The land of hopes and dreams
“Went to bed in the early hours,” says Colum Fordham, “watching Travis Head belt a six off Stokes with the rain pouring down in Naples. Woke up to find bright sunshine and a frankly unbelievable scoreline of England 220-2. Obviously just a dream. Root and Malan on eighty. Honestly? As Basil Fawlty opined, ‘I can take the despair. It’s the hope I can’t stand.’” Well, you’re just going to have to cope with the hope for the rest of the day. When play resumes tonight, with the new ball due after ten overs, Root and Malan will have to dig in again twice. But a handsome reward is beckoning to them - both are a few crisp strokes away from a hundred, which, for Root, would be his first in a Test in Australia.
I’ll be back, if England last that long, halfway through the day, or the night, or whatever the hell you call it. Thanks for your company, which has propelled this page to No.2 in the Guardian chart – just behind a story about a man being attacked by otters. That’s almost as far-fetched as an England fightback.
For Ali Martin’s report on the day’s play, click here.
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Temptometers out
“Tempting fate?” goes the next subject line. “Tim,” says Kim Thonger, “would it be tempting fate to point out that, if Root and Malan could overhaul Peter May and Colin Cowdrey’s partnership of 411 against the West Indies in 1957, we might have an outside chance of winning this match?” I hope that’s a joke, because if not, the fate-temptometer has just exploded.
Aussies too nice?
“Day 3 grumpy Aussie,” says the subject line of an email from Don E. “Yes,” he continues, “we had a bad team culture till recently. But we were way too nice today. We should have kept the pace bowlers and pressure on. England now has a chance.”
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Stumps! England survive
70th over: England 220-2 (Malan 80, Root 86) The last over is entrusted to Cameron Green, which is surprising, but he rises to the task. After dishing up a few dots to Root, he tempts him into an indiscretion off the very last ball – a boyish flirtation outside off which very nearly takes the edge as he changes his mind and yanks the bat away. But these two survive, and so do England’s faint hopes of getting out of Brisbane without defeat. The partnership is 159 off 49 overs, the deficit has dwindled to 58, Root is back in top form after his duck, and Pat Cummins has just discovered that captaincy can be even harder work than fast bowling.
The old innings defeat still can’t be ruled out, given England’s deep ingrained tendency to collapse, but they have recovered their self-respect after taking a hiding from Travis Head. “Just the day England needed,” says Alastair Cook, “and the tour needed.”
In other news, here’s the story on Hobart hosting the fifth Test – not in the bag yet, it seems, but expected.
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69th over: England 220-2 (Malan 80, Root 86) Malan, Gower-like again, drives Lyon for a gorgeous four. Then he remembers his true calling, and plays and misses going for a cut. One over left.
“Just noticed,” says Kandukuru Nagarjun, “that Jack Leach has played only two professional T20 games, and none at all before the last English summer. Now it all falls into place. When Warner, Labuschagne and Head got after him, Leach didn’t have a defensive game to call upon. Batters need a sound defence in Tests to counter attacking bowling; with batters more adept at attack now, surely defensive skills are just as important for bowlers? Perhaps the ECB could find a way for Leach (and Dom Bess) to play more T20. And Silverwood ought to play Parkinson in this Ashes; with his T20 experience he’ll handle it OK when the Australian batsmen try to take him down, as they certainly will.” That’s a great point. “PS: in non-cricket matters, big fan of the Connell guide on writing well.” Ah, thanks.
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68th over: England 215-2 (Malan 76, Root 85) Malan is a man on a mission, to beat the world Test record for most plays-and-misses in an innings. This one is a waft at Cameron Green that even David Gower might have considered a bit extravagant. He makes amends with a classy cover push for two.
67th over: England 213-2 (Malan 74, Root 85) Starc, who’s been expensive, foes for just a single off this over, and beats Malan outside off to boot. I’ve just had a glance at the predictor on CricViz, which reckons England will get a grand total of ... 292. O come, all ye faithless.
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The 150 partnership!
66th over: England 212-2 (Malan 73, Root 85) Root seems to have taken some painkillers, so maybe it’s a knock rather than cramp. Anyway he seems himself, dancing back to glance Green for two,then adding a single to bring up the 150 partnership. When Root came in, one of the commentators said “they need to put on 150, these two,” and they have. England have made ten hundred partnerships in Tests this year, and Root has been there for eight of them – the other two being by Hameed and Burns.
“Re Tony Mason’s comment, over 63,” says Anthony White. “Ah, squinting and scrolling, the curse of OBO followers! I also tilt my gadget away from my eyes so that the screen is more of a grey blur, dreading that the dark mass of ‘WICKET’! will jump out of the murk. Thanks for encouraging Root’s pantomime troupe with no jinxing!” You’re most welcome.
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Root flat out
Malan is back on his feet, but as he gets up Root goes down. He needs some attention from the physio – has he got cramp too?
65th over: England 208-2 (Malan 72, Root 82) Starc has a half-appeal for LBW against Root, but as Isa Guha instantly observes, it’s pitching outside leg. Malan mis-hits a pull and gets away with it as the ball lollops to the ground, short of mid-on. Malan goes to ground too, perhaps getting a touch of cramp. He’s an England top-order batsman, he’s not used to being out there for hours.
A good question comes in from Amod Paranjape in Mumbai. “Will the English fans now relax,” he wonders, “or will we see the customary messages of doom and gloom?” Put it this way, Amod: it’s too early to rule out an innings defeat.
64th over: England 206-2 (Malan 72, Root 82) Root reverse-sweeps Lyon again, but this time he finds the fielder at backward point. He picks up a couple of runs with a lovely late glide, almost out of Alex Carey’s gloves.
