Geoff Lemon’s verdict on Australia:
And reaction from day three:
And here’s Barney Ronay’s thoughts:
That’ll do for today; I’ll leave you with Ali Martin’s report and Andy Bull’s piece on Jonny Bairstow.
Geoff will be back for day four, though it may be a washout. Thanks for your company and emails – goodnight!
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This is such an interesting interview from Jonny Bairstow, a kind of melancholy score-settler. Here he is on his wicketkeeping struggles in this series.
There have been a couple [of catches] that have gone down. I’ve not kept wicket for three years. I’ve got nine pins, a plate and a wire that goes through my ankle. I’ve had nine months out. When you speak to the surgeon and he says, ‘I’m surprised you’re walking and running, never mind playing professional sport, I’m delighted to be where I’m at. I played a couple of games for Yorkshire and then went straight into an Ashes series. I didn’t bat against Ireland because the boys played unbelievably well.
From a physical point of view I’m delighted to be where I am. It’s taken a helluva lot of graft, and it’s been a rollercoaster. To take the field again with a group of boys I care a heck of a lot about is a special place for me to be.
The leg break could have ended my career. There are times when you have aches and pains, and people say you’re limping – yeah I am at times! Because there’s a lot going on in my ankle, bits that people won’t understand. You know what I’m like, you know my personality. It’s not for the lack of trying. I’ve very proud every time I wear an England shirt. To get back and be available for selection for the Ashes is something that makes me immensely proud. I couldn’t have done it without my friends and family.
Everyone thinks I play better when people have a go at me. It gets a bit tiresome, to be honest. I’ve played a lot of cricket now. To keep being told you’re rubbish… if I was that rubbish I wouldn’t have played 94 Tests. That’s part and parcel of it.
That’s exactly what it’s about: the people who have got your back, the people who are there through thick and thin. That dressing-room is so solid. We’ve got a special group of players who will fight tooth and nail for each other. We haven’t taken a backward step in the past 12-18 months, whoever we’ve come up against. Whether that’s right or wrong, we’ll continue to do it because there’s a bigger picture with the game of Test cricket.
[On fatherhood] He’s a little star [breaks into a broad smile]. Just another thing to add to everything that’s going on!
More from Jonny
[On you-know-what] It wasn’t the way I wanted to be out at Lord’s. It’s part and parcel of the game now. I’ve even heard about it in club cricket, which is not necessarily the example you want to set. You want to play it tough but fair. On a different day, it doesn’t happen.
[On the various columns about his Lord’s dismissal] They can say what they want, that’s up to them. They’re paid to have an opinion. If they don’t have an opinion, they don’t have a job.
[What was your view of the incident?] I don’t have a view.
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Jonny Bairstow, bristling magnificently, speaks to Sky Sports
Yeah it was a good day. We know what might happen with the weather. We’ve done everything we can in the game, and getting four wickets tonight puts them under pressure. Our approach has been questioned at times by you guys (get in there Jonny!) but we’ve stuck to our guns all the way through.
I’ve been happy [at the crease in the series]. There’s been a couple of interesting dismissals, and it’s only a few games that I got 70-odd. It is what it is.
[How did it feel out in the middle?] I just felt like I was batting. That’s how I play my cricket. I want to enjoy it, I want to entertain. People will have comments on the way I bat – they always have. That’ll carry on. Yeah, you can leave them to their comments and I’ll keep doing what I do out in the middle.
Let’s have one last statgasm for the road. Since they were recalled at Headingley, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood have taken 23 of the 34 Australian wickets to fall; that’s 68 per cent.
“I refuse to believe the narrative of this series will allow two washed-out days and the most anticlimatic of draws,” writes Max Williams. “However my natural pessimism knows this is a certainty. I hope narrative wins out.”
In isolation, that was another tremendous day for England. Jonny Bairstow’s beastly, cathartic 99 not out (81 balls, four sixes) took them to 592 all out from just 107.4 overs, and they picked up four precious wickets before the close.
Mark Wood took three of them, including Steve Smith for the second time in the match. That was Wood’s 100th wicket, and he made short work of Travis Head to move to 101.
England have battered Australia in this game, but there is one almighty problem. The weather forecast is wretched tomorrow, only slightly better on Sunday, so a draw is still well and truly on the table.
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Stumps: Australia trail by 162
41st over: Australia 113-4 (Labuschagne 44, Marsh 1) For the third consecutive over, Labuschagne takes a single off the first ball and leaves the rest to Marsh. England try to tempt him to go downtown but he’s having none of it. Apart from one inside-edge onto the pad, Marsh defends comfortably and will return tomorrow, or more likely on Sunday. That’s stumps!
Time for one more over before the close. Moeen Ali will bowl it…
40th over: Australia 112-4 (Labuschagne 43, Marsh 1) Anderson on, Woakes off. Mitch Marsh is almost playing like a nightwatchman for Labuschagne, who has faced only two deliveries out of 23 in this partnership.
Anderson bowls wicket to wicket, trying to maximise any reverse swing and/or uneven bounce, but Marsh defends immaculately. He’s been a revelation since coming into the team at Headingley.
“With all the talk of rain,” begins Adam Roberts, “I was reminded of a Third Man piece where ‘Bill Lawry’, in the middle of one of his pro-Aussie rants, says: ‘And the rain won’t save you either and quite right too. You don’t f*****g deserve it!’”
Ha. Makes him sounds a bit like Ben Kingsley in Sexy Beast.
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39th over: Australia 111-4 (Labuschagne 42, Marsh 1) I’ve just remembered there was a 13-minute rain break just after lunch, so play will continue until 6.43pm.
Wood is bouncing both right-handers from round the wicket. Marsh is one of the world’s best hookers, but with less than 10 minutes remaining he has no interest in masculine combat. He ignores a few short balls and then keeps out a yorker.
At the end of the over, Wood starts panting like a Golden Retriever in a heatwave. He is having a spectacular series: 11 wickets at 16, with a Lohmannian strike rate of 29.
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38th over: Australia 110-4 (Labuschagne 41, Marsh 1) Woakes continues. I might have asked Joe Root to rush through an over so that Wood can have another before the close. There might be time anyway.
That won’t help, a rare no-ball from Woakes that means he has to bowl an extra delivery. But it’s fine, Wood will get one more over.
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37th over: Australia 109-4 (Labuschagne 41, Marsh 1) Mitch Marsh, who has played Wood as well as anyone in this series, defends his first four balls and flicks the fifth for a single. Wood has marvellous figures of 6-0-16-1. Australia trail by 166.
“Australia are so far behind in this match that there’s no chance they can repeat Richie Benaud’s miraculous last-day spell in 1961,” writes Martin Gillam. “However, they will be hoping that one of Richie’s observations is prescient: “When you’re playing at Old Trafford and you look up and see the Pennines, then it’s going to rain. If you look up and can’t see them, it’s raining.”
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Wood switched round the wicket to Head and struck with his first ball. Head took his eye off a beautifully directed bouncer that rammed into the glove and looped slowly to Duckett in the gully.
It looked ugly and it was ugly, but it’s easy to say that in an office chair. Imagine facing Mark Wood in this form.
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WICKET! Australia 108-4 (Head c Duckett b Wood 1)
Scintillating fast bowling from Mark Wood!
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36th over: Australia 108-3 (Labuschagne 41, Head 1) Head flicks a short ball off the pads to get off the mark. His end-of-series pitchmap will be quite a sight, a bald man with a big red beard.
