Randall should serve as 12th man.
Steve Lloyd argues that Shhid Afridi should be the first name on the teamsheet. Maybe he’s right.
Graham Moger proposes NatWest as the team’s sponsor. Surely, though, it has to be an energy drink or a whisky brand? Maybe some hybrid drink combining Jack Daniels and Red Bull?
54th over: Australia 127-4 (Smith 17, Marsh 0) Fantastic from Broad. For once England choose to keep it full to Head as he begins his innings and wouldn’t you know it, it worked! The ball before the Aussie smacked a straight drive/flick for four but that didn’t deter Broad who simply adjusted his line and got the lefty poking at it. Marsh shows his intent to combat the seaming ball but coming out of his crease. Australia need a partnership here and something special from Smith. They trail by 156.
The crowd around me is heaving now. Broad on one of those spells?
WICKET! Head c Bairstow b Broad 4 (Australia 127-4)
Brilliant! Round the wicket, angled in, holding its line, feathering the outside edge, a simple catch with the gloves. Classic Broad to the left-hander. Brilliant. Australia in a bit of trouble now.
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53rd over: Australia 123-3 (Smith 17, Head 0) Woakes from the Pavilion End and he begins with a gentle half volley on Smith’s pads. Not the best idea and the world’s best batter whips him away for four through midwicket. Woakes gets his line right for the rest of the over until he doesn’t off the final ball. That’s angled down the leg side and catches Smith’s pad before flying away for four leg byes.
Forgot to ad that Broad did his trademark celebrappeal. He just knew it was out!
Not everyone is impressed though.
“There was a time when you weren’t allowed to just run down the wicket celebrating without first appealing to the umpire. I’m not sure the rule has changed,” says a grumpy Dechlan Brennan.
52nd over: Australia 115-3 (Smith 13, Head 0) That man Broad again. He just loves bowling to left handers. He’s got another one to aim at as Head makes his way to the middle. Lovely attacking lines from round the wicket means they have to play at almost every ball. If it holds it’s line the outside edge is in play. If it carries on with the angle, as it did to Khawaja, there’s a threat of lbw. Quality from the veteran.
WICKET! Khawaja lbw Broad 47 (Australia 115-3)
Three reds and the review is overruled! That’s the third one Khawaja has burned this series. Broad from round the wicket angled that back into the left hander who doesn’t get a stride towards the ball. He’s trapped on the crease and squared up. I initially though height would be an issue but that’s crashing into the top of leg. A change of ends for Broad and the lunch break have combined to nab Australia’s third.
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Broad pings Khawaja on the pad and up goes the finger! He reviews after a while. Stand by….
We’re back! The players are at least. Broad from the Vauxhall End to Khawaja. Three slips. Backward point, cover and mid-off. Mid-on, forward square leg and a fine leg the only boundary rider. Right arm round.
I’m loving the chat around our Bazball Dream XI. Keep ‘em coming!
Richard O’Hagan: “Are we totally ignoring the man with the highest strike rate in this particular series – Mark Wood?” – He did cross my mind.
Jonathan Leiper: “Surely room needs to be made for Lance ‘Zulu’ Klusener? He was Bazballing it about before Bazball was Bazball – Great shout!
Simon McMahon: “I don’t know (anything), Dan, but it could maybe be argued that the whole point of Bazball is that it changes the orthodoxy? And therefore in actual fact its best proponents may be those you thought least likely to take to it but who bought into the methodology, or were at least persuaded, through excellent management and coaching? The zeal of the convert as it were. So maybe its best proponents could have been, say, Boycott or Atherton, or an Andy Caddick or Gus Fraser? Though we’ll never know for sure. That really would be Bazball, and would certainly shake up the all-time Bazball XI. The nearest comparison I can think of is Clough at Forest in the late 70’s.”
“Hi Daniel,” hi Jonathan Salisbury. Hope you had a good lunch, pal.
“Has anyone left the crease more slowly and reluctantly than Labuschagne, regardless of mode of dismissal?”