63rd over: England 204-2 (Malan 72, Root 79) A quiet over from Starc to Root, five dots then a dab for a single. This partnership, now 143, is closing in on England’s whole first innings.
“Morning Tim.” Morning, Tony Mason. “My wife’s kindly got up and made tea this morning. She couldn’t bear my reaction on looking at the score first thing after yesterday’s effort. But so much better than my dream in which, for some unfathomable reason, I was keeping wicket to Joey Benjamin who bowled at a single stump from square of the wicket (my dream rules allowed it). The ball went for 4 byes, of course. Anyway, scrolling through the day’s play, is there anything worse than being notified of an update and then having to squint your eyes in the hope that it is only a de Lisle rambling rather than Root’s wicket. Thanks for the entertainment.” Rambling? Moi?
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62nd over: England 203-2 (Malan 72, Root 78) So how would Root like to bring up England’s 200? With a reverse sweep off Lyon, that’s how. Lyon now has none for 61 – not in Leach’s league, but not himself either.
61st over: England 198-2 (Malan 72, Root 73) Australia’s new-ball bowlers haven’t been seen for some time, though as far as we know they’re not injured. Now Cummins brings back Starc, whose first ball is slapped for four by Malan. Root follows up with a straight push for three, nice and easy. The sun is still shining, by the way: the rain we were promised hasn’t turned up. And as they’re going so well, England won’t mind. They trail by 80.
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60th over: England 190-2 (Malan 67, Root 70) Root sweeps Lyon and technically gives Labuschagne a chance, but it flew at him and a chance is what he didn’t stand. It goes for four, so Root is off 66, but Tom van der Gucht has a good spot for us. “Checking up on your comments about Root’s runs this calendar year,” Tom says, “I was impressed to see he is also currently averaging his shirt number as I type, with the very pleasing average of 66 for 2021. A nice coincidence and, as the type of person who kooks for signs like this as reliable gambling information, I now need to decide whether it means I should buy two number 6 scratch cards, 6 number 6s or a number 12 ... I might go for a 12 as they’re cheaper.”
59th over: England 185-2 (Malan 66, Root 66) Cummins appeals for LBW against Root, but it’s struck him outside the line and he’s playing a shot, so the only person getting excited is Labuschagne, who’s notoriously excitable.
“Morning @TimdeLisle,” says Guy Hornsby on Twitter. “This is far better for my brain than when I woke up at 3am and found Travis Head had 150. It’s good to just see England batting well, threatening making the Aussies bat again. All I need now is not having to listen to Warne for 4 more Tests. He’s so draining.” I know what you mean – for all his insight, he often dishes up something that isn’t commentary, but sledging by other means.
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58th over: England 185-2 (Malan 66, Root 66) Just a single off the over from Lyon. Root 66! And Malan 66 too, though, as far as I know, nobody’s written a song about that.
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57th over: England 184-2 (Malan 66, Root 65) Both the wickets that have fallen in this innings were caused by sudden sharp bounce, possibly off divots on the pitch. There’s more of it now as Cummins gets the ball to leap off a length at Root, who is good enough to get his gloves up in time. Malan then comes close to being caught at backward square leg as Marcus Harris, with the sun in his eyes, is slow to spring forward.
56th over: England 181-2 (Malan 65, Root 63) Cummins takes Labuschagne off and brings back his proper spinner, Lyon. Again, though, he doesn’t back his choice up with close catchers: just the one slip, nobody bearing down on the batter at shirt leg, let alone silly point. Malan gives Lyon some encouragement by playing and missing for the umpteenth time as he tries to cut.
Drinks: the deficit is into two figures
55th over: England 179-2 (Malan 65, Root 63) Root saw that pose Malan held just now and raises him a high-elbow cover drive. It’s as if Geoff Boycott was back and had acquired some elegance. And that’s drinks, with England – dare I say it – motoring along nicely. The deficit is down to 99! Ice creams all round.
“G’day Tim,” says Nicholas Hartley. G’day mate! “Thanks for the comms, it’s helped me follow the cricket whilst getting through the day here in the office.” My pleasure. Well actually my torture, as I was up at 3am, but an element of pleasure is in there somewhere. “If you could perhaps help Kim Thonger who queried the Covid restrictions earlier. A touring Test team and their entourage is traditionally known as a Touring Party, so not only are England very much on brand for Boris’s Britain but they are also in compliance with the Plan B rules back home.” Ha.
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54th over: England 173-2 (Malan 64, Root 58) Labuschagne, having gone from amateurish to respectable, now moves on to being milked – five singles off the over.
53rd over: England 168-2 (Malan 62, Root 55) A breather for Green, so where is Cummins going to turn now? To himself. But he can’t find the breakthrough yet: Malan cracks a cover drive for four and enjoys it, holding the pose.
“I see Root just skipped past Ponting 2003 in the runs in a calendar year,” says Arran Watson in Aktau, Kazakhstan. “Next target is Ponting 2005 ... a great player indeed. Hope Root can eclipse a few more in the next few weeks.”
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Hundred partnership!
52nd over: England 162-2 (Malan 57, Root 55) A better over from Labuschagne, who finds his length and even ventures an LBW shout against Malan (going down). Root eases him into the off side for a single to bring up the hundred partnership off 30.1 overs. It’s been purposeful, fluent, and just what England needed.
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51st over: England 159-2 (Malan 55, Root 54) Root plays out a maiden from Green, who has kept it tight, by hook or by crook: four overs for only six runs.