Labuschagne moves into the forties with a smooth pull for four off Woakes. In the last six innings, post-Edgbaston, he has reached 20 every time without getting past 51.
“Weather-wise, the Met’s rainfall radar outlook is a bit more optimistic about Sunday than their standard Old Trafford forecast,” says Neil Mitchell. “It won’t help your weather addiction, but a good app, windy.com, gives a similar picture. Just two or three hours of play on Sunday - even if in bursts (between cloudbursts) - might be enough, especially if England can get a couple more tonight.”
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35th over: Australia 103-3 (Labuschagne 37, Head 0) A malevolent short ball from Wood is fenced through the vacant short leg area by Labuschagne. Stokes adjusts his field, putting Harry Brook under the helmet.
A sweetly timed clip through midwicket gives Labuschagne his fifth boundary and brings up the Australia hundred. He looks really solid, though we’ve said that a few times in this series.
Wood tries to jump wider on the crease to Labuschagne, loses his bearings and slams down an offside wide.
In other news, we’ve just seen a replay of Smith’s dismissal; it turns out the ball brushed the glove rather than the top edge.
“My weather app has chance of rain tomorrow from 10-6pm varying from 40% to 70%,” writes Kim Thonger. “But the inverse of that is surely a 60% to 30% chance of no rain? I’ll take that.”
Yeah, thanks for being such an enabler.
34th over: Australia 98-3 (Labuschagne 32, Head 0) Woakes, on for Moeen, produces a beautiful bouncer that Labuschagne top-edges onto his helmet. The ball teases Bairstow before landing safely, and there’s a break in play while Labuschagne is checked for concussion. The run was given as a leg bye, though Labuschagne definitely hit it.
“Lovely day’s cricket Rob,” says Tony Doyle. “My apropos of nothing observation is that Labuschagne sounds like the name of an Aussie opera.”
33rd over: Australia 97-3 (Labuschagne 32, Head 0) That was the third ball of a new spell from Wood. It was a cross-seam bouncer, and if anything Smith was beaten for lack of pace. He’s had a bit of a weird series: 16, 6, 110, 34, 22, 2, 41, 17.
The first three balls to Travis Head are short, all left or defended. Wood, who is already into his third spell, has figures of 4-0-10-2.
“A ‘story of sexless parismony’?” says Ian Copestake, quoting the entry for the 23rd over. “It’s like you can see in me.”
Talking of spiritual enlightenment and general wellness, do you know of any rehab centres for weather app addiction? I can’t stop refreshing the flippin’ Met Office page for Old Trafford.
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WICKET! Australia 97-3 (Smith c Bairstow b Wood 17)
Mark Wood has got Steve Smith for the second time in the match! Smith tried to llap-pull a well directed short ball, but he was off balance and thin-edged it through to Bairstow. Mark Wood is having the series of his life, and he’s only played two games.
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32nd over: Australia 95-2 (Labuschagne 32, Smith 16) Smith clatters Moeen towards extra cover, where the diving Brook saves four runs. One from the over, probably Moeen’s most accurate so far.
31st over: Australia 94-2 (Labuschagne 32, Smith 15) At some stage Australia may have to consider a time/runs equation. Tonight their main priority is survival, and Labuschagne and Smith both look secure. Labuschagne has plenty of time to open the face and steer Anderson to third man for four. Australia trail by 181.
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30th over: Australia 90-2 (Labuschagne 28, Smith 15) Mark Wood is hooked again, this time after two overs, with Moeen Ali replaces him. Moeen struggled for rhythm in his first spell, and the first over of his second isn’t any better. Three of the first four balls are too short, with Labuschagne hitting all of them through extra cover for two.
There are wickets and glory out there for Moeen, so maybe he’s trying a bit too hard. So far his figures of 4-0-26-0 are a fair reflection of performance.
29th over: Australia 83-2 (Labuschagne 22, Smith 14) Some excellent analysis from Nasser Hussain, which shows that Smith is taking guard on leg stump instead of middle after falling LBW in the first innings.
Labuschagne is beaten by a lovely delivery from Anderson that straightens outside off stump. I know he hasn’t been at his best in this series, but Anderson has also had no luck. Labuschagne dusts himself down and flicks crisply through midwicket for three.
“I think Root’s honesty in not claiming a catch off Smith worked to England’s disadvantage,” says Alex Henderson. “If he started celebrating immediately there’s more chance the third umpire would have given it out. FWIW I think Root’s actual reaction speaks for itself – if he didn’t think he caught it, he probably didn’t.”
I blame Ian Healy for starting all this
28th over: Australia 79-2 (Labuschagne 19, Smith 13) Wood jumps wide on the crease to Labuschagne, who leaves a ball that bounces this far over the off bail. England are building a bit of pressure, with only 11 runs scored off the last seven overs. That’s drinks.
“I’ll be interested to see how Bazball goes in Australia and/or India. It seems to thrive on home crowd energy and Pak/NZ didn’t have hostile away crowds. Can’t imagine it’ll impact them but it this home crowd certainly seems to give England an extra edge.”
I think they’ll get hammered on turning pitches in India. Australia I’m not so sure. The pitches should suit them, but England are routinely slaughtered in Australia. The other thing is that, by 2025-26, the England team (and probably the coaching staff) will look very different.
27th over: Australia 78-2 (Labuschagne 19, Smith 12) Erm, I take that back: the forecast for Sunday has got worse, so my imaginary pennies are going on the draw. If the updated Met Office forecast is accurate, it’s possible that this will be the final session of the entire match. Ach, it’ll be such a shame if that happens.
From nowhere, Anderson produces a snorter that beats Labuschagne all ends up. Dinesh Karthik, commentating on Sky Sports, thinks the ball has started reverse-swinging. That’s Anderson’s third maiden in a row.
26th over: Australia 78-2 (Labuschagne 19, Smith 12) A decent first over from Wood, though not as scalding as the one before tea. Three runs from it. Labuschagne and Smith are playing pretty well.
“I’m watching on my phone from a bar in Switzerland (evidence submitted a photograph, your honour); not a cheap pint but I imagine somehow cheaper than the bar in Old Trafford…” writes Harvey. “What do you think are the odds we get this done tonight, or at least without having to bat again? I’m trying to consider how I would feel if this was a fourth innings from Australia and they trailed by 200 with two wickets down. I would probably be nauseously optimistic…”
Erm, can I get back to you tomorrow night? If the fourth day is washed out, which looks likely, it’s hard to see anything other than a race against time on Sunday. I think an England win, chasing a small target, is the likeliest scenario. But to be completely honest – spoiler alert – I haven’t a clue.
25th over: Australia 75-2 (Labuschagne 17, Smith 11) Another maiden from Anderson, this time to Smith. But enough of all that: Mark Wood is coming on to bowl.
“I get the psychological advantage of hammering the Aussie bowlers and breaking the team’s spirit,” writes Brian in Dublin. “However, surely letting Bairstow bat on after lunch will only have heartened the Aussies and smacks of putting individuals ahead of the team. It seems that playing time will be at a premium on Sat/Sun so it has made the task easier rather than more difficult for Australia.”
I can see both sides. I’m not sure they batted on purely for Bairstow, though of course they wanted him to get his hundred. England were scoring at eight an over in that partnership, a rate they might struggle to repeat in a race against time on Sunday (Australia could bowl well wide of off stump, etc). They were never going to bowl Australia out for 150 on this pitch, so I can understand the logic of getting more runs now, especially as there were plenty of psychological benefits.
Read Simon Burnton’s Ashes diary
Revenge at last for Mike Gatting.