No one, and I do mean no one, will ever leave the field at a slower rate than Phil Simmons. I remember watching him in a domestic game in South Africa (he played for Easterns, a rival to my beloved Lions from Johannesburg) and I swear it felt like he was still walking off when the next ball was bowled.
Loads more chat about our Bazball Dream XI. How good?
Dechlan Brennan: “Surely Matt Hayden in the 11 for slater. Pioneered the walking down the wicket at fast bowlers and hitting them for six. He wouldn’t take Gilchrist spot but Baz himself would be in most sides”
Graham O’Reilly: “Pretty happy with the Bazball 11, but I want Warney for captain - the Baz skipper of his time who never got the chance to do it”
John Wilson: “Surprised your pundits ignore the great Jacques Kallis. Batting average to rival Ponting, bowling up with Botham’s.
Prejudice or oversight?” – If we’re talking a ‘normal’ all-time team, JK is the first name on my teamsheet. But not one renowned for his Bazball-esque approach.
Simon Fuller: “Surely no need for Gilchrist as a true Bazball XI doesn’t include an actual wicketkeeper? – I see what you did there.
John Cox: “Surely you have to find room for Gilbert Jessop and Victor Trumper?”
John Jones: “I was looking to include Jason Gillespie as he has a Test match double ton. Had to exclude him though on strike rate”
Pramith Pillai has made room for Virat Kohli.
Paul Blundell, a Saffa from Brisbane, feels that Baz McCullum himself deserves a shot.
Both Tim Sanders and Mark Beadle feel that Keith Miller should be in.
I think consensus (so far) is:
Gayle
Greenidge
Sehwag
Richards
Pietersen
Sobers
Gilchrist
Botham
Akram
Warne
Holding.
How do we feel about that?
Updated
Lunch: Australia 115-2 (Khawaja 47, Smith 12)
With that leg bye off Khawaja’s pad that trickles to the on side, the players head into lunch. Was that England’s session? They got rid of Labuschagne without the score moving along too much. Was it Australia’s session? They added 54 runs but still have plenty of wickets in hand. Interesting session. I enjoyed it. Hope you did too. Off to grab a bite. Catch you in a few.
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No school like the old school.
“Lovely to watch a batter who sees a wicket as something to be valued, guarded, not thrown away.”
I agree Penelope C. Like listening to vinyl or churning your own butter. Nice to lean into tradition from time to time.
Mouthy Marn?
“Marn had a mouthful of words for the umpires on his way off which were for some reason beyond the tv commentators to infer but which were surely about the light. It looks darker than a particularly bleak Black Mirror out there. Why are the lightometers not out?”
That’s from Eamonn Maloney. It was dark. But now it is light. He’ll be fuming up there in the dressing room. There was something about Broad playing with the bails as well, but I can’t quite figure out what that was about.
50th over: Australia 109-2 (Khawaja 43, Smith 12) Anderson tries to tempt Khawaja into playing away from his body but nothin’ doin’. Solid work from the Aussie rock at the top of the order. He’s perfectly fine seeing out another maiden.
49th over: Australia 108-2 (Khawaja 42, Smith 12) Wood catches Khawaja’s edge and it flights past the slips to the boundary. He played it with soft hands and an angled bat so it was safe even though it had the crowd oooing. A rare loose drive has the crowd aaahing straight after. Wood still bringing the heat but Khawaja steals a single to keep the strike off the last ball. Blue skies emerge though the floodlights are still on.
Some chat about our Bazball Dream XI. personally I’d try find space for Herschelle Gibbs and definitely include Chris Gayle instead of Slater. Some other suggestions:
Geoff Wignall: “My first thought looking at the suggested Bazball XI was that Malcolm Marshall was missing. Why not include the finest of all fast bowlers? I too first thought he should be swapped for Holding but why not for Botham instead? Might not get as many runs but also wouldn’t need as many. And Warne as captain.”
Ben Ilsley: “Would Botham really bat before Gilchrist?”
Andy Guy wants to include Ben Stokes and Joe Root. Which is fair enough given they’ve spearheaded this thing.