50th over: England 159-2 (Malan 55, Root 54) Cummins finally gives up on Lyon and brings on his sixth bowler, the part-time leg-spinner Marnus Labuschagne. He starts in part-time-honoured fashion, with a pair of long hops. Malan pulls them for four and one, and England’s overdraft is down to 119.
Fifty to Malan!
49th over: England 153-2 (Malan 50, Root 53) Green pitches it up for once and finds some swing, sending Carey down the leg side as Malan shoulders arms. You wait days for an England fifty, then two come at once: Malan brings up his by cutting for two. He has needed a lot of luck, but has ridden it well.
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48th over: England 150-2 (Malan 47, Root 53) It’s still Lyon: Cummins is determined to get him to 400. Again, there’s a single apiece to both batters, and for the first time in the series England have reached 150. Hallelujah.
“Hi Tim,” says Wayne Trotman, “and greetings from Izmir, Turkey. On comms, Warne actually said that the figure of 29,000 at Hobart was the total for the five-day Test there v West Indies a while back. Largest for a single day was around 6,000.” Ah sorry, my mistake. “Off comms, I suspect Warne is spitting feathers that the MCG didn’t get the fifth Test. And I think I’d agree with him.”
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47th over: England 148-2 (Malan 46, Root 52) Green continues, either banging it in or drifting onto leg stump. Both batters take a single and the partnership reaches 87, which is a bogey number in Australia, but possibly only for the Aussies.
Fifty for Root!
46th over: England 146-2 (Malan 45, Root 51) Sniffing a fifty, Root plays a rare false shot, a sweep at Lyon that goes way over the ball. A moment later, he nails the same shot, hitting it well in front of deep square to reach that fifty. It’s his 14th fifty in Ashes cricket and 74th in all Tests; 23 of those have blossomed into hundreds, which is very much what Root has in mind here.
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45th over: England 142-2 (Malan 45, Root 47) Cummins, facing the first puzzle of his captaincy, sends for Cameron Green. He’s an odd-looking bowler: very tall, quite quick, but ungainly and somehow apologetic. He seems to be under instructions to dig a few in, yet he has the air of the guy at the party who’s a bit embarrassed. Meanwhile, on comms, Shane Warne is busy rubbishing Hobart, on the grounds that “no one turns up”. The top Test crowd there, he says triumphantly, is 29,000. Sounds pretty good to a Pom.
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44th over: England 141-2 (Malan 45, Root 46) Malan advances on Lyon and on-drives for four. The commentators announce that the fifth Test in this series has been awarded to Hobart, in Tasmania, which will be making its Ashes debut. In my limited experience, it’s seriously windy.
43rd over: England 136-2 (Malan 41, Root 45) There’s a pause for a pitch invasion by a man in red trousers, presumably a Brexit supporter. Root looks irritated for a moment, then passes the time by chatting to the umpire, and when play resumes he plays a peachy straight drive for four. Starc’s retort is a trampoline bouncer which Root wafts at, and possibly feathers. Alex Carey tips it over the bar and the signal is four byes.
“I awake,” says Kim Thonger, “to find the England batsmen hard at work, but under the new Covid restrictions shouldn’t they be working from home? Or is this Test match classified as a party?” Ha.
42nd over: England 127-2 (Malan 41, Root 40) Root sweeps Lyon handsomely for four, then takes a single to join Malan in the forties. There’s yet another play-and-miss from Malan, and it’s just not happening for Lyon, who hasn’t taken a Test wicket since January.
41st over: England 122-2 (Malan 41, Root 35) Root angles his bat to guide a single off Starc. If Bill Lawry was still with us, he’d be saying “Nice deflection.” Malan plays a less nice deflection, taking one hand off the bat, squirting through the vacant third slip, and getting four for it. That makes him the first England batter in this series to reach 40. Six have reached 25, including Hameed twice, and therein lies England’s downfall. They’ve actually had more top-seven batters getting a start than Australia did, and they’re still 150 behind.
40th over: England 117-2 (Malan 37, Root 34) A single to each batter off Lyon, who appeals for a caught-and-bowled as the ball pops back off Malan’s pad, but does it with a wry smile. The Barmy Army muster a chorus of Joe Root to the tune of Hey Jude. That gorgeous drive in the previous over, by the way, brought up the fifty partnership.
39th over: England 115-2 (Malan 36, Root 33) As if he’s just been told about that record, Root plays a sumptuous stroke, a cover drive off Starc that’s straight out of the coaching manual. Starc comes straighter, so Root tucks him off the pads for a couple. He’s in full flow: now he’s got to go big.
A record for Root
38th over: England 109-2 (Malan 36, Root 27) Lyon continues his quest and Malan gets the scoreboard moving with a push from down the track, nice and enterprising. Root swivels to pull for a single, which takes him to 1482 runs for this calendar year, a new England record, beating Michael Vaughan in his annus mirabilis of 2002. Well played that man. And just imagine how many he’d get if he wasn’t lumbered with the captaincy.
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37th over: England 107-2 (Malan 35, Root 26) Cummins starts the evening session with Mitchell Starc, but doesn’t give him a vote of confidence with the field setting – just two slips and a gully, which is what you’d have if your lead was 50, rather than 175. Starc is tidy, Root is watchful, and that’s a maiden.
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Tea: England hanging in there
36th over: England 107-2 (Malan 35, Root 26) Malan’s innings has been half commanding, half tentative. He plays and misses yet again, at Lyon, but makes it through to the end of the over. And that’s tea, with England 171 behind. In the afternoon session they made 84 for 2, which is gold dust by their recent standards. This partnership is 46, and needs to go to 146. See you after some toast and marmalade.
