Scott Boland, the least qualified batter in the match, has scored 13 without being out. David Warner and Rory Burns, the two men entrusted with facing the first ball for either side, have been out three times and made not a single run. It’s a foony game.
Sam Billings, who has batted well and kept wicket superbly on his Test debut, is now giving an interview. And he’s good at that too, just like last summer, when he was captaining Oval Invincibles in The Hundred. “All results are still possible, absolutely,” he tells David Gower. “Tomorrow the first session’s going to be huge. You’ve got to look at those big moments in each game and really grasp them.”
That’s it from me. Thanks for your company, your correspondence and your support for Boland: The Musical, or possibly The Western.
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Stumps! Australia 37-3
19th over: Australia 37-3 (Smith 17, Boland 3) England are rushing around, trying to get another over in, but the batters are wise to this and it’s not going to happen. Wood gives it his all as ever, almost producing a lethal yorker off the last ball, but the hero of Boland: The Musical makes it through to the close. He’s faced 25 balls out of the 35 since Khawaja was out.
So that’s the end of a riveting day that has brought 17 wickets. Australia added 42 for four this morning, as Chris Woakes the bowler came to the party at last. England lost both openers cheaply but battled their way to a decent position, with Malan and Root going well, only to throw it all away in true English fashion.
Sam Billings did well on debut, and Woakes cashed in on a couple of dropped catches, but 188 all out was another feeble effort to add to England’s collection. At the close, even though they’ve bowled well again, Australia are sitting pretty with a lead of 152 and Steve Smith still there.
“Re Boland the Musical,” says Jane Evans, “a classic Western, surely? Bowlin’, bowlin’, Boland …”
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18th over: Australia 37-3 (Smith 17, Boland 3) Robinson is still asking all the right questions, while possibly alarming his osteopath. He has stepped up the pace from medium to medium-fast, around 81mph. Billings thinks he’s got Boland caught behind, but nobody else seems very interested. Billings’s demeanour behind the stumps has been spot-on – positive, smiley, relishing the occasion. If this is to be his only Test, he’s making sure he enjoys it.
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17th over: Australia 36-3 (Smith 17, Boland 2) Wood keeps it spicy, but the batters keep him out. Boland pops one up and would be caught at silly point if there was a man in there.
Here’s Brian Withington. “Talk of stage and screen,” he muses, “has me wondering whether England’s Ashes performance might be viewed through the prism of The Producers, where messrs Giles and Silverwood channel Bialystock and Bloom by conspiring to sabotage the tour at the expense of a bunch of hapless (OBO) angels? Show stopping numbers might include ‘Springtime for Harrison and ECB’ as the cast sing and dance to potential box office oblivion.”
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16th over: Australia 34-3 (Smith 16, Boland 1) A maiden from Robinson, who continues to pepper the pads, but Boland survives. There’s now some light rain falling. As so often in this strange series, the conditions are ridiculously English. It’s like those moments in the Bond movies when Bond arrives in the villain’s lair to find that without even asking he’s being offered a dry Martini, shaken not stirred.
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15th over: Australia 34-3 (Smith 16, Boland 1) Mark Wood is on fire. The ball that was far too hot for Khawaja to handle was clocked at 91mph. The Aussies are wary enough to send out a nightwatchman with 20 minutes to go. It’s Scott Boland – more fodder for the musical I’m planning. Batting for the second time today, he just about survives a couple of short balls and then pushes to backward point for a single, to nick the strike. So he’s got some courage as well as some skill.
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Wicket! Khawaja c Billings b Wood 11 (Australia 33-3)
Another one! And it’s a snorter from Wood, flicking Khawaja’s glove and very nearly taking his head off.
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14th over: Australia 33-2 (Khawaja 11, Smith 12) Robinson continues and raps Smith on the pad, repeatedly. Smith is playing so badly here that he’s almost certain to get a hundred.
13th over: Australia 33-2 (Khawaja 11, Smith 16) After all those dots, Khawaja has gone from famine to feast. As Mark Wood replaces Broad, he uses the extra pace to clip for two and thick-edge for four. In between there’s a big appeal for caught behind. Khawaja is getting stuck in the crease – and showing how much harder it is to open the batting than to swan in at No.5 when the ball is old.