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48th over: Australia 104-2 (Khawaja 38, Smith 12) Crash! Bang! Back-to-back straight drives for four from Smith who punishes Anderson’s fuller length. The former Aussie captain averages 92 on this ground that is always helpful to batters who get in. Ton up for the visitors as well.
47th over: Australia 96-2 (Khawaja 38, Smith 2) Two off that Wood over. Khawaj with a dab to the on-side and Smith with one of his own a little behind square.
Steve Turner asks, “Can’t we have Geoff Boycott in [our Bazball dream XI] for a bit of heavy relief?”
John Swan is taking this very trivial debate more seriously (as he should) and wants to swap out Holding for Marshall, “based on the latter’s one-handed buccaneering innings in 1984 on top of searing Exocet-missile pace bowling.”
A new Cold War?
“Only side (cricketing style) will win and the other will be completely destroyed and no long cease to exist. Pick your side and do not waiver or compromise in your views one iota”
That’s from Dechlan Brennan who was responding to Brendan’s tweet.
46th over: Australia 94-2 (Khawaja 37, Smith 3) Oooh, Smith is annoyed with himself as he pokes at a lifter from Anderson outside the off stump. Too close to cut and he’s lucky not to edge it. He picked up two runs earlier in the over with an edge, but he was in control with soft hands as he benefited from a misfield in the gully. Nothing edgy about the flowing cover drive that went straight to the fielder, though. The best shot of the day. In fact, the only shot of any authority in front of square today. Too bad it didn’t move the score along.
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I’m a sucker for Dream XIs and M Berkley has suggest this Bazball all-time XI. What do you think?
Slater
Greenidge
Sehwag
Richards (IVA)
Pietersen
Sobers (c)
Botham
Gilchrist
Akram
Warne
Holding
45th over: Australia 92-2 (Khawaja 37, Smith) Smudge is off the mark with a nudge through the on-side. Khawaja is bounced but gets under it. He also sees out a full ball that’s angled in on the stumps. Wood looks good out there. Running and bowling with great rhythm.
It might have been Bairstow’s ball, but this is a stunning grab from Root:
WHAT A CATCH, JOE ROOT 😲🔥 pic.twitter.com/WqWNGxTRpl
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 28, 2023
44th over: Australia 91-2 (Khawaja 37, Smith 0) Anderson is back and he delivers a probing maiden. I should have that copied for pasting over and over, shouldn’t I? Khawaja neatly behind those medium pacers from a good length.
Can we have our entertaining cake and eat it in victory? Does that work? Comment below the line.
@danielgallan Has everyone forgotten the first thing Stokes said...we will entertain. Australia may well win this test and series but if everyone continues to play like this in Tests, Australia will be the very best at a sport that no longer exists.
— Brendan Large (@brendanlarge) July 28, 2023
I mean, Dechlan Brennan’s not wrong:
“That’s a wonderful catch by root but lord, as Ian Healy said ‘should have been the keepers catch, but have to get used to that when Bairstow is in the form he is in”
43rd over: Australia 91-2 (Khawaja 37, Smith 0) Wood enters the scene and gets the breakthrough. Outstanding from the menacing quick. But this wasn’t intimidating stuff. A good length and zip off the seam from a probing line meant Labuschagne had to play at the one that got him. Earlier in the over he let one go that angled back into him and whacked his thigh pad. A top, top over from Wood.
WICKET! Labuschagne c Root b Wood 9 (Australia 91-2)
Stunning grab from Joe Root! Wow! He’s plucked that with one hand as it went past him. Yes, definitely was behind him. Brilliant. That was Bairstow’s catch, no question. But the ‘keeper let it go and Root at first slip had to pluck out his left hand and held on. Extra pace from Wood once again the difference. That has woken the crowd up.
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Max Bonnell wants to remind all you Bazball zealots that some things never change:
“People need to remember that, whatever else Bazball has done, it hasn’t changed the fact that Ashes cricket is played over five days. Wearing the bowlers down gradually is every bit as legitimate a tactic as slogging for 55 overs.”
42nd over: Australia 91-1 (Khawaja 37, Labuschagne 9) Khawaja creams a cut shot behind square but it’s well fielded at backward point. Woakes then adjusts his line but over-corrects and once again a diving Bairstow can’t get a glove on it as it speeds away fro four byes down the leg side. Marnus scampers a single as he continues his crawl to double figures.