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35th over: England 107-2 (Malan 35, Root 26) Cummins comes close to getting Root LBW as he aims for the leg bail, although the Australians show less interest in it than their ex-team-mates up in the commentary box. When Cummins drops short, Root plays a lovely flowing pull but only gets a single as there’s a deep square leg. Malan is beaten again, nibbling outside off as Cummins goes round the wicket.
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34th over: England 103-2 (Malan 33, Root 25) Root, in the groove now, pulls Lyon for four to bring up the hundred, then sweeps for a single. Lyon beats Malan outside the off stump, but the deficit is tumbling: down to a mere 175.
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33rd over: England 98-2 (Malan 33, Root 20) Root plays his personal shot of the day, a straight drive off Cummins, crisp as a winter’s morning. Malan clips for two, and that’s 21 off the last three overs. It’s almost as if England are improving with some match practice. Two of their reserves trot out with refreshments: a guy called Anderson, and one called Broad.
32nd over: England 91-2 (Malan 31, Root 15) Lyon, who’s twitchy at the best of times, starts this over badly – a touch short to Root, who cuts gently for a single, and then well short to Malan, who cuts firmly for four. Lyon retorts with an LBW shout but it’s a poor one –a full toss that hits Malan’s foot on its way down the leg side. Malan then advances to drive for four more, so that’s nine off the over, and a tiny problem for Cummins, who may have to turn to Cameron Green.
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31st over: England 82-2 (Malan 23, Root 14) Hazlewood gets a breather as Cummins brings himself back. The early signs are that, as captains go, he’s one who really likes to ring the changes. Root steers him for four through the slips, with lovely soft hands, but then nutmegs himself with an inside edge. It’s a good contest.
30th over: England 77-2 (Malan 23, Root 9) Lyon continues his quest for 400, while the batters are on the hunt for something more modest: the odd single. They manage one each, but Malan flirts with danger again by going down the track and almost handing a run-out chance to the man at short leg, who lets the ball through his legs. The England Lions, by the way, have just been bowled out for 103 by Australia A: good to see them taking their roles as understudies so seriously.
29th over: England 75-2 (Malan 22, Root 8) Root shows his class by clipping Hazlewood for four. That is Hazlewood’s 45th ball and only the second that England have managed to manoeuvre to the boundary. The first was a glance by Rory Burns that was, I’m told, quite close to leg stump.
28th over: England 71-2 (Malan 22, Root 4) “It’s 99 balls,” notes a commentator, “since Nathan Lyon reached 399.” Someone should give him a vanilla ice-cream with a Flake in it. Root finds a better way to attack him, reaching forward and playing a crisp low swat into the gap at midwicket for two. Then he goes for a big sweep and misses, but the LBW shout is in vain as he’s outside the line. And Lyon with his wait for no. 400, like Leach leeching runs earlier, has a hundred.
27th over: England 68-2 (Malan 22, Root 1) Hazlewood continues in his usual role of Mr Impeccable. He beats Malan outside off, thanks to some faint movement and a certain uncertainty. As one of the commentators said a few minutes ago, “You can’t flirt in Australia.”
26th over: England 68-2 (Malan 22, Root 1) Cummins does take himself off now, and brings Nathan Lyon back. That should be a bonus for Root, playing to his strength against spin, but he nearly perishes to a half-hearted lap that pops just over the shoulder of Travis Head at short leg. England suddenly look less assured without Hameed.
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25th over: England 67-2 (Malan 21, Root 1) Hazlewood is so hard to get away, unless your name is Jos Buttler. Just one off this over as Malan clips to mid-on, where there’s another good stop by a fast bowler – Cummins this time.
24th over: England 66-2 (Malan 20, Root 1) Pat Cummins keeps himself on, and why wouldn’t you, when you’re the No.1 bowler in the rankings, and a captain still on honeymoon. He slips in a swinging yorker, which Dawid Malan does well to flick for a single. Joe Root plays a smooth on-drive but gets nothing for it as Mitch Starc throws his lanky frame to his left, bringing a warm round of applause from the slips.
Morning everyone, or is it afternoon – my system seems a little confused. Many thanks to Geoff, what a class act. And what a mess, as far as England are concerned. If you’re an England fan, and they’re playing Tests in Australia, it’s the same old story: the story of your life.
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23rd over: England 65-2 (Malan 19, Root 1) One over before drinks, Joe Root on a pair, facing Hazlewood who got him in the first innings. Hazlewood is hunting that front pad. Root just about keeps him out. Then fourth ball of the over, hops in the air and flicks a straight delivery square for one important run.
Now then! A big appeal for caught behind off Malan. The Aussies are convinced. Umpire says no. They refer it - but there is no soundwave technology available in this Test. Another piece of equipment that failed and could not be replaced or repaired with the borders closed.
So the replay shows the ball very close to bat. Hot Spot shows nothing, but it often doesn’t with very fine edges, that then show up on the soundwave. On-field decision stands, with Malan fanning outside off stump at a ball that leapt on him. Not out. And not out next ball, as he edges between slip and gully for three!
That’s me for the day. Tim de Lisle is your guide and your lantern, next. Thanks for the company.
22nd over: England 61-2 (Malan 16, Root 0) Cummins brings himself on immediately with Root in the middle, as he did in the first innings. He had to bowl to Malan first, who shoulders arms. Smart move could be for Malan to soak up strike - not to protect Root, but to frustrate the Australians. Malan does stay on strike, but perhaps not by election: he just can’t get much bat on Cummins. Sways away from a couple of short balls to finish.