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12th over: Australia 27-2 (Khawaja 5, Smith 16) Hang on, it’s Ollie Robinson! Back from his back spasm, not with a bang but with some medium pace, 73-76mph. But that steep bounce is still there and he comes close to nabbing Smith, not once but twice. First, there’s a nick that bisects the keeper and leg slip, and then there’s an LBW appeal as Smith plays no stroke – going over the top. That’s a great effort from a wounded soldier.
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11th over: Australia 23-2 (Khawaja 5, Smith 12) Khawaja adds a four, without any conviction – it’s a full ball in the channel from Broad, sliced past gully. England have bowled well, but can they keep it up with only Mark Wood (I presume) as a change seamer?
10th over: Australia 19-2 (Khawaja 1, Smith 12) In the first innings David Warner somehow managed to make a 22-ball duck. In this one Khawaja reaches 24 balls without troubling the scorers, but then goes and ruins it by flicking Woakes to long leg for a single.
9th over: Australia 18-2 (Khawaja 0, Smith 12) Broad beats Smith with a beauty. Smith is at his most hyper, pulling out his trademark non-shot, the exaggerated leave. He’s hogging the strike, too: he has already faced 21 balls, two more than Khawaja.
“Australia 7-2 and 5-2 in this Test,” says Andy Zaltzman on Twitter. “12 runs is the second fewest runs they’ve added in a Test for the first 2 wickets since the 19th century (when dismissed in both innings).”
8th over: Australia 17-2 (Khawaja 0, Smith 12) Woakes now thinks he’s got Smith LBW, but as the ball dribbles away to the rope, a four is signalled. And the umpire is right again – it was yet another inside edge. That’s the first boundary of the innings and there’s another, off the middle, as Smith cover-drives with some intensity. In between, there was a glimmer of a run-out chance as Khawaja sent Smith back, quite rightly.
7th over: Australia 9-2 (Khawaja 0, Smith 4) No alarms in this over from Broad as Smith tucks into the on side for a single.
“Hello from very grey London!” says Cordelia. “Knowing Australia they’ll be 12/3 again and then make England chase 400. Just making a cuppa tea and swallowing my bitter hopes…”
6th over: Australia 8-2 (Khawaja 0, Smith 3) Woakes bowls an exemplary ball to the left-hander, nipping away off a length, and thinks he’s got Khawaja caught behind. Umpire Wilson disagrees, England review, but there’s nothing on Snicko.
5th over: Australia 8-2 (Khawaja 0, Smith 3) Smith, facing Broad, continues to live dangerously. Broad is pitching it up, aiming at the stumps, sometimes drifting down well leg. “I don’t mind that,” says Steve Harmison, who knows a thing or two about spraying it around in Australia.
4th over: Australia 6-2 (Khawaja 0, Smith 1) In comes Steve Smith, on a pair like Warner, his partner in crime. He’s twitchy even by his high standards, getting so far across to off that he has to be LBW, except that he’s not – saved as so often by his exceptional eye. He gets off his pair with a single, but only by wafting outside off. He may be the worst-looking great batter of all time.
Wicket! Labuschagne c Billings b Woakes 5 (Australia 5-2)
Another strangle down the leg side! And it’s karma for Woakes, who was out that way himself about five minutes ago.
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3rd over: Australia 5-1 (Khawaja 0, Labuschagne 5) Broad beats Usman Khawaja outside off.
“Re: the Scott Boland musical at over 33,” says Rowan Sweeney. “I feel it could have a throwback, Grease sort of vibe, making Dan Sultan a shoo-in for the lead role. Your thoughts on the rest of the cast?” I suspect Olivia Newton-John is available.
2nd over: Australia 4-1 (Khawaja 0, Labuschagne 4) With Ollie Robinson injured, the new ball is shared by Chris Woakes. He find some swing and squares Marnus Labuschagne up, producing a squirt past gully. Rory Burns, chasing after it, attempts a dive that turns into an awkward fall and a sore knee. He’s not having a great comeback here.
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1st over: Australia 1-1 (Khawaja 0, Labuschagne 1) A replay from above shows Warner going at the ball with his hands and forgetting to move his feet. Broad, who just loves bowling to him, joins Robinson and Wood as England’s leading wicket-taker of the series, on a rather modest 11. Cummins and Starc have 18 apiece.
“Serious question,” says Eamonn Maloney. “For as long as Broad remains good enough to be picked as a bowler – and he has been England’s best in the series – do you now just DNB him? He looks terrified of being injured, which is surely a self fulfilling prophecy, and he’s no good to you as a bowler if he gets hurt. He’s been a terrific villain down here but that was just sad.”