24th over: Australia 75-2 (Labuschagne 17, Smith 11) That’s a lovely shot from Smith. Woakes tries the surprise straight delivery, and Smith flips it emphatically through midwicket for four. He never misses those, not at Woakes’s pace anyway. I’m really surprised Mark Wood isn’t bowling.
“Surprising to learn that table tennis isn’t a popular sport in the USA, given that the YMCA is so celebrated there,” writes John Starbuck. “In my younger days, local YMCAs were often frequented by table-tennis hustlers who played for a fiver a game.”
23rd over: Australia 68-2 (Labuschagne 17, Smith 4) Anderson replaces Broad, and Labuschagne immediately takes guard outside his crease. Wood is on the field and seems fine, so it’s a tactical decision from Ben Stokes.
Anderson starts with a maiden. Once again his figures tell a story of sexless parismony: 6-2-8-0.
“You say that it’s fair enough for Smith to survive given the ‘element of doubt’, but why didn’t that logic apply to Smith’s catch of Root at Lord’s?” says Steve Holt. “Neither were 100% clear and whichever way it goes, the decisions should be consistent.”
Maybe Smith got more of his fingers under the ball? I couldn’t be sure, though – that Test was a lifetime ago. (It was last month.)
I see Ali Mitchell made a not dissimilar point about Cam Green’s catch against India.
Would be interesting to compare Root’s catching attempt to Green’s catch in WTC Final to dismiss Shubman Gill. Think in Root’s case on the front on angle, the ball appears to have bounced up into the fingers.. but it’s hard to be definitive.
— Alison Mitchell (@AlisonMitchell) July 21, 2023
22nd over: Australia 68-2 (Labuschagne 17, Smith 4) Smith widens his eyes after a ball from Woakes lifts sharply to hit high on the bat. Uneven bounce should be one of England’s main weapons as they try to force victory.
“Surely the Adelaide Test in the 2010-11 Ashes is a contender,” says Pete Kingsley. “A number of excellent contributions in support of KP’s masterpiece. It was the innings that made it possible that England what not only win an away Ashes series, but actually dominate and bully the Australians in their own back yard. It wasn’t a vintage Australian side, but nor was it a terrible one, and subsequent thrashings Down Under have only emphasised how exceptional that performance was.”
Indeed. That Australian team looks far better now than it did at the time, and it’s slightly bonkers that England scored at least 500 on four occasions. Although they weren’t needed at Adelaide, that 2011 lower order – Prior, Bresnan, Broad, Swann – might be the strongest England have ever had.
21st over: Australia 68-2 (Labuschagne 17, Smith 4) England want to bring Anderson back on, but they’re not allowed because he was off the field for 13 minutes. Anderson has a grumble and Broad continues instead. “The big question,” says Mark Butcher on Sky Sports, “is why Mark Wood isn’t bowling.” He’d better not be injured.
Smith drives stylishly off the back foot for three, then Labuschagne whipcracks a short ball to the square-leg boundary. Broad isn’t bowling particularly well here; his figures are 8-2-31-0.
“England’s 477 at Trent Bridge in 2005 is almost there,” says Max Williams, continuing our discussion of great team innings “Six of the top seven scored 35+, except poor Ian Bell who got three.”
I’ve been trying to think of some examples against the West Indies’ four horsemen. This was a fine effort from India in 1982-83, though ultimately they were still hammered in the series. I also enjoyed England in the classic Oval Test of 1991, when even extras came to the party. That game mattered because they drew the series, which was that generation’s equivalent of the 2005 Ashes.
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20th over: Australia 61-2 (Labuschagne 13, Smith 1) That would have been a second-ball duck for Smith. It would, it wasn’t. Woakes is bowling beautifully again. His figures are Jose Mourinho’s dream formation: 4-2-5-1.
Smith is not out!
Kumar Dharmasena decides that Root didn’t get his fingers under the ball, so Smith survives. That’s fair enough, as there was an element of doubt, though it was very tight.
Oh my word, this is huge…
Third umpire check for a catch to dismiss Steve Smith!
Smith edged a peach from Woakes towards first slip, where Root took the ball two-handed at ground height. He didn’t celebrate, because he wasn’t sure whether it had carried, but the umpires had a chat and decided to go upstairs.
This looks really close. I’m not sure this is much different to Smith’s catch to dismiss Root at Lord’s.
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19th over: Australia 60-2 (Labuschagne 13, Smith 0) Labuschagne drives Broad straight down the ground for four, a high-class stroke that takes him into double figures. He’s another one who has failed to convert a series of starts.
A defensive stroke from Labuschagne bounces up in the vague direction of his stumps, but he’s alert enough to knock the ball away with his bat.
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18th over: Australia 54-2 (Labuschagne 7, Smith 0) Poor Warner must wonder what Mother Cricket has against him. His English summer has been a story of unfulfilled promise: 43, 1, 9, 36, 66, 25, 4, 1, 32, 28.
WICKET! Australia 54-2 (Warner b Woakes 28)
Another tale of what might have been for David Warner, who has gone for 28 after dragging Woakes back onto the stumps. It was an indeterminate push at a ball he could easily have left; the fact he was beaten by the previous delivery probably make him too keen to feel bat on ball.
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17th over: Australia 50-1 (Warner 24, Labuschagne 7) Labuschagne is beaten by a disgusting grubber from Broad that only just misses the off stump. There’s another one later in the over – straighter, but not quite as extreme, and Labuschagne is able to keep it out.
“I hope Simon McMahon (8th over) isn’t referring to Andy Zaltzman on TMS,” says Brad McMillan. “Not just because I think his overall standard of statistics provision is the best I’ve ever heard (yes there are some wacky ones, but surely if there’s one thing stats lovers like more than good stats, it’s criticising bad ones), but because the man is living his dream in a way that probably fewer than 1% of us ever do!”
And he’s created an entirely new role: the rib-tickling statistician. I think he’s brilliant.
16th over: Australia 46-1 (Warner 22, Labuschagne 6) Warner is beaten by a beauty from Woakes, angled across and kicking from a fullish length. A straighter delivery also pops at Warner, who defends well. He has started this innings in over-my-dead-body mode, certainly against the seamers; more than half his runs came in Moeen Ali’s short spell.
“I am supporting the draw, simply because I have a tenner on it,” writes Mario. “I dislike both teams equally so there is some personal reason for it — as an American I go for the locals… West Indies. But I LOVE quality Test cricket so these past few weeks have been a feast! And all for a $17 two-month subscription. Thank goodness cricket is about as popular as table tennis in the US.”
You never know, that might be about to change.
15th over: Australia 46-1 (Warner 22, Labuschagne 6) Warner gets four bonus runs off Broad when a loose throw from Anderson flies to the boundary. A 15-year bromance doesn’t spare Anderson from Broad’s ire.
The ball continues to go gunbarrel straight for Broad, as it did for Anderson in his spell. The vagaries of swing bowling continued to confound.
14th over: Australia 39-1 (Warner 17, Labuschagne 4) A double bowling change, with Chris Woakes on for Moeen Ali. He starts with an almost entirely forgettable maiden to Labuschagne.
“Bit of a cliche but England’s first innings at Edgbaston in 2005 is a contender for greatest team innings,” says Matthew Rea. “Several contributions, even down to some entertaining slogging from Harmison and Simon Jones at the end. No individual score over 90 but, after the hammering at Lord’s, it was such an effective message that this team could stand up to that great Aussie side.”