WICKET! Hameed c Carey b Starc 27, England 61-2
21st over: England 61-2 (Malan 16) Leaking runs, taking wickets: the Mitchell Starc way! Starts his over down leg again, glanced again for four by Hameed. Then short outside off, and Hameed plays a very understated cut square of gully to the fence. But the last ball of the over gets through. Shorter, also leg side, but Hameed tries to catch up with it, can’t handle the bounce and gloves it through to Carey. He walks off so, so slowly.
20th over: England 53-1 (Hameed 19, Malan 16) Nathan Lyon keeps hunting for wicket 400. He got to 390 in January 2020 with a 10-wicket match against New Zealand. In nearly two years since, he’s into his fifth Test and has taken nine wickets. It’s so close, but has remained distant. Malan blocks him out.
19th over: England 53-1 (Hameed 19, Malan 16) Runs suddenly come for Hameed, thanks to Starc bowling down the leg side. A glance fine for four, another glance for two. Then an off-side push for one.
18th over: England 45-1 (Hameed 12, Malan 15) Hameed finally finds a run off Lyon, pushed to the leg side. Malan is a bit more active, through cover for a couple. He has to be positive, otherwise he’s a sitting target.
17th over: England 42-1 (Hameed 11, Malan 13) That is why Malan is in this team. Starc on for Cummins, bowls a bit short, and Malan rides the bounce to cut it hard into the ground between gully and point for four.
The deficit is down to 236.
16th over: England 38-1 (Hameed 11, Malan 9) First loose ball from Lyon, short and Malan is ready to cut it behind point for four. Not so good for Malan a couple of balls later! He leaves a ball expecting it to turn past the off stump, and instead it comes on straight and skips just over the off bail! Lyon exclaims. Malan remains.
15th over: England 33-1 (Hameed 11, Malan 4) Bouncer from Cummins - too much help from the pitch this time and it soars over Carey for four byes. Nope, given as a wide by the umpire, so five extras and a re-bowl. Big appeal as Cummins pitches up but it was fractionally outside the leg stump. He doesn’t talk for long about a review. Goes back to a hard length to Malan, who picks the line well to leave one, then fend the next to square leg.
14th over: England 27-1 (Hameed 11, Malan 3) A full over for Lyon against Hameed, who floats around the crease and concentrates on keeping the spinner our.
13th over: England 27-1 (Hameed 11, Malan 3) Edged and survives! Malan gets to leave most of the over from Cummins alone, but has to play at the last one with a tight line on the off stump. As in the first innings, bounce from a good length, a thick edge, and it lands just in front of Carey’s left glove and ricochets off it for two runs.
12th over: England 25-1 (Hameed 11, Malan 1) A run for Malan, final ball of a testing over from Lyon. One delivery in particular gets big turn and goes past the left-hander’s edge. He pushes his single behind point.
11th over: England 24-1 (Hameed 11, Malan 0) Hameed is not reading the ball coming back into him from Cummins. Gets hit on the body again, then on the pad and survives the lbw appeal from height. He’s able to defend alright when the line goes straight on, but this inward movement could be his undoing sooner than later.
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10th over: England 24-1 (Hameed 11, Malan 0) Nathan Lyon immediately into the attack - is that because the left-handed Malan has come in? One slip and a short leg in position. Backward point, cover point, short cover, mid-off, mid-on, midwicket, short fine leg. Lyon bowling his off-breaks around the wicket. Malan blocks the straight one, misses the one that turns past his edge and into Carey’s gloves, the keeper taking the bails as Malan stretches forward.
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WICKET! Burns c Carey b Cummins 13, England 23-1
9th over: England 23-1 (Hameed 10) What a bizarre shot from the last ball. It’s all pretty normal until then: Cummins bowling a nice line, Burns leaving and blocking. Then he gets a shorter ball about armpit height, but outside the line of his body. Too close to cut, far too close, but Burns plays a weird half-jab sort of cut shot at it, just fanning really, and gets a top edge through to the keeper. The break strikes again, along with some terrible batting.
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A few minutes away from the resumption, with the Australians milling around on the boundary. Jhye Richardson is still among them - David Warner is off the field with bruised ribs. I suppose that Australia batting again is academic at this stage, so even if England do bat all day, he can come back tomorrow.
Lunch - England 23-0, trail by 255 in the third innings
That was Australia’s session, no doubt, with Travis Head continuing his jaunt on past 150, while Starc and Lyon had some fun alongside him with the bat. A first-innings lead of 278 is nothing to be sneezed at.
But at least England managed to get through without loss, their first little milestone on a road that will require many of them. The deficit is down to 255, the opening bowlers have been seen off, and the newest of the new ball.
This could be quite a tussle after the lunch break. If you want something to do in the interim, have you listened to our Ashes Daily podcast yet? I’m on with Adam Collins, after being set up by Emma John. Find it in your apps and subscribe, and you’ll hear us every day after stumps.
8th over: England 23-0 (Hameed 10, Burns 13) Another scoreless over from Hazlewood, including a nick from Hameed that doesn’t reach the cordon, and that is lunch.
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7th over: England 23-0 (Hameed 10, Burns 13) Here comes Cummins, the magnetism man, and he starts perfectly! Leaps at Hameed, takes him on the glove and lobs away into the leg side. Lands safe. Then rips past the edge of Burns, poking forward, before taking a top edge from Burns that carries just over a Jumping Jhye Richardson at midwicket! Three runs, but nearly out. Warner is off the field at the moment. That leaves Harris at third slip, which is a liability. Green at gully with the wingspan. Lyon at point. Head at mid-off. Hazlewood mid-on. Starc grazing on the boundary.