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Wicket! Warner c Pope b Broad 0 (Australia 0-1)
Warner gets a pair! Broad gets his man! And Ollie Pope gets a great catch, leaping to his right at backward point.
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“Greetings from deepest darkest Devon,” says Charles Sheldrick. “Can we stop playing day/night matches in Auz? It is so much nicer to wake up to read the obituary that watch the last rites.
“Still it will soon be over. One more morning of torture and the Tests will be done. Going to go to the allotment and dig a big hole. No particular reason, just feels appropriate. Keep up the good work on the OBO.”
Wicket!! Wood b Cummins 16 (England 188 all out)
Wood, with only the injured Robinson for company, decides it’s time for some hit-and-giggle. He almost wallops Cummins for a straight six, then steps away and misses a full straight one. And England’s tail, which wagged briefly, is now between their legs. Australia lead by 115.
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47th over: England 182-9 (Wood 10) So Woakes finally departs after surviving two dropped catches early on. He went on to make England’s top score, for what that’s worth, and he is now fourth in the England batting averages for the series, just behind Billings. And Broad continues his trajectory from almost-all-rounder to utter rabbit. Next time he complains about England’s batting, he might want to name and shame himself.
Wicket! Broad b Starc 0 (England 182-9)
Stuart Broad gets a ball he could easily leave and inside-edges it onto his stumps. He lasted four balls and looked like getting out to every one of them.
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Wicket! Woakes c Carey b Starc 36 (England 182-8)
Another one! And it’s another strangle down the leg side – not given by the umpire, but well reviewed by Cummins, as HotSpot shows the faintest of edges.
46th over: England 180-7 (Woakes 34, Wood 10) Now they’re even tucking into Cummins. Woakes chips him over midwicket, for just a single, and then Wood blasts him past cover for four. The partnership is already 28, off only 25 balls, but Australia still have a comfy lead of 123.
45th over: England 174-7 (Woakes 34, Wood 5) It’s a double change as Starc joins his opening partner. He’s been expensive on this pitch, just as Wood and Woakes were yesterday, and that continues as they help themselves to four singles and a four, squirted through the slips by Woakes. The TV director gives us a general view of the ground and it’s a picture – the hills, the clouds, the lights, the moon, the lot.
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44th over: England 163-7 (Woakes 28, Wood 1) Green’s reward for taking his first wicket of the match is to be taken off as Cummins brings himself back. Woakes plays two false shots outside off, one in orthodox fashion, the other stepping away to have a mow. In between, Wood gets off the mark with a measured push into the covers. He’s good enough batter, surely, to enable Woakes to play normally.
43rd over: England 161-7 (Woakes 27, Wood 0) Woakes, unruffled by the loss of his partner, guides Boland between third slip and gully for four. If Pat Cummins believed in attacking fields, that would have been a dot. And Boland’s Test average goes into double figures! He now has 15 for 154.
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42nd over: England 152-7 (Woakes 22, Wood 0) For the first time in his Test career, Billings wasn’t very switched on there. Woakes had just received a similar ball, played a shaky hook and got six for it – so, as with Pope, a warning had been issued.
Wicket! Billings c Boland b Green 29 (England 152-7)
Nooo! Billings pulls a lifter from Green, doesn’t get on top of it, and gives a simple catch to fine leg. That was the worst decision he made in a promising first Test innings.
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41st over: England 145-6 (Billings 29, Woakes 15) Woakes, facing Boland, picks up a streaky two off a thick inside edge, but finds his feet and adds a classy four with his signature shot, the cover drive. Billings gets four too, with a squirt past gully, playing it late enough to get on top of it. Ten off the over! From Boland! The counter-attack is on.
40th over: England 134-6 (Billings 25, Woakes 9) For a change, Green beats Billings on the inside edge, cutting him in half like an old-school magician. But Billings, composed as ever, spots a juicy full one and off-drives to the rope. That’s his fifth four, so he’s top equal with Malan.
39th over: England 130-6 (Billings 21, Woakes 9) Boland continues too and beats Woakes with another booming outswinger. Are you Jimmy in disguise?
38th over: England 129-6 (Billings 20, Woakes 9) Cameron Green is still on, finding both lift and movement. Billings does well to play-and-miss and then to steal a single after fending off a lifter. Woakes gets the one bad ball of the over, a half-volley, and straight-drives it beautifully for four. “A classical on-drive,” says Mark Ramprakash.