Even 18 years later it’s hard not to marvel at their nerve and audacity. And that feeling of teamwork is even more important when you’re trying to make a statement of intent.
13th over: Australia 39-1 (Warner 17, Labuschagne 4) Curiouser and curiouser: after one volcanic over before tea, Mark Wood is replaced by Stuart Broad.
I suppose David Warner is at the crease – but he has played Broad comfortably so far and continues to do so in that over. Two from the over, all of which was taken by Warner. In other news, Ben Duckett is back on the field, though he’s still limping. It’s an impact injury so England won’t be particularly worried.
“This has got to be up there, surely?” says Robert Ellson, continuing our chat about great team innings. “Only one real failure in the top six (especially if you take into account the No6’s strike-rate), and the batters doing exactly what was needed to set up the eventual win. One for the ages.”
It was mind-bogglingly extraordinary but I think it slips down the list because the stakes were relatively low.
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Tea
12th over: Australia 39-1 (Warner 17, Labuschagne 4) Another full toss from Moeen, who hasn’t started well, is bunted for three by Warner. The tea break comes at a good time for him, and probably for Australia too: they trail by 236.
“The transformation of English Test cricket over the past few months has shown us all the benefits of leaving behind old, outworn traditions,” says Edmund King. “But how far should this process of rebirth go? I believe that the venerable tradition of the ‘rain break’ must also be consigned to the scrap heap of cricketing history.
“I want to see the players come out swimming in tomorrow’s deluge, in snorkels if necessary. Woakes carefully trundling to the wicket in a pair of oversized galoshes. Warner finding inventive ways of hitting a floating cricket ball to the extra cover boundary. This is the entertainment value we all deserve.”
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11th over: Australia 36-1 (Warner 14, Labuschagne 4) Wood greets Labuschagne with a beautifully directed lifter that roars through to Bairstow. Labuschagne played it well, moving outside the line with his arms raised to the heavens.
My word, Wood’s on one already. A 92mph bouncer flies past Labuschagne’s noggin, which leads to another primeval roar from the crowd. A ferocious over ends with a thick edge for four.
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I forgot to say that tea has been pushed back to 3.53pm because of that rain break just after lunch. Duckett has also limped off the field after being hit on the knee/shin.
There are a few boos for Khawaja as he walks off. That’s not fair; he clearly didn’t know he’d touched it, and technology confirmed it was a gossamer-thin edge. Khawaja felt for a wide lifter – the kind of ball he usually leaves all day – and Bairstow did the rest. Mark Wood, bloody hell.
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WICKET! Australia 32-1 (Khawaja c Bairstow b Wood 14)
He’s gone! Mark Wood has struck with his second ball!
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AUSTRALIA REVIEW! Khawaja given out caught behind off Wood
England were certain, so was the umpire, but Khawaja looked genuinely surprised to be given out.
10th over: Australia 32-0 (Khawaja 18, Warner 14) Warner spanks Moeen back over his head for four, an emphatic shot with almost no followthrough.
It would be fair to call Moeen’s second over a mixed bag. He produces a jaffa that curves in slowly and then spits off the pitch to hit Warner on the thigh. It’s far too high for an LBW but very encouraging for England nonetheless. The next ball isn’t so glorious, a low full toss that Warner puts away to deep midwicket.
“Mark Butcher is such a good commentator isn’t he?” says Phil Harrison. “I swear my enjoyment of this series has doubled since he joined the team.”
Couldn’t agree more, I think he’s among the best in the world. I really admire how defiantly independent he is in his judgement; he was one of the few pundits, for example, who thought the declaration at Edgbaston was nonsense. He’s also hilarious when he gets a cob on, usually when teams go into a game without a specialist spinner. Sky’s coverage is just so good, has been for at least 15 years.
9th over: Australia 24-0 (Khawaja 18, Warner 6) Stokes gives Anderson a fifth over. In recent years he has often swung the ball more in his second spell, for reasons I don’t understand, and there’s nothing much happening here. He does find Khawaja’s outside edge with a delivery bowled around the wicket from wider on the crease, but Khawaja’s hands are soft enough for it to bounce well short of Duckett at fourth slip. The ball kicks up to hit Duckett painfully on the knee.
Here’s Gary Naylor on great team innings. “Needing a draw to secure a historic first series win in Australia against that attack at home, this was a pretty good team effort.”
It was, although I suspect part of Will’s argument was that six of England’s top seven contributed. It’s an interesting subject. No rights or wrongs here. All are welcome, yes indeed, I love them.
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8th over: Australia 22-0 (Khawaja 16, Warner 6) England’s first-change bowler is… Moeen Ali. With two left-handers at the crease and plenty of filth outside their off stump, that’s a nice attacking move from Ben Stokes.
Moeen starts with a few looseners, inclding a half volley that is worked for four by Khawaja. To be continued.
“You can’t be a cricket fan and not like statistics, Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “but I found myself getting slightly annoyed earlier, while listening to a rival platform, at the seemingly never ending stream of statistics for statistics’ sake. Things like Stokes’s innings being ‘the first fifty by an England captain whose name starts and ends with the same letter before lunch on the Friday of an Ashes Test at Old Trafford since…’ kind of thing.
“Maybe I’m exaggerating but the point stands I think. Good statistics need to illustrate a wider point, no? Otherwise we’d all consider Andy Ganteaume as the greatest batter of all time. Ok, I’ll admit I’m in a foul mood today, seeing as I could have been at Old Trafford. I just hope that, statistically, today doesn’t turn out to be the greatest day in Ashes history. (I do, really).”
I’m not sure I’m the right man for this discussion, not least because for most my twenties my only chat-up line was, “I bet you can’t name all 29 players that England picked in the 1989 Ashes.”
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7th over: Australia 14-0 (Khawaja 10, Warner 4) A short ball from Anderson hits Khawaja on the hipbone. “C’mon Jimmy! C’mon Jimmy Anderson!” growls Jonny Bairstow behind the stumps.
You’d imagine this will be Anderson’s last over unless something dramatic happens. He moves around the wicket after two balls, searching for the aforementioned drama. Khawaja feels for a good delivery that holds its line to beat the outside edge, then digs out a hooping yorker. Two maidens in a row. Two maidens in a row.
“It’s the kind of series when you feel like you’ve got some sort of attention deficit disorder,” says Mark Butcher on Sky. Every time you have three or four overs where nothing happens you’re like, ‘Come on, get on with it! Do something!’
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6th over: Australia 14-0 (Khawaja 10, Warner 4) Warner is surprised by a bit of extra bounce from Broad, though he’s able to get on top of the ball and drop it at his feet. It looks like Broad also fancies bowling Warner round his legs; three deliveries in that over were speared down the leg side.
Khawaja has 10 from 17 balls, a watchful Warner 4 from 19.
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5th over: Australia 14-0 (Khawaja 10, Warner 4) Anderson’s last ball is a good one, angled past Khawaja’s outside edge, but that aside he hasn’t looked particularly threatening. I don’t think Ben Stokes will wait too long before turning to Chris Woakes, maybe Mark Wood too.
“I think you’ll find,” says Geoff Wignall, “there are only 15 thirtysomethings playing in this match, not 16. And one fortysomething.”
He’s walking! Smyth’s walking! He hasn’t disputed the decision at all!
4th over: Australia 13-0 (Khawaja 10, Warner 3) England are using their usual line of attack to the left-handers: Anderson over the wicket, Broad around. The early signs are that there is no chance of a giddy romp to a three-day victory; the ball isn’t doing much and both batters have started well. Warner, busy as always, tucks Broad for a single to keep the strike.