Christopher Hedge has come off a long run-up and unleashed two blistering emails:
“Australia playing Test cricket. Aussie only need a draw. Test cricket is played with the brain too. Why would England fans care? They’ve already won the Moral Victory Ashes apparently.”
“This old-school Test cricket won’t look so silly late afternoon if Aussie are still there. The England seamers will be tired and Aussie can bat on and on. Let’s face it, the England seamers aren’t that terrifying when they’re fresh….”
Strong stuff, Chris. I like it!
41st over: Australia 86-1 (Khawaja 37, Labuschagne 8) Broad goes full and Khawaja leans into a tasty drive that is hauled in just before the rope by a chasing Stokes. They come through for three. Labuschagne dabs a single on the leg side. Broad wants to change the ball but the umpires are having none of it.
40th over: Australia 82-1 (Khawaja 34, Labuschagne 7) Woakes continues from the Vauxhall End. And, wouldn’t you know it, it’s another maiden. Three in a row. He ends the over with a bumper that is easily left alone by Labuschagne but I like the intent. England have to at least start doing something a little different. Or maybe not. Maybe they just need to keep plugging away. It’s not like Australia are running away from them.
“G’day Daniel,” howdy Jordan White. Thanks for getting in touch.
"Have been enjoying this series a lot - as an Australian I was simultaneously thankful for the rain in Manchester but also disappointed that it’s not 2-2 here.
“There’s been a lot of conjecture that what Stokes and McCullum are up to is all about wild slogging, when their key line is more about playing without fear. Similarly, I feel like the Australian approach isn’t about being boring or conservative, but sticking to your guns, trusting in your plans and skills and waiting for things to work rather than trying to force them. It hasn’t always come off but it is an approach that I can at least sympathise with - ignoring external pressure to match the Bazball arms race and instead playing the way you want to. I think criticism of the Australian team as struggling or scared etc. is missing the point, just as people who think England just want to have a whack are missing the wonders that Stokes has worked as captain.”
You’re right. It’s never as simple as it seems. England aren’t just sloggers and Australia aren’t just blockers. They’re playing to their strengths and according to their beliefs. Thanks for the nuance here, mate.
39th over: Australia 82-1 (Khawaja 34, Labuschagne 7) 36 RUNS OFF THE OVER! Jokes. It’s another maiden. Good bowling from Broad from round the wicket into Khawaja. One nipped away off the seam but the Aussie opener, who is once again the series’ top scorer, lets it go.
That’ll be drinks. We’ve had an hour’s play for 21 runs.
“Am I right in saying it’s taken Labuschagne almost an hour to get 4 runs?”
You’re bang on Lila Smith. Riveting, isn’t it?
38th over: Australia 82-1 (Khawaja 34, Labuschagne 7) A maiden for Woakes. Labuschagne meets him with a full bat face and a strong forward press. Do England keep plugging away or bring on Root’s spin for a bit of variety from one end?
What’s the view on this ‘anti-Bazball’ scorn from the Antipodes?
“Hi Daniel. I’m Australian, and I’ve got to say I’ve absolutely loved this grindy, possibly some may even say ‘stodgy’ Australian approach. I’m not sure if it’s just the contrast from Bazball or what, but I’m thoroughly enjoying a Friday on the couch watching these two play intelligent, orthodox, low-risk cricket.”
Rowan Sweeney from Down Under is a fan. And fair enough. Australia have no obligation to bat in any other way.
37th over: Australia 82-1 (Khawaja 34, Labuschagne 7) Good from Broad. He beats Labuschagne on the inside edge and thwacks his front pad. Half an appeal for one that was always going down leg. he then delivers a beauty that straightens from an angle and beats the outside edge. Duckett at leg slip is in the action but that flick doesn’t meet him on the full. It looked comfy for the Aussies but they’ve receded deeper in their shells and now it seems like England could be in business pretty soon.