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6th over: England 0-18 (Hameed 8, Burns 10) Hazlewood is hunting for Burns’ leg stump now, and Burns is able to repel it. Angling at the left-hander’s woodwork from a right-arm-over line, and nearly there but Burns gets bat in the way and glances four. Hands on head for the bowler, he could see his target twinkling away until the last moment.
Double figures for Burns.
“This has got annihilation written all over it, the daunting task of scoring 278 to make Australia even bat again is too much for England particularly with Cummins bowling so well and Starc and Hazlewood and Lyon yet to come to the party. I’ve seen England flogged at the Gabba many a time and this looks set for Groundhog Day. Thanks for your great OBO and the Guardian cricket coverage in general.”
I’ll say to you for comfort, John Clarke, that the pitch will be at its best for batting today and possibly tomorrow, so if a couple of players can dig in for a long stay then some recovery might be possible. One never knows in this game, until it’s done.
5th over: England 0-14 (Hameed 8, Burns 6) Straightening up behind Starc’s line is Burns, keeping him out. Not much more than quarter of an hour until lunch, so that will be the first target. Flirting with danger on the leg stump again though, as Starc bowls just down that side of the wicket and doesn’t miss by much. Burns makes contact on his next attempt at a leg glance, getting Hameed on strike and given the chance to hop up on his toes and cut for four! Compact stroke, just places the bat in the right spot. Three slips, gully, point, no one at cover.
4th over: England 0-9 (Hameed 4, Burns 5) Hazlewood is a brute of a bowler. He’s not as dramatic as his teammates, but he pins players to the spot with a really difficult length, then moves the ball both ways off the surface. When it decks in and hits the body, as it does to Hameed here, you realise just how quickly he does bowl. When it decks away, as it does a minute later, you realise why he gets so many edges to the cordon.
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3rd over: England 9-0 (Hameed 4, Burns 5) Hello, Burns! That’s better for the Englishman. He plays a solid pull shot to a Starc short ball, and with the field up it goes for four. He’s still moving across his stumps, but perhaps a bit less than the brief first innings.
England have trimmed that deficit to 269.
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2nd over: England 3-0 (Hameed 3, Burns 0) Very good start from Hameed against Hazlewood, defending stoutly on the off-stump line, leaving alone outside it. Of course, as soon as the England innings has begun, a bit of cloud over has come back over. Not heavy, but it does deny seeing the ball in bright sunlight.
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1st over: England 3-0 (Hameed 3, Burns 0) Can’t imagine why there has been a mid-match change, but Haseeb Hameed is facing the first ball of the innings this time rather than Rory Burns.
Starc starts well, thundering it into the right-hander’s pad, but via the inside edge. Second up, a nasty one that rears and hit him on the elbow, I fancy, with his bat still in its backlift. Confounded by pace.
But he gets a fuller ball third up, and drives it with an English-style open face through cover for three, composed sort of stroke.
It brings Burns on strike. Leaves his first ball. Survives his second.
Reprieved from his third! Given out lbw by Paul Reiffel as Starc zings it in, over the wicket, past the inside edge. Hits him on the knee roll but with a stretched out front leg. Looks very good live, but Hameed takes pity on Burns and suggests the review, and Starc’s bounce is taking it just over middle stump.
What a beginning.
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Here we go for the third innings.
A correspondent after my own heart, Patrick Myer.
“The best way to get my 10-week-old daughter to sleep is by playing Daft Punk’s song Around the World, often. It’s made me ponder the nature of repetition and why bowlers overstep when the consequences of doing so are so high. Surely the bowling coaches are employed to ensure that every time, the start of the run up is the bathing dancers, the back foot is the skeletons, and the front foot is the robot men?”
Nyew, nyew nyew nyew nyew, nyew nyew nyew nyew, nyew nyew nyew nyew. Nyew. Nyew. Nyew...
Australia lead by 278 on the first innings
A huge score for Head, a huge score for Australia, and a huge deficit for England to face. They’ll need 278 runs to make Australia bat again. It’s possible, on this surface, if Root carries on his 2021 and a few others come with him. But it will take something special.
The roller is on the pitch, the bowlers are warming up, and we’ll start England’s reply shortly with 45 minutes until lunch.
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WICKET! Head b Wood 152, Australia all out 425
That’s it at last! One ball after Hameed drops another catch, running around from deep square leg while wearing the shin pads, trying to catch a lofted shot lunging forward but only flailing one hand at it when he could have used two, he puts down Head’s lofted flick. Two runs conceded. So Wood goes Route 1 with the next ball, straight and off stump, and Head trying to make room to carve misses out and the bails fly.
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150 for Travis Head from 143 balls
104th over: Australia 425-9 (Head 152, Hazlewood 0) Leach will be in the firing line now, with Head on strike and nine wickets down. First ball, whack! Slog-sweep through deep square, four. Head charges and tries the same shot but only drags a single.
103rd over: Australia 420-9 (Head 147, Hazlewood 0) Josh Hazlewood comes out at No11. He’s a left-hand bat despite being a right-arm bowler. Two slips and a gully only. Wood bumps him, in at the ribs, right-arm around the wicket. Hazlewood gloves it away. Australia’s media manager doesn’t have much faith, setting up for the post-innings interview on the boundary line. Hazlewood digs out a full ball to close the over.
WICKET! Lyon c Robinson b Wood 15, Australia 420-9
Nathan Lyon lights up the Gabba on 420. Doesn’t much fancy the pace of wood. Gets four off the top edge with a pull shot that is dropped by Buttler, periscoping one arm up behind the stumps. But it only costs England those four runs, as Lyon goes again at the next ball and gets a much higher top edge that drops into the hands of square leg not too far from the pitch.