“Genuine question,” begins Will Juba. “Given the opposition, the series, the state of the series, the quality of the bowlers, and even the pitch which has had some variable bounce, is this the best team Test innings of all time - so discounting, say Headingley 2019, Sri Lanka’s chase against South Africa around the same time. Both incredible innings but based on one or two contributions.
“Would love to hear yours and others’ thoughts on other contenders. I can’t think of one in my time following Test cricket (since 1997 vaguely, in earnest 2005), but as I told you yesterday, my brain has melted after watching the first few days of this test so probably some I’m missing!”
That’s a deceptively good question. My instinct is that it isn’t, but I can’t think of a challenger off the top of my head. And I have a helluva lot of cricket scorecards at the top of my head.
Maybe South Africa when they dethroned Australia in 2007-08? It’s a subject that is rarely discussed. I’d like to think about it, and will do so this very same night with a glass of wine and the new Blur album.
3rd over: Australia 11-0 (Khawaja 9, Warner 2) Khawaja keeps out a straight one from Anderson that maybe keeps a little low, then shows excellent judgement to ignore a couple of fourth-stump deliveries. He’s such an important player in this situation, such is his ability to bat time.
Khawaja punches the last ball of Anderson’s over through mid-on for three. That was the 937th delivery he has faced in this series; the next highest is Ben Stokes on 543.
2nd over: Australia 7-0 (Khawaja 6, Warner 1) Broad to Warner, which lifts the crowd a little more. So far, so comfortable for Australia – the ball is swinging but not dangerously so. Khawaja feels sufficiently confident to walk down the pitch and crack a square drive for four.
“Wow,” says Brian Withington. “Just wow. This contest between England and Australia reminds me a little bit of of the legendary series of bouts between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, that culminated in the legendary ‘Thrilla in Manila’. I get the sense of two opponents who are made for each other and are destined to battle one another to mutual exhaustion, if not complete disintegration.
“Ali talked a good game before a long awaited first encounter, but initially came up short in a classic match at Madison Square Gardens, unable to quite live up to the hype in the face of a truly relentless ‘Smokin’ Joe Frazier. Ali won the rematch to level and then in their final meeting he eventually won a titanic struggle at the end of the 14th round, when Frazier’s corner called it a day just before Ali’s would have. Both men apparently claimed to never have felt nearer death in the ring.
“Not taking the outcome at Old Trafford for granted, nor suggesting that any deciding contest at the Oval would be quite as demanding physically, but I suspect that whoever wins or loses it may turn out to be the end of an era for at least one if not both sides.”
You know we’re watching something special when somebody as venerable as Brian is writing “Wow. Just wow” LMAO.
But yes, it’s a good point you make. There are 16 thirtysomethings playing in this game, and a few of them will be playing their last Ashes Test next week. Maybe even their last Test in the case of one or two.
1st over: Australia 1-0 (Khawaja 1, Warner 0) James Anderson starts, with four men salivating in the slips. There’s a bit of swing, nothing too extravagant, and Khawaja tucks a single off the pads. Nothing else to report.
“I guess there are several obvious reasons to want England to win this one, but for me the most important is that cricket this amazing deserves a decider in which all results - match, series, Ashes - are still possible,” says Boris Starling. “I would say exactly the same if it were Australia 2-1 down and trying to level things up. What a rare privilege it is to witness sport like this.”
Isn’t it just. I thought I’d never see a series as good as 2005, but if this ends 3-2 to either team I may have to reconsider my assumptions.
This is a good spot from Tim Sanders
I’ve an inkling that this might be Jonny’s highest Test score after keeping wicket for an innings. I’m sure all his glorious centuries have come batting first, or when he’s not had the gloves.
Yep, that’s right. I think his previous best was 80-odd against Pakistan in 2016.
Here come the players. Ben Stokes has been doing a bit of bowling on the outfield. Who’s writing his scripts today?
In the history of Test cricket, there have been 3,828 innings lasting 100 overs or more. That was the second fastest, with a run-rate of 5.49 per over. Stokes’s England are top of the list as well.
This kind of behaviour is normal now, is it?
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Here’s what happened. Bairstow stole another bye to the keeper, to huge cheers, which gave him five balls to score the two runs he needed for a cathartic century.
He drove the second to long off, looking for two, but realised it wasn’t on and loudly sent Anderson back. By that stage Anderson was halfway down the track and in trouble, only for a weary Cummins to throw to the wrong end.
In the end it didn’t matter, because Anderson was trapped plumb in front next ball. He reviewed, just in case, but even the uneducated fleas knew that was out.
Bairstow walked off in triumph nonetheless, with Ben Stokes – who takes more pride in his mates’ achievements than his own these days – meeting him halfway for a high five. It was another monstrous innings to add to Bairstow’s portfolio: 99 not out from 81 balls, with 10 fours and four sixes. He joins Geoffrey Boycott (1979-80) and Steve Waugh (1994-95) in a small group of players who have been stranded on 99 in an Ashes Test. Fair to say they both faced a lot more than 81 balls.
More importantly, far more importantly, that last-wicket partnership of 66 means that England lead by 275 runs.
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WICKET! England 592 all out (Anderson LBW b Green 5)
Jonny Bairstow is stranded on 99 not out! My word, what scenes.
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107th over: England 590-9 (Bairstow 98, Anderson 5) Anderson, Cummins. Not one West Indies cricketer, but two from England and Australia. The bouncer field from earlier is set again, but Cummins bowls wildly down the leg side and gives up four more byes. Nothing Carey could do, that was way wide. Cummins getting ragged. Again Bairstow darts a bye to take strike! He’s very comfortable assuming that the ball is live when it reaches the keeper’s gloves in this innings. And he slashes four more off the under edge, very fine!
Hits cover from the fifth ball, but nails four more through cover point from the last!
He’s up to 98. I’m off for a lie down. Here’s Rob Smyth.
Just the second time that Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood have all gone for 100 in the same innings. The previous time was Sydney 2019 v India.https://t.co/HK0PcFyyfi
— Daniel Cherny (@DanielCherny) July 21, 2023
106th over: England 577-9 (Bairstow 90, Anderson 5) Bairstow back on strike! Green bowling now, bounces Anderson, fends away just past silly point, and Bairstow is sharp on the run and comes to the danger end.
Green pitches up, slower ball, and Bairstow can’t time it. Needs 14 from three balls for the record. “A seven, a five, and a two,” says Jonathan Liew next to me. Funnily, that doesn’t happen. Bairstow keeps declining the single when he doesn’t get something to launch into space. One ball to come in the over, short and he pulls it for four! Fine leg, very fine, one of the few gaps on the rope.
105th over: England 572-9 (Bairstow 86, Anderson 4) Nine on the fence, Cummins bowling, Bairstow missing an uppercut. But he doesn’t miss the pull! Again, it’s from a not very short ball, yet it goes flat and long over Steve Smith at deep square leg for six!
The punishment continues for Australia. And again! Not a short ball, off the pads, and slotted over deep midwicket for a monster hit!
Bairstow needs 14 from 5 balls to register England’s fastest Test century. It doesn’t help when Cummins bowls a mile down the leg side, and away for four byes. It’s not called wide. It would still count as a ball faced if it had been.
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104th over: England 556-9 (Bairstow 74, Anderson 4) Bairstow isn’t taking singles early in the over now. He had a neat trick two overs ago when he ran a bye to get on strike after Hazlewood bounced Anderson. Now he has strike, and he pumps another six! In front of the Party Stand, and Labuschagne ends up centipeding under the pitch covers out there, crawling on his stomach to go under and fetch the ball. He tries again but doesn’t get enough of it, doesn’t take the run, then accepts the single down the ground from the fifth ball. It’s pitched up and Anderson defends.