Top work this:
@danielgallan It looks like Australia have parked the (La)bus(chagne) 🥱
— Deadly Doug (@unslugged) July 28, 2023
36th over: Australia 81-1 (Khawaja 34, Labuschagne 6) Woakes strays twice in the over. Khawaja tucks one off his hips from the back foot and Labuschagne leanes forward and clips a fuller one down to long leg. Both batters going old school this morning.
Michael Vaughan has called this approach Snooze-Ball.
Kandukuru Nagarjun has offered ‘Tavball’ (after Chris Tavare) and ‘Boycsball’ after, well, you know who.
Timothy Beecroft suggests we call it ‘Llabzab’. “And what a splendidly euphonious word it is. Particularly when pronounced with a Welsh accent,” he adds.
Here’s an intersting question. What do you all reckon?
@danielgallan Minor one - Eng do double bowling changes, maybe to develop the bowling in pairs idea? This gives up the small but useful niggle of forcing a batter to recalibrate to new bowling. It's a mental tax, which the double change reduces. What does the OBO hive mind think?
— Jim Frayling (@JimFrayling) July 28, 2023
35th over: Australia 79-1 (Khawaja 33, Labuschagne 5) Movement for Broad, at least at the start of the over when he beat Marnus outside the off stump. One is sprayed down the leg side and Bairstow can’t reach it to prevent the four byes.
Updated
England are trying to change the ball! Again. Five balls from Broad and he’s already unhappy. Peter Lalor to my left tells them to “get on with it!”
“Hello Daniel, It was tricky to know just what to make of yesterday’s play.”
Sure was, Geoff Wignall. What else do you have to say on that?
“Cummins 1/66 when he might have had 5/30 by lunch; a perfect cameo but unfortunate injury for Moeen; 5 England players clean (?) bowled (with two of them to a spinner first day at the Oval) including Root, Stokes and Bairstow for a combined and slightly lucky dozen from 41 balls. All suggesting help aplenty there for the bowlers.
“Yet Duckett managing 41 from his 41 balls with Brooks and Woakes later making 350 look like the minimum par score.
“With England a bowler light if should be looking good for the Aussies, though all four seamers are capable of a sudden burst of wickets. It’d be lovely to see that one more time from Jimmy.
“So I’m predicting with some confidence one or other side might get trounced or it could be a close match. You heard it here first.”
Very non-committal while still being committed. How very cricket of you.
Double change as Broad comes into the attack. The third slip goes and moves into the covers. I’d have kept that open to encourage Labuschagne to play his favourite shot. Leg slip still in place with two conventional grabbers.
34th over: Australia 75-1 (Khawaja 33, Labuschagne 5) Khawaja brings up his century. A century of balls faced that is. He looks comfortable against Woakes who is nipping about on a fullish length angling across the left hander. Feels pretty flat out there. Patience needed from the English. The final ball of the over lands on a tricky line and squares Khawaja up. But he gets enough bat on it to see the ball trickle to point. Maiden to start for Woakes.
Woakes to repalce Anderson. I thought they’d give ol’ Jimmy one more but it’s probably the right call. He’ll come over the wicket to the left-handed Khawaja. Three narrow slips, three on the one on the off side and a deep backward square.
33rd over: Australia 75-1 (Khawaja 33, Labuschagne 5) Wood has pulled his length back. One bouncer whistles past Labuschagne’s nose, though he watched it all the way. There’s another that’s too far outside the off stump and is safely left alone. Wood then pushes one fuller and Labuschagne leans into it and check-drives it through point for two. A better over from Wood that asked a few more questions.
32nd over: Australia 73-1 (Khawaja 33, Labuschagne 3) Another maiden from Anderson but no penetration to speak of. Khawaja is in complete control as he bunts back straight ones and leaves the rest. It’s fine from Jimmy, good length, decent line. But it feels innocuous. One more perhaps before Woakes comes on from this end.
31st over: Australia 73-1 (Khawaja 33, Labuschagne 3) Two singles off that Wood over that was delivered with some serious heat. He’s cranking it up past 90mph. When it’s a little short Labuschagne looks solid. It’s the fuller length that seems more threatening. Still no genuine bouncer. Not really doing one thing or the other this morning.