JACK LEACH IS BOWLING
102nd over: Australia 415-8 (Head 146, Lyon 11) I thought England had frozen him in carbonite like Han Solo or something. 11 overs, 1 for 95 yesterday. But he’ll get a go after drinks. Lyon edges a single. Head takes two balls to come down the wicket and attack, but can’t beat cover. In the end just a couple of singles from the over. An early deep breath for Leach.
Malan is off the field again. Been off three times in 90 minutes. I think he has the runs. (Uniquely among England players.)
101st over: Australia 413-8 (Head 145, Lyon 10) Nearly bowled, is Head, as he steps across his stumps in an effort to use Wood’s pace and deflect him high over fine leg. Misses completely, and it zips past his leg stump. But he nails the shot four balls later - after he’s scored a run and Lyon has pulled three - off his pads and way over long leg for six! Long boundary at the Gabba but that carries all the way.
Here’s Richard Williams. “I know we’ve all been dealing with covid and that but there’s nothing like staying up late for a horrible first two days in the opening test of an Ashes series Down Under to really make you depressed. Sorry, I mean come on England!”
100th over: Australia 403-8 (Head 138, Lyon 7) It’s looking pretty comfortable out there for Lyon, driving crisply for none to mid-off after tucking two runs off his pads. Woakes bowling with two staggered slips, a fifth slip / gully, and a backward point - bets hedged. His final ball dies through to the keeper. The lead is 256.
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99th over: Australia 400-8 (Head 137, Lyon 1) Oh, England. A boundary for Lyon now, who tucks into a pull shot from Stokes. Can’t say he nails it, but it trickles away behind square for four. Another Australian milestone arrives.
98th over: Australia 395-8 (Head 136, Lyon 1) Lyon has five balls to face after a leg bye. Appeal from Woakes against Lyon after beating the inside edge, but that’s going well down the leg side. Before that... was that a chance? Just saw it on the replay, Lyon’s straight drive actually carried past Woakes on the full, and bowler got a hand to it. Another one down.
97th over: Australia 394-8 (Head 136, Lyon 1) A bit of Nathan Lyon, then, as Lou Bega might have sung had his interests been differently aligned. Lyon always gets super nervous before he bats, but he’s entertaining for the crowd. Head dinks a ball to square leg, short of the onrushing Hameed, after skewing an edge to deep third. One run apiece for those shots. Lyon picks up his first in between.
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“How did you manage to magic your way into Brisbane, then?” asks Andrew Benton. “I like Brisbane loads - though its the only Aussie city I’ve been to - nice weather, and nice people. My old mate has a bamboo farm a bit north of there - its quite a place to wander around under the cathedral of bamboo poles. Would be a good place for England to go meditate and get some much-needed inspiration!”
I magicked my way in by being willing to do two weeks of isolation for three days of cricket. Simple, unsubtle, but effective. The price to pay.
WICKET! Starc c Burns b Woakes 35, Australia 391-8
96th over: Australia 391-8 (Head 134) The Warwickshire Wizard is back for another spell. The cauldron isn’t to his liking initially. Starc smites him through long on for four. Stuart Broad wanders around the boundary line in his training kit to have a chat with Rory Burns at deep midwicket. The reason for that is a mystery. “You’ll be on for a bowl soon Burnsy, pitch it up”? But perhaps Broad’s visit is a benediction. Because from the last ball of the over, Starc aims a huge swipe, and Burns has time to settle underneath it and avoid dropping another catch.
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95th over: Australia 386-7 (Head 133, Starc 31) Ben Stokes comes on to bowl for the first time today, and Travis Head slots him for six! Second ball, lofted drive on the up, sailing over the rope. That’s a statement piece. He follows up with a pull shot, hard but only for one run with Hameed strolling disconsolately in the deep.
94th over: Australia 379-7 (Head 126, Starc 31) Dawid Malan is back on the field, so perhaps that injury story was a false alarm. A false Malan? Anyway, he’s out there. Fielding at short straight mid-on, next to the non-striker. No use as Starc belts a straight drive underneath the feet of a leaping Robinson in his follow-through, four runs.
The Australian lead is 232.
93rd over: Australia 375-7 (Head 126, Starc 27) Serious pace and carry from Wood as he cranks up the catapult again. It zooms past Head’s bat, nowhere near it. But Head steers away a couple of runs, glances a single, then Starc gets a thick edge through the gap for four. The pain keeps coming for England.
92nd over: Australia 367-7 (Head 123, Starc 22) Robinson keeps probing away, this time beating Starc on the inside edge and beating his off stump at the same time. Head is happy collecting singles at the moment.
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91st over: Australia 366-7 (Head 122, Starc 22) Wood to Starc, and you have to admit, the Australian quick has dished out plenty but can take it as well. Looks quite calm against the pace, ducks the short ball, clips a couple of runs when it’s straight.
90th over: Australia 364-7 (Head 122, Starc 20) Robinson is bowling pretty well to Head now. Starts outside off stump, tracks back gradually, and has him play another couple of false shots. Head’s weak spot, but he has seemed impervious to good bowling in this innings.
89th over: Australia 362-7 (Head 120, Starc 20) Mark Wood to Starc, this could be a contest, as Head cuts a run to deep point. Two staggered slips and a backward point for Wood, with cover, mid-off, mid-on, midwicket, deep square leg and fine leg. Starc cuts between point and cover for two. No bouncers from Wood.