“Good morning Tim.” Good morning Kim Thonger. “It seems inevitable to me that Woakes will lead the fightback with a fine century, so may I suggest now that the selectors in future choose him as a batsman overseas and a bowler at home?” Ha. There’s only one selector at the moment, Chris Silverwood. That’s a big part of the problem.
On the telly, Mark Butcher and Alastair Cook are discussing that awful stroke from Ollie Pope, and England’s feeble batting in general. “It’s almost back to the drawing board after this series,” says Cook, “because you can’t reinvent the wheel.”
Vaughan: “Any message for Stuart Broad?”
Foxy: “Probably time he should go home” Photograph: Fox
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37th over: England 124-6 (Billings 19, Woakes 5) Woakes is dropped again, wafting at Boland and seeing Usman Khawaja tip it round the post as he goes to his left at third slip. Had he left it, Steve Smith at second slip might well have held it. Woakes, like Pope, has played Boland as if he hasn’t even watched the last two Tests.
And that’s tea, with Australia all over England, and England all over the place – though Sam Billings has shown some promise and composure. His job now is to marshal the tail and try to scrape 200. He’ll have to play two roles at once: the boy stood on the burning deck, and the boss.
36th over: England 124-6 (Billings 19, Woakes 5) Woakes clips a single off Green, but only after being beaten yet again outside off. To be fair to England’s bowlers, the Australian seamers have the lights on their side here. It’s also warmer than yesterday, which may be adding to the movement through the air. But we may have to brace ourselves for the possibility that Australia are just a much better team at the moment.
35th over: England 123-6 (Billings 19, Woakes 4) Billings sees that dab for four from Woakes and thinks he’ll have one of those too. If he stays in for another 20 minutes, he’ll be England’s top scorer.
“I always feel a bit sorry for Billings,” says Tom van der Gucht. “He’s always had Bairstow and Buttler ahead of him in the ODI team, limiting his chances. Yet, with the Test and ODI squads potentially set to diverge in the future, could this be his time to shine and bring his counter attacking skills to the longer form in the Gilchrist style we’ve been hoping to see from Buttler for the past half decade?”
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34th over: England 119-6 (Billings 15, Woakes 4) Woakes gets off the mark with a dab for four off Green. And then he plays and misses, even though the ball jagged into him. The Aussies are making the old ball talk, whereas for England it didn’t do much after the opening salvo.
33rd over: England 115-6 (Billings 15, Woakes 0) Boland beats Billings with a really good ball, boomeranging away from the channel. Just before Pope’s howler, Boland was in danger of seeing his Test average creep up into double figures. It’s now back below nine – in his third Test, he has 15 wickets for 134 from 64 overs. His story is the stuff that dreams are made of. And Disney musicals.
32nd over: England 115-6 (Billings 15, Woakes 0) Cummins does love a bowling change: it’s the only way, so far, in which his captaincy has been creative. (Not that it has needed to be.) He makes another change now, replacing himself with Cameron Green: height for height. Billings plays a handsome force off the back foot. He’s showing good temperament here, not letting the situation get to him.
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31st over: England 110-6 (Billings 10, Woakes 0) The really maddening thing about that was that Pope had got away with it off the first ball of Boland’s over, cover-driving at thin air. He had never faced Boland before, yet it didn’t occur to him to have a look and leave a few. And Woakes is dropped, first ball –a simple chance to Warner at first slip. The shambles is back.
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Wicket! Pope c Carey b Boland 14 (England 110-6)
Another one! And it’s a poor shot from a good player – Pope pushing out at a tempter outside off, with nothing to gain and everything to lose.
30th over: England 110-5 (Pope 14, Billings 10) Pope clips another fluent four, with added wristiness this time, but Cummins has both batters in some bother as the pink ball grips this green surface. “It’s still doing plenty,” says McGrath.
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29th over: England 105-5 (Pope 9, Billings 10) Pope, facing Starc again, takes a quick single and finds Billings, a very alert cricketer, responding eagerly. Dear Zak and Rory, that’s how it’s done.
28th over: England 104-5 (Pope 8, Billings 10) Billings spots another half-volley from Cummins and off-drives for his first four in Tests, which brings up the hundred. Next ball, same again, and England have avoided the follow-on. There must be a false shot coming – yes, a thick edge, but he keeps it down.