Updated
What’s the opposite of Bazball?
“Australia’s approach this morning is definitely the antithesis of Bazball! Another Joburg follower, albeit on my way to Durban for a 50th.”
That’s from Duncan Bonnett. You’ll recognise these overcast skies then. If we cranked up the humidity by a thousand it’d be a very Durban day.
Updated
30th over: Australia 71-1 (Khawaja 32, Labuschagne 2) Anderson is annoyed with himself as he pushes one onto Khawaja’s hip and its tucked fine for four. Jimmy corrects and Khawaja chases it outside his off stump with a wafting bat. The Aussie would have been ill if he nicked off there. There’s a solid punch down the ground for two which means, after four consecutive maidens, there’s a deluge in the fifth over of the morning.
Yes, but can he make it sing?
Come on Jimmy.
— Neil (@njhcricket) July 28, 2023
Shut everyone up...
Let the ball do the talking..#ashes @danielgallan
29th over: Australia 65-1 (Khawaja 26, Labuschagne 2) Good wheels from Wood. He’s hammering a length and getting it to jag. One moves a fair bit back into Labuschagne who leaves well. Wood bangs it in a touch shorter and it shoots across the batter and past a diving Bairstow for four byes down the leg side. First runs of the morning. Marnus then gets right behind the next one and solidly bunts it back to the bowler.
28th over: Australia 61-1 (Khawaja 26, Labuschagne 2) A third maiden in a row. Anderson was a touch straighter this time but Khawaja couldn’t work him away. Some troubles around the fifth stump line as well and he’s beaten. Very good from Anderson. He’s deserved more wickets than he’s got this series.
“Has anyone said the next hour is crucial yet?” asks Charles Seldrick. “And the one after that, and the next one etc.”
Ah yes, all hours are crucial, but some hours are more crucial than others.
TMS overseas link
Link troubles? That’s on me folks. My apologies. This one, shared by Simon [no surname provided] should work:
Updated
27th over: Australia 61-1 (Khawaja 26, Labuschagne 2) It’s Wood from the Pavilion end and he zips one past the prodding bat of Labuschagne. Nice carry from right arm over. Three slips and a leg slip in place. Good pace and another maiden. Handy start for England.
Hmm. That link didn’t work. Let’s try again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRZA6lzv86Q
Here’s the TMS overseas link generously shared by Mark Eaedley who is “tuned-in” from Joburg.
Updated
26th over: Australia 61-1 (Khawaja 26, Labuschagne 2). A maiden to start for Anderson who found a probing length and a good line outside the off stump. Khawaja left most alone but prodded at one that just left him off the surface. Good work from the English veteran.
Jimmy will bowl first from the Vauxhall End. He’s round the wicket to Khawaja on strike who has 26 to his name. Labuschagne at the other end on two.
The umpires are making their way down the stairs. The crowd around me are clapping their hands and making noise. The players are over the rope and on the field. There’s a great energy about.
Not long to go now. While I’ve got you, any overseas readers with the BBC’s TMS link? Would be a huge help. Ta.
Is Jimmy doing more harm than good?
Darryl Accone from my home town of Johannesburg has weighed in:
“James Anderson’s troubles in the Ashes so far remind me of the great Allan Donald’s final, ill-fated foray: a series against Australia that ‘White Lightning’ really should have declined. A dodgy memory suggests that he took just a single wicket for several hundred runs, damaging his Test average of 21.67 and bringing it up to 22.25. Years later, Jacques Kallis avoided the challenge of bowing out to Australia in a home series, the Donald lesson well learnt. Of course this morning’s play might change the Anderson tale thus far.”
Jimmy has bowled well. Well, he’s bowled alright. But it’s clear he’s not firing on all cylinders. He’ll have helpful conditions this morning. If he can’t get it talking now then we can safely say he probably never will again.
Speaking of Starc, it’s worth remembering that he was considered surplus to requirements when the series started. Scot Boland had the ball on a string and many believed that Starc’s booming full swingers would be spanked by England’s Bazballers.