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103rd over: England 549-9 (Bairstow 67, Anderson 4) Here you go, Manchester: four runs for Anderson! He backs away so far that he’s basically in the Party Stand, and heaves a pull shot to deep square leg. Cummins tells the fielder who retrieves the ball to stay back there. Aside from that position he has a regular square leg, short le, leg slip, fine leg, silly point, gully, mid off, and deep third. Short balls only. Over the wicket, around the wicket, Anderson handles it fine.
102nd over: England 545-9 (Bairstow 67, Anderson 0) Bairstow slashes Hazlewood fine, and Starc gives his all to tap the ball back but touches the rope and tells the umpire it’s four. Australia trying to get Anderson on strike. Hazlewood gets a good bouncer over Bairstow’s pull shot, then brings up the field with one ball to go. Bairstow don’t care. He just clips four more.
Half century! Bairstow 55 from 51 balls
101st over: England 536-9 (Bairstow 59, Anderson 0) Gets there with an absolute belter! Short but not that short, around waist height, and Bairstow puts it over deep backward for six. Then blocks out a curling yorker. And whips four through midwicket.
Another Zaltzman one, apparently the third time England have had six players in the top seven make fifty. After 1930 and 1893.
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100th over: England 526-9 (Bairstow 49, Anderson 0) In the 100th over of the innings, James Anderson faces a bowler from the James Anderson end. Rides down a bouncer, watches another go down leg. Ducks a third one. Stumps, anyone? No?
WICKET! Broad c & b Hazlewood 7, England 526-9
Huge hoick, huge top edge, that covers about 12 yards as the crow flies. The bowler ends up halfway down the pitch, just off the cut strip, standing underneath the drop, and takes it.
Five wickets for Hazlewood. Not sure how fondly he’ll remember this one, but he has stuck to his work. Figures of 5 for 111 currently.
And Anderson is now padded up, and coming out to bat!
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99th over: England 525-8 (Bairstow 48, Broad 7) There goes Broad! Backs away, drives Starc up over extra cover, gets two more as Head chases back. Pulls a single. Bairstow nearly splices a catch back to Starc, miscued completely as it swings in a touch and jumps at him, in line with the stumps. Bairstow whips a single to follow. Those keep flowing, six runs from the over.
98th over: England 519-8 (Bairstow 46, Broad 3) The last time England passed 500 in a home Ashes Test, says Andy Zaltzman on TMS, was 1985. Broad on strike doesn’t slog, just punches a run through cover. Bairstow knocks one through point. Broad does slog at last, not full enough from Hazlewood for the shot, and the ball limps into the air and then lands between mid on and mid off! Khawaja races but can’t get there. With two balls to go, the whole field falls back for Bairstow, who still gets two runs to deep point. Smith at slip and Cummins at mid off the only players up. Bairstow pulls and misses.
The hovercraft has broken down, by the way. They’re digging around in the engine bay at the moment. Might need that…
97th over: England 514-8 (Bairstow 43, Broad 1) We’re back. James Anderson in the rooms is not padded up. Starc bowls four byes down the leg side, swinging past Bairstow’s shot and Carey. Then gets a run, and Broad stabs his first to cover.
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Covers are coming off. Not plural, in fact. The one cover is coming off.
“Despite the inclement weather, is the Lunchhawk going to happen?”
The Lunchhawk is already happening, John Starbuck, he just hasn’t faced a ball yet.
“Martin Burley nearly has it right with his solution to slow over rates. My solution is to multiply the number of overs a bowling side has failed to bowl each session by the average run rate of the batting side in that session. That’ll get them moving.”
Interesting one, George Browne. Though maybe it gives an incentive to a side that has bowled tidily to avoid having to actually bowl those overs and possibly concede more?
They haven’t brought the hovercraft on, they’ve just dragged out one of the big tarpaulins to cover the pitch. Passing shower?
Rain delay
96.3 overs: England 508-8 (Bairstow 41, Broad 0) Starc with the ball in hand, operating from the Statham End. He gets through three balls, with a run and a leg bye, and Bairstow nearly chops on again, a defensive shot that spins back just past his leg stump and he chases it to kick it away. Then the rain comes in. Not heavy but slanting across the ground with a strong wind.
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England’s batters return to the field. They’re going to carry on.
Rob C writes in from Wheeo, which is both a town in country New South Wales and a fun thing to yell out on a rollercoaster.
“Love your coverage and have been glued to the telly since ball one at Edgbaston. My attempts at continuous prayer to salvage this current shellacking at the hands of Crawley and Co might yet prove fruitful, however I am concerned that such vigorous and prolonged supplication is quite unseemly in a non-believing man of late-middle years and worse, may yet induce back spasms and knee pain. I risk ending up like Stokes and we may still lose.”
Held together with fencing wire and spit, hey? Well, Stokes went alright today. When it comes to prayer, I sometimes think about the fact that the Spanish word esperar means ‘to hope’ and also means ‘to wait’. Sometimes they’re the same thing.
“Remember when 4 an over used to feel crazily rebellious?” asks David Horn.
Martin Burley writes in from New Zealand. “I think the umpires should have a stopwatch they pause for rain delays, and maybe DRS reviews and other randomness (streakers, feral hogs etc). And at the end of each session subtract actual balls bowled vs expected balls. The difference to be awarded to the batting side as no-balls. Since they were, literally, no balls. That seems workable to me unless I’m missing something?”
The only other factor being that the batting side also delays play – random drinks being run onto the field, glove changes, hats for caps for helmets, wandering off for mid-pitch chats. The main fact is that umpires do not move the game along – and they already have disciplinary provisions for time-wasting. They just never use them.
So in order to make change, the powers that be would have to make that a priority and communicate to umpires that they are expected to make sure we see 30 overs a session. That hasn’t happened. Nobody in charge seems to care. None of them pay to attend a day’s play.
The pitch cover hovercraft has come onto the field. Perhaps precautionary, but there a few umbrellas up in the stands. Can’t see any rain, maybe it’s that local misty version.
It’s funny, I’m getting emails criticising England’s level of attack in that session, when they made 122 in 24 overs. Ok.
Lunch - England 508 for 8, lead by 189 on the first innings
Do they declare over the break? Probably should, though making Australia come back for a few minutes after lunch might be a good ploy, for sheer disruption factor. Bairstow was waving his bat to the crowd on the way off, with 41 to his name.
England have breached 500! And put on… what’s that, 122 in the session?
WICKET! Wood b Hazlewood 6, Englang 506-8
96th over: England 506-8 (Bairstow 41) What a busy over! In the theme of this series: 15 runs and the wicket of Mark Wood, just before the lunch break. Bairstow smokes Hazlewood to the fence twice, once through point and once straight. Wood glances him through fine leg, but shuffles around too much facing the last ball of the over and misses it. Loses his stumps.
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This is a Wilde stat.
Chris Woakes collects England's first duck of the Ashes series. In Australia two winters ago, they managed 17
— Simon Wilde (@swildecricket) July 21, 2023
95th over: England 491-7 (Bairstow 30, Wood 2) Starc to Bairstow, clips a single, Wood punches one to deep cover. Bairstow shuttles him back. Starc rips one past Wood’s edge, serious lift right over the middle stump. And again by one that goes past off stump. He’s hanging back, is Wood, the yorker would sort him out if his weight balance stays like that. But he doesn’t get one, it’s outside off.