“England player of the series,” says John Plunkett, “has to be Steven Finn. Funny and enlightening on TMS, plus I can’t listen to him without immediately thinking of Greg from Succession, so it’s an all-round win.”
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27th over: England 96-5 (Pope 8, Billings 2) Pope is off the mark too, getting forward to Starc and easing him through the covers for four. Next ball he tucks for four to midwicket, also with ease, but then Starc beats him outside off. Twice. If Pope isn’t careful, he will become An Enigma.
26th over: England 88-5 (Pope 0, Billings 2) Cummins continues. He’s been the main man today, with three for 17. Pope takes a leg-bye and Sam Billings faces his first ball, greeting it with a punchy back-foot push back to the bowler. Second ball, he gets a friendly half-volley on the pads, clips it for a couple and allows himself a smile. “England needed an injection of youth,” says Glenn McGrath. Billings is 30.
Welcome to Test cricket, Sam Billings.
25th over: England 85-5 (Pope 0) Stokes had already flirted with danger once in that over, glanceing Starc between the keeper and leg slip. And that’s drinks with this series threatening to finish just as it began – a green surface, a hundred from Travis Head, a shambles from England.
WICKET! Stokes c Lyon b Starc 4 (England 85-5)
Stokes cuts Starc and Nathan Lyon takes a great catch in the gully. It’s yet another England collapse.
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24th over: England 81-4 (Stokes 0, Pope 0)
Cummins threatened with a couple that jagged back violently and he finally had his man. Two new batsmen, twilight, pink ball, and Cummins. He has 3-17. It’s ominous for England. That’s just about me done, you’ll have Tim de Lisle now. Thanks for having me!
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WICKET! Root LBW Cummins 34 (England 81-4)
What a delivery from Cummins. He has Root trapped on the crease with one that nips back viciously and Umpire Tucker gives it immediately. Root doesn’t bother reviewing. DRS shows it was umpire’s call, but it still. looked. very. out. If that’s possible. England in trouble.
23rd over: England 81-3 (Root 34, Stokes 0)
Simon Katich on SEN radio is suggesting that Starc has rarely bowled seam up this innings. Perhaps when he does, he’s swinging it? The first is very wayward and Root has to reach to get himself some runs to fine leg. Boland runs around and stops one, good good fielding. Starc’s too straight again, so Root helps himself off the hip for another. Starc’s then down leg to Stokes, who misses. The final one is nearly a wide, outside off.
From Paul Turp: “Morning Sam, am admittedly fuelled by coffee and optimism, but is fair to say with Crawley, Root, Malan, YJB, Stokes and, say, Foakes, we’re maybe only one opener from potential batting competence. As I write that, Malan has tickled one. As you were! Cheers”
Morning Paul ...
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22nd over: England 78-3 (Root 31, Stokes 0)
Cummins replaces Green. The big two bowlers up against England’s most likely bats, under lights. Cummins is wide of the crease to Root, is full and makes a half shout before realising Root has smashed it into his pad. Root then nabs another single to Labuschagne. Cummins then takes Malan’s inside edge down the leg side, removing him (see below). The breeze is at Cummins’ back now, his last one flies through the Carey, who takes it fingers up.
Malangled down the leg side. #Ashes
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) January 15, 2022
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WICKET! Malan c Carey b Cummins 25 (England 78-3)
Oh no. Malan is caught down the leg side. It’s a full, rank delivery nowhere near the stumps, Malan is trying to flick it, and it takes an inside edge. Taken easily by Carey. The Australians laugh. Such an innocuous dismissal. Now the lights are on.
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21st over: England 77-2 (Malan 25, Root 30)
Starc replaces Boland, and he offers a full, half-volley to Root, who makes no mistake in crunching him to the boundary. If Starc is wayward here, Root could well capitalise. And again, Starc is now on Root’s pads, and he clips for two. Root is 27 from 34. But then Starc is full again, a big shout for LBW, turned down, but they’re REVIEWING! Don’t think there was bat, it looked pretty adjacent. Hits Root’s knee roll, I think the main issue is whether it’s going to be hitting the stumps. Impact is Umpire’s Call, but it’s missing the wickets, Root survives. Australia lose the review. Root was beaten, but the ball wasn’t coming back enough. The next one does come back but Root uses it to flick him through square for three. Breezy stuff from Root, but Starc will be encouraged by the movement. Malan gets one that swings from the hand, it’s just a floaty half volley and Malan slaps him square for four. Big over.