Instead, the menacing lefty has been the standout bowler for the Aussies.
Geoff Lemon praises his ‘class’:
Starc’s ball to Stokes was an absolute jaffa! Turns out that’s how the big left hander deals with the other big left hander. Get a load of this compilation of seeds, nuts and peaches.
Mitch Starc only deals in seeds to Ben Stokes 🔥 (2015-23)#Ashes pic.twitter.com/ao0N9O4MWJ
— Josh Conway (@BuzzConway_) July 28, 2023
“Morning Dan,” hey Babor Ahmed. Thanks for popping by.
“With Moeen out (am gutted), will we get to see the off spin that Stokes was practising in the nets?”
I tell you what, he’s currently turning his arm over on the practice wickets and, I’ve got to say, they’re coming out quite nicely. Bit of flight and loop and dip and, on the angle at least, it seems to be turning a touch.
Root will surely bowl ahead of him but wouldn’t it be brilliant if Stokes comes on! Would simultaneously feel like a throwback and a sign of modern Bazball. I’m 100% for it.
We’ve got our first mail in and it’s from Tom vd Gucht. Good day Tom!
“Morning. The bad weather impacting on England’s charge for victory last week has thrown into relief how much they needed to win that match as so many of the England players performed above their normal level. Statistically speaking, Bairstow, Crawley, Woakes etc are all due a bad game now whilst Smith, Laubauschange etc are due a good one after a quiet series. Then again, so is Anderson.
“And, looking at the longer term metrics, Smith and Laubuschange are actually due a bad series after doing so well for so long, so perhaps England’s might be off the hook and they’ll get out cheaply.”
I mean, both Smith and Labuschagne have hundreds in the series. I agree they haven’t been brilliant, but I don’t think they’ve been awful. You’re spot on with England needing a win in the first two matches.
Moeen's out
Grim news for England. Moeen Ali won’t take the field today as he’s been unable to shake off the groin injury he picked up while batting. England might not need his spin given the cloud cover. But if Jimmy Anderson struggles to get that Dukes talking, this could prove a decisive.
Moeen Ali unable to field today with the groin injury sustained yesterday. Huge shame in what is (almost certainly) his final Test but maybe there’s a chance to do something in the second half of the game…
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) July 28, 2023
So, what do you make of Harry Brook? It’s a simple question to answer. The lad’s a gem with a bat in his hand. Sure he rode his luck yesterday, but some of the strokes he unfurled, articulatory the on-drive off Starc, brought out involuntary sounds from the crowd.
Andy Bull reckons the young man is already securing a pretty impressive legacy. Read all about it here:
Preamble
Ominous clouds blanket south London as England’s hopes of squaring the Ashes hang in the balance. Forget all that guff about retaining the little urn that actually never leaves its home at Lord’s. This is a proper Test series between two proper teams who have their own ideas on the proper way to play the game. Pat Cummins wants to do something no Aussie skipper has done since 2001 and win a five-match rubber on English soil. Ben Stokes doesn’t want to become the first vanquished captain of the Three Lions on his home patch. This should be a good!
England are slightly behind the curve after Australia won the toss and asked their hosts to bat. It looked an iffy call after Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley put on 62 for the opening stand before Harry Brook steadied the ship with a sumptuous (and fortuitous) score of 85.
But a collapse, one that was all too familiar before the days of Baz saw England fall from 184-3 to 212-7 when Brook nicked off flashing at a wide one from Starc, who was the pick of the bowlers.
Chris Woakes (36) and Mark Wood (28) biffed it about to haul the score to 283 all-out. Is that a good score? Both captains will be annoyed and content in equal measure I reckom.
Australia reached 61-1 at the close with David Warner the man to go. He was snaffled by Crawley – who has had a good series in the cordon – off Woakes. Usman Khawaja is not out on 26 with Marnus Labuschagne alongside him on two.
Yet again it’s delicately poised. It’s a day for bowling, that’s for sure. But can England make it count? We’ll soon see.
My name is Dan. Please do drop me a line or send a tweet (or should we be calling those xeets now?).
Play gets going at 11am BST/8pm AEST.