94th over: England 486-7 (Bairstow 28, Wood 1) Carey knew it was a hat-trick. Groans as Hazlewood goes oh-so-close to Wood’s outside edge, prodding. Then a big edge to deep third, where Head is waiting. Two slips and a gully for Wood, it’s wide of them all.
The lead is 171.
Hazlewood is on a hat-trick. Wicket last ball of his previous over, first ball of this one.
WICKET! Woakes c Carey b Hazlewood 0, England 486-7
Fine delivery from Hazlewood, a little outswing, a little nibble from the seam, a little nibble from Woakes, and he nicks it through. Match-winner at Headingley, golden duck today.
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93rd over: England 486-6 (Bairstow 27, Woakes 0) Nearly bowled again! Bairstow facing Starc almost adds another, inside edge from a big drive as he’s done so often, and his leg stump survives by an inch. He profits by four runs. Australia’s bowlers have had the most unbelievable lack of luck off the inside edge, Stokes the only victim from maybe a dozen such errors. Swing from Starc, bending in at Bairstow consistently, but Bairstow finishes the over with a much better boundary, off the full face through midwicket. Picked off a couple of twos in between times.
Heddy writes in. “Despite all the talk of England’s run rate under Bazball and the knowledge they were well over five yesterday and this morning, it’s still a surprise to glance down at the score after less than an hour’s play to see it’s already 450. And this has been a relatively slow session for them! The expectations from decades of test cricket of 2-3 an over no doubt still need some time to displace...”
In the time it took me to publish that email it’s closer to 500.
92nd over: England 474-6 (Bairstow 15) Wicket from the last ball of the over.
WICKET! Brook c Starc b Hazlewood 61, England 474-5
Excellent catch at fine leg! Brook nearly gets enough. Hook shot, soaring top edge, sailing away. Starc waits under it, gauging whether it will clear him. It drops just inside the rope and his hands swallow it up. Much more difficult than it looks from that height.
Then there is the stupidest umpire review imaginable, as they look to see whether his heel has touched the boundary. It’s clear by miles, it’s in fact close to the shadow cast by the boundary padding, not the padding. But we still see 16 replays while Brook waits by the same patch of boundary to be told to walk off.
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91st over: England 472-5 (Brook 59, Bairstow 15) This is strange. Australia take the new ball. The fourth umpire who came on earlier must have taken it off with him again, because he comes out again. Why bowl one economical over of spin, then turn to the new ball? Maybe just to switch Starc around to his his preferred end, the Statham. He’s looking for Brook’s pads, glanced for one. The only run from the over, testing out Bairstow outside off stump.
“In case some of your Aussie readers might be looking at the weather forecast and wondering a bit,” says Robin Hazlehurst, “can you assure them that yes! It is most certainly cowardly to pray for rain!”
That’s a reference to the title of the OBO book from 2005 – I won’t link to the giant book conglomerate, but you might be able to find one elsewhere by punching those words into Michael Googlé.
90th over: England 471-5 (Brook 58, Bairstow 15) Not surprising to see Travis Head have a bowl. Surprising to see England take four singles instead of trying to put him in the crowd.
89th over: England 467-5 (Brook 56, Bairstow 13) This old-ball tactic has worked to a point. England keep playing shots but mostly rolling to fielders for one run instead of flying for four. In one sense, Australia want to bowl out England. In another sense, they’d like England to bat for as long as possible. The lead is 150.
“Final day of the 2007/08 season,” writes Victor. “I had a ticket for Middlesbrough v Man City. As a meaningless game, given Boro had not been playing well and it was a trek from London, I gave it away to a Man City supporting colleague. Final score: Boro 8, Man City 1.”
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88th over: England 462-5 (Brook 55, Bairstow 9) It is Starc to Bairstow now, who handles things well enough, clipping a couple of runs, adding two singles squeezed into the leg side. It is raining lightly now, but the sun is still out. Can see a cloud off to the southeast that looks full of rain but is hopefully skirting us.
Stef B writes in. “This amazing cricket has made me yearn for the good old days, when us in the UK could watch it live on TV, free of charge. I would walk back quickly from school and turn BBC2 on and enjoy the play. Any chance it comes back? Have a fair dinkum day.”
Strewth, cobbber. Zero chance, I’m afraid. The ECB is entirely dependent on Sky money now, nothing would happen without it.
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87th over: England 457-5 (Brook 54, Bairstow 5) The forecast for tomorrow remains dire, looks like a zero play day if that transpires. Sunday might allow some at some point. So how long do England want to bat today?
Mitchell Marsh still off the field, by the way. Looks like he’s limbering up on the boundary line. He won’t be allowed to bowl for an hour or so if he comes back on.
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86th over: England 457-5 (Brook 54, Bairstow 5) Hazlewood back. A big miscue from Brook as he aims through mid on with a pull and instead hits it into the pitch. He gets his next attempt though, getting inside the line and pull through fine leg. Starc is too square to stop that one. The only scoring shot from the over. Hazlewood nearly gets through thanks to an inside edge, bouncing back past leg stump.
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Half century! Brook 50 from 80 balls
85th over: England 453-5 (Brook 50, Bairstow 5) Cummins to continue after drinks. Nothing overly ambitious against him, singles here and there, and Cummins gestures animatedly to Travis Head at deep backward point when one run is turned into two.
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Drinks.
Mike Welsh writes on the theme of missed events. “Went to Hampden Park in 2002 for the Champions League final. We were in the second row, side on, level with the edge of the box. In front was a dad and his young son, who needed the toilet five minutes before half time. Zidane did his thing, turned right and ran straight towards us, soon joined by all his teammates. When they returned, the dad groans, ‘Was it any good?’. Some wag replied ‘A tap-in, you missed nothing.’”
84th over: England 447-5 (Brook 48, Bairstow 1) Length ball from Green, Brook shuffles closer to it and dumps it over mid on. Not timed but gets enough for four.
“Please Stokes, don’t declare, even if you get to 550, let the Aussies bowl you out,” is the invocation from Peter Gartner.
Come on now, they’re already 130 in front with an hour before lunch. Should keep swinging for another quarter hour and then pop Australia in. Worst case declare at the break so they don’t lose two more overs.
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83rd over: England 439-5 (Brook 41, Bairstow 1) You’d be tempted to get Starc on to bowl at Bairstow’s stumps with a bit of swing. On the other hand, remember what Bairstow did against ten overs of the new ball at Lord’s in 2019. Off the mark with a clip to deep midwicket here. Brook drives a run past Cummins on the bounce. Cummins beats Bairstow with a very good one, seam movement again, angling in then moving away past the edge. How is he doing this with that bundle of dishrags masquerading as a cricket ball.
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En route to @MLCricket but glued to the OBO with @GeoffLemonSport So. Much. Cricket 🏏 #Ashes2023 #Bazball #Cantstopwontstop pic.twitter.com/5hC4SMQ4iy
— Lara Killick (@SportSocJustice) July 21, 2023
Heeeeeeeere’s Jonny…
WICKET! Stokes b Cummins 51, England 437-5
Where did that come from! Scrambled seam from Cummins, around the wicket. There is a shadow of inward movement, just enough to shift the contact to the inside part of the bat as Stokes swings towards mid on. Instead it takes out his stumps.
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82nd over: England 437-4 (Brook 40, Stokes 51) Green carries on, he is throwing in the odd fuller ball to complement his short stuff. Only four on the boundary now, deep square, fine leg, deep third, deep point. Only one run from the over. The new ball comes out via the fourth umpire, but isn’t taken yet. Joel Wilson has it in his pocket.