88th over: Australia 359-7 (Head 119, Starc 18) Robinson to Head, who is still happy to play a shot a ball. A good line from Robinson though means that he finds the field each time, until guiding a single past gully.
Sam writes from the airport. “About to board my flight home having witnessed the first two days with my very close, and very vocal, Australian friend. Memories to take home and cherish, even as an Englishman hoping for a way back into this game. Alas, it can be done! I have seen England rebound and they have 3 whole days to do so (over rate permitting). Bring it on I say. Wishing for Burns to be 50+ upon hitting the tarmac. Enjoy the cricket!”
87th over: Australia 358-7 (Head 118, Starc 18) Second over of the day, and Woakes increasingly looks no teeth, all gums. Drops short without effect, and Head pummels that pull shot for four. Woakes strays down leg, conceding an extra off the thigh pad, allowing Mitchell Starc a look at him. One look is all it takes, Starc using his full height and driving off the back foot through long-on for four. Now that’s a shot.
86th over: Australia 349-7 (Head 114, Starc 14) The batting fast bowler stayed around in defensive mode last night, but he’s keen to get going this morning. Lofts a drive from Robinson between the bowler and mid-off, not hitting it cleanly but getting a run down the ground for his trouble. Head opens the face to push to point, then gets an overthrow as Hameed pings the ball between keeper and first slip. Start as you mean to go on, I guess...
85th over: Australia 347-7 (Head 113, Starc 13) Chris Woakes starts us off, and draws a couple of half-false shots to begin with: Head off the outside portion behind point, Starc off the inside through square leg. Starc picks up three runs for his trouble though, after a Head single.
“Probably been mentioned before. Practising in nets, why don’t bowlers or coaches pay more attention to the line?” asks Steve Richards. “And a simple free-hit penalty seems to have sharpened minds in 20/20. Would that be fun in Tests? Especially if the slip / gully / short-leg field has to remain in place?”
Generally the video system picks up every no-ball these days, so there is already an impost with the extra delivery and extra run. But it can sometimes - as we saw with Jasprit Bumrah during the English summer - be in a bowler’s interests to get a few extra deliveries at a player. So it’s not perfect. But few things are.
An England injury update: Stokes is ok to bowl, Robinson is fine and only had cramp... but Dawid Malan isn’t out there today. Did a hamstring, apparently, from chasing leather all day. Zak Crawley is out there in his place.
Here come the players, into the bright Brisbane sunshine. Travis Head resumes on 112 not out, of course. He’s joined by Mitchell Starc out there, with Australia’s lead at 196. Chris Woakes has the ball in hand. Here we go then...
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Pat Cummins for prime minister? “I said for years I think Imran Khan is now the president of Pakistan,” says Langer. “He was the captain. No reason why a fast bowler can’t be a captain. He’s so so composed. Huge upside in Pat Cummins’s leadership. The way... He’s a superstar player. But the way he goes go his business he’s so well respected. He’s calm, he’s relaxed and started off so well for him. Let’s hope it continues.”
Langer on Travis Head: “What I love about it, if you look back on the history of Australian cricket players get dropped and they either... Two things happen. They either get better or they fall by the way side. Travis Head is another great example. He’s gone away... I loved how he was covering his off stump. He was getting across. That brings his pull shot in, his cut. Playing on drive to get his 100 up. That’s one of the toughest shots in the books. He’s really improved his game. He’s so composed and it’s great to have him back in the team.”
Australia coach Justin Langer is speaking to host broadcaster Channel Seven.
“It’s been amazing the way the boys have gone about their business. Great to bowl first on the first morning and relentless yesterday. Dave Warner partnership with Marnus was incredible. Travis Head coming back from not playing for a while, what an innings that was.”
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It wouldn’t be an Ashes Test without a degree of controversy, and yesterday was no different as a pretty major tech failure - with the no-ball camera system not working - made headlines for the wrong reasons. More on that below:
Weather report: There was a big electrical storm in the skies over Brisbane last night, but the players will be bathed in sunshine when they walk out onto the Gabba turf in about 20 minutes for the start of today’s play.
Or if you want some more detail in an audio medium, Adam Collins and I are doing 15-minute reviews of each day for the Guardian on The Final Word podcast. Emma John is sitting up late to write beautiful summaries of the day before we get into the analysis. You can find this on normal podcast apps anywhere, or here.
Here is Ali Martin’s wrap of the day yesterday, in text form.
Preamble
A big Brisbane hello to all of you out there in the world, from the few of us in here, in the privileged position to actually be at this match. Most of the press contingent is in Sydney or Melbourne doing it remotely, but there is a hardy few banded together at the Woolloongabba ground.
And you’d scarcely credit it, but the skies are largely blue, the radar is clear, and the forecast is mostly sunny at a top of 31 degrees by the sensible scale of measurement. The score is Australia 343 for 7 in the second innings, after England’s 147 in the first.
But there is a way back into this match for England. The deficit is 196. The weather is set fair for the next two days. The way is: get these last three wickets quickly, then bat like a dream. Make about 400, get a couple of hundred ahead, and be in the game on the final day.
It may not seem likely at this stage, but I would guess this pitch will be its best to bat on today and tomorrow, with more time in the sun. Given Australia’s push towards 400, England could make one too.
But of course, that depends on getting those three wickets. And we’ve seen the last few partnerships put on plenty before. One of the players resuming will be Travis Head on 112 not out from 95 balls, having made one of the fastest ever Test centuries by an Australian. He trusted his hands and eye last night, played a shot at each ball, and it worked for him. If he can push on today, he can shut the gate on even that narrow English avenue back into the game.