Malan has had a tricky start so far playing 30% false shots. Australia have found his edge with tighter lines. He's cashed on fuller deliveries and attacked when offered some width. He's trusted the bounce & left deliveries on the same line, above stump height. #Ashes @IGcom pic.twitter.com/VJQfrSOCFK
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) January 15, 2022
20th over: England 64-2 (Malan 21, Root 21)
Root’s getting busy, he tries to take another single in front of point but there isn’t one there. Green looks more likely bowling to the Yorkshireman. He’s hitting the wicket hard and Root can’t get forward. Doesn’t stop him looking for runs, and Lyon stops another at backward point. Root can be susceptible when quietened, but the paradox is that he’s rarely quietened, and he hammers one to cover, which bursts through the fielder and allows Root a single. Green is around the wicket to Malan and oooh, that just misses off stump. Always bouncing over, on replay. Malan then steers Green behind point for four, nice and bright now from England.
PITT!
— Dan (@theSportress) January 15, 2022
THE!
ELDER!!!! pic.twitter.com/txH2xA3BdX
Apropos of little ... just enjoyed it.
19th over: England 59-2 (Malan 17, Root 20)
ooooooh Root caresses one sumptuously through the covers for four. Time. Elbow up. That’s good to see. And rare to see from Boland’s bowling. He pulls his length back for the remainder, one keeping a little low at one point, seaming in. Root still finds a single in front of point, he’s picking things up.
18th over: England 54-2 (Malan 17, Root 15)
It’s Green, and Root scores again through leg. Malan is taking a little more time - he nearly squeezes through the off side but Lyon makes an excellent diving save at point. He’s lacking fluency, Dawid, but he then manages to slash one that bounces over Lyon at point for four. It picked up pace off the practice wickets, sliding nicely over point.
17th over: England 49-2 (Malan 13, Root 14)
Looks like Boland has Root caught behind but it’s merely a play and miss - one of those on TV where the ball follows the trajectory of a nick. More heads are thrown back and Root survives. The next one is worked nicely through the onside all the way to the boundary, and the following is a single (“good cricket”). Root looking to score now, which is probably the way to make progress on this deck. Malan is now defending with the characteristic open face to square. But then Boland beats him al ends up with one that pitches and leaves him.
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16th over: England 44-2 (Malan 13, Root 9)
Root confidently flicks Green through mid wicket for three to begin things this over, it was too full and capitalised upon from just outside off, and then Malan drives him handsomely through the offside for four. That’s a bit better from Dawin. Now, what’s this? Green cuts Malan in half and is that an appeal for caught behind? No one’s really into it, BUT ... snicko is suggesting a nick! Justin Langer winces and throws his head back in the viewing area. I think it took bat.
Malan has absolutely smashed that
— Ben Jones (@benjonescricket) January 15, 2022
15th over: England 37-2 (Malan 9, Root 6)
Khawaja has wandered into leg gully as Boland reverts to around-the-wicket. We’re seeing replays of Khawaja snaring Boland in this very position now, just for fun. Three leaves in a row. The final one spits up and takes the lower handle - Malan’s hand comes off his bat. Maiden. Malan is strangely sedate this innings.
Somehow, Dawid Malan seemed to forget to pop his box in after the dinner break. #Ashes
— Andrew Donnison (@Donno79) January 15, 2022
Is this true?
14th over: England 37-2 (Malan 9, Root 6)
It’s Cameron Green from the other end. Is he freshly shorn around the sides of his hair? Is the fade a little higher? Might just be me. He’s slamming the ball from this great height into the wicket, and Root finds two behind square. Cummins fancies Green to Root - who’ll get it done this time? Green finishes with a beauty to beat Root, who was late and hanging his bat at it.
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13th over: England 35-2 (Malan 9, Root 4)
Boland resumes after the dinner break. He’s bowling to Root and you know where he’s landing it. But you’re here, so why don’t I describe it anyway? He’s bowling from “mid-crease”, slightly angling into to Root, pitching the ball fractionally short of a good length, tracking on fourth stump, and Root is either defending straight to mid on, or leaving. His fifth is on Root’s pads, so the England skipper gathers one to deep backward square. Malan strokes the last to shortish mid-off, not quick attacked, not quite defended. Just ... languidly stroked.