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Half century! Stokes 50 from 72 balls
82nd over: England 436-4 (Brook 40, Stokes 50) Again England take some care against Cummins, only two singles. The second of those to deep point brings up fifty for Stokes.
81st over: England 434-4 (Brook 39, Stokes 49) Australia choose not to take the new ball, banking on the old one being harder to smash perhaps. Weird field for Green bowling to Brook, six out on the rope either side of the wicket for cross-batted shots as he keeps bowling short. Then one from a fuller length to Stokes explodes off the pitch! There’s that variable bounce. It rears up, and luckily for Stokes it’s outside off stump and he’s able to flinch away from it.
80th over: England 429-4 (Brook 36, Stokes 47) Marsh is still off the field. The Australian camp first says he has no problem, then says he’s managing some soreness from yesterday. He bowled 9 overs.
Three others have had a go, now it’s Cummins. He starts well, tucks up Stokes for a few balls, only gives away two singles. That’s a win right now. I doubt it will last.
79th over: England 427-4 (Brook 35, Stokes 46) There’s the Harry Brook back-away-baseball shot. Doesn’t time it, gets two runs through mid on. Cameron Green is bowling now, bumper theory, Brook pulls down the leg side for one. Five off the over all up.
78th over: England 422-4 (Brook 32, Stokes 44) Brook’s turn to join in the fun, blasting a cover drive from Starc for four, at which point the Australian quick errs with a full toss that gets the same treatment. Two balls later, an even better shot, timed through deep third with an almost still bat! An even dozen for Harry.
James Kerr is supporting England from Amorgos on a scorching day. His eldest daughter, he says, will be following Australia. “Born 18 years ago at the wonderful Royal Randwick. Her first few weeks were spent nightly in my arms in our little cottage in Redfern following the epic 2005 series. I didn’t miss a ball. This is as good.”
77th over: England 410-4 (Brook 20, Stokes 44) He’s in the Stokes zone now. Stepping down and a little outside leg to make the room for a huge swing of the bat, all the way around to midwicket where he belts Hazlewood away for for.
76th over: England 406-4 (Brook 20, Stokes 40) Another run out missed! This one is a direct hit attempt, more difficult as Labuschagne pings from midwicket. Brook at the non-striker’s end had come down and had to turn back.
Email from Tom Farrell, which I promise I was trying to get to before play but ran out of time.
“In the 15 overs after Crawley fell last night, England scored at a little over 3 an over. We can all see the weather forecast: surely England’s only hope of victory was to push on, get a lead of 150-200 by as early as possible today, and have at least a couple of sessions to bowl at the Aussies? Even if it didn’t work, defeat would still be incredibly unlikely. Instead, Bazball went missing precisely when it was needed. The draw is now odds on. Discuss.”
There’s some logic to that. They had Australia down and out and could have really punished them. It was odd to pull back. But then, Stokes has done exactly that almost every time he has batted in this series. I assume that his logic, after Crawley and Root were out in quick time, was to make sure Australia didn’t get anything else out of the day to help them feel better, and then to come out the next morning and lay into them afresh. Which he’s now doing.
75th over: England 403-4 (Brook 19, Stokes 38) Stokes on the pull shot might be the shot of this series. Hazlewood tests him from around the wicket and he dismisses it for four.
74th over: England 397-4 (Brook 18, Stokes 33) Starc will bowl from the Anderson End… and he may wish he hadn’t. On the pads, Stokes wallops him through midwicket like he’s shovelling coal. In response, Stokes nearly loses a foot, Starc blasting a yorker through him but it’s outside leg stump. Squeezes out a run, Brook dashes another, Stokes drives to deep point and wants two. Gets two, running like it’s the 50th over of an ODI, and he should have been out! Neser’s throw from the deep is pretty accurate but it bounces and reaches Carey very low to the ground. The Australian keeper doesn’t take it cleanly, he would have had Stokes.
Now, this is interesting on the replay. Carey’s gloves hit the stump and the bails come off. But the ball actually ricochets off his gloves and hits the the stump a split second before his hand does. Carey doesn’t know that, he signals not out and doesn’t appeal. The ball wouldn’t have actually dislodged the bail before the glove did, though. It would have done if the glove hadn’t hit and hastened the process though, though. Would have been a niche one for a third umpire.
Updated
73rd over: England 389-4 (Brook 17, Stokes 26) Whoosh! Stokes starts the day with a huge slap through point, except he doesn’t hit the ball. Revises his ambition in a downward direction and nudges a single next time around. Brook drives three through cover. Neser is fielding. But Starc is out there. Mitchell Marsh is off the field. Probably busy being nice to somebody somewhere.
Players are out on the field, Hazlewood warming up to bowl from the Statham End.
Updated
“Morning Geoff,” writes Simon McMahon. “Had tickets for days 3 and 4 but gave them up as family and travel plans changed late on. I’m now convinced that today will go down in Ashes folklore, England bowling out the Aussies in a session to win by an innings before the rain comes tomorrow. And I’ll be following it all from home on the OBO. Which of course is much better than actually being there anyway, right? Any worse choices not to go to a sporting event out there…?”
We had a Final Word listener write in with the story of how his dad took him away from Edgbaston so they could go to the movies when a boring rain-affected Warwickshire draw was guaranteed on the final day.
Brian Lara finished with 501*.
Test Match Special overseas, you say? The soothing sounds of British voices and the occasional trumpeting Jim Maxwell shipping forecast? Go on then. Click.
Morning from a windy & wet Old Trafford @GeoffLemonSport. Funny old day yesterday, where Australians get to feel a bit like we did for most of the late 80s-early 00s. I fear we may run out of road here but my god it was exhilarating stuff. Do I finally need to get used to this?
— Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) July 21, 2023
The big story of the day, of course, was the big innings of the day. It might well prove be a story much bigger than one day, too. Jonathan Liew on The Zak.
I was on Australia Watch, which was a pretty grim watch to be on by the end of the day, when quality bowlers were being belted around like club threes. And no spinner, hey?
And yes, we have a Final Word pod for those who like their cricket through their ears.
Andy Bull was on Moeen Watch, after the purring cover drives that were the highlight of his half-century. Mo’s, not Andy’s.
Simon also put together the Ashes Diary.
We’ve had confirmation from the Australian camp now, by the way, that Starc is strapping that shoulder and will bowl.
Simon Burnton had Crawley’s reaction from the post-play presser.
Let’s catch up? Start with the match report from Ali Martin, who was still tapping away well into the evening at Old Trafford.
Preamble
Hello from Manchester. Australian supporters, have you emerged from your depression caves? Englishers, have you surfed down from your oxytocin highs? What a bewildering blaze of Test batting that was yesterday. The England team had talked of Zak Crawley as an investment – he paid off like selling out of GameStop at the peak. Ashes on the line, and here we are.
It’s funny, England only lead by 67, which in an ordinary match would have Australia still in it if they bowled well on this third morning. But it feels like 267 given how dominant England were yesterday. The emotional cost will be heavy. And it could well be 267 for real if Stokes, Brook, Bairstow live up to their capabilities. A bowling comeback from here would be one for the ages.
That chance will be further diminished by Mitchell Starc’s shoulder injury sustained late yesterday while fielding – the Australians say that he will bowl today, but he’ll surely be hampered.
It has been raining in Manchester overnight but hopefully we’ll still get a start on time.