DINNER: England 34-2 (Malan 9, Root 3)
After a flurry from Nathan Lyon with the bat, Australia got to work with the ball and will be happy to pick up two wickets before things get dark. Rory Burns was the victim of some Zak Crawley hesitancy and some slick Marnus Labuschagne fielding, and he was narrowly run out without scoring. Welcome back to Test cricket, Rory. Cummins and Boland then settled in for a spell of typically tight and challenging bowling, and Australia’s skipper got his rewards when he removed Crawley, who had begun to (again) look dangerous. Crawley was dealing with anything full, short or wide, until Cummins got one to jag back fractionally and take his inside edge, which ballooned up off his pad to Travis Head’s alligator hands, judging from the South Australian’s reaction.
At the other end, Malan has looked in nothing but survival mode. England will be hoping that the wicket continues to flatten, and that the Australians - five Tests in - flatten, too. They’ve a bit of a mountain to climb, and they’ll need Root, who by his standards is due. Matters will resume in circa 35 minutes, under luminescent Hobart skies. Catch you then.
12th over: England 34-2 (Malan 9, Root 3)
Last one before the dinner(?) break. Root breaks the shackles, somewhat - he shuffles across the wicket and down the deck and works Cummins through mid wicket for three. Malan has four to see out, and he’s tight enough. That’s the break.
Three overs without a wicket just about constitutes an extended run of poor form for Scott Boland the way he's been going.
— Brydon Coverdale (@brydoncoverdale) January 15, 2022
11th over: England 31-2 (Malan 9, Root 0)
Boland stays over the wicket. Feels like he could get Malan numerous ways, but behind the wicket stands above all. Malan dabs him into the ground, he never seems to defend in front of the wicket. He defends again to gully, Cameron Green’s wingspan does it again. Finally Boland concedes runs - Malan gets two around the corner.
10th over: England 29-2 (Malan 7, Root 0)
Cummins is up for an LBW to Root, but there’s an inside edge and they don’t review. They’re hungry for another wicket before dinner here, Australia. Pretty redundant sentence though isn’t it? What else are they here for? Anyway, Cummins is doing his relentless thing here. Boland has dried things up, Cummins is circling. A little sense of “where’s the next run?” now. Cummins jags one back into Root’s inner thigh. Root overbalances forward. Loves getting hit there. Then another play and miss. What an over. He worked him over there.
Cummins strikes, as Travis Head chomps one at short leg! #Ashes pic.twitter.com/BStluhmE7Z
— News Cricket (@NewsCorpCricket) January 15, 2022
Updated
9th over: England 29-2 (Malan 6, Root 0)
Boland registers four dots while I catch up describing Crawley’s wicket. Thank you Scott. You know the deliveries: around the wicket to Malan, off or fourth stump. Malan semi-forward, semi-back, most are defended square. Boland then changes his angle on the last. Malan is squared up, but survives. 2 overs, 2 maidens.
Updated
8th over: England 29-2 (Malan 7, Root 0)
Cummins and Crawley “resume hostilities”. He looks particularly across his stumps, but it enables him to turn an off stump delivery through mid wicket for three. He’s looking great, again. Cummins maintains the channel - Crawley leaves one and it flicks the pad, and only a half-hearted shout. But then Cummins gets him! Crawley didn’t do too much wrong, just a bit of seam from Cummins created the chance.
Crawley looking great again. Don't care.
— Sam Perry (@sjjperry) January 15, 2022
This will be well received.
Updated
WICKET! Crawley c Head b Cummins 18 (England 29-2)
Cummins maintains the channel to Crawley and gets him caught at short leg! Crawley is forward and inside edges it onto his pad - it pops up and Head claims it above his ... head. Crawley was looking great, Cummins will be satisfied with that.
Updated
7th over: England 25-1 (Crawley 15, Malan 6)
Boland replaces Starc, and the crowd likes it. The accuracy begins immediately. Malan eventually wafts at one of these accurate deliveries, and misses. He looks loose, does Dawid. It’s untidy at the minute. He’s got no idea where the next is going as Boland crashes into his inside edge, squirting it out to leg. And there you have it, six dots.
From Brian: Hi Sam, I share John Starbuck’s frustration and rising blood pressure as England yet again struggle to mop up the opposition tail. Who would have thought that Nathan Lyon might be vulnerable to a good length ball hitting top of off? Mysterious game. Cheers, Brian
6th over: England 25-1 (Crawley 15, Malan 6)
Malan with a very tight leave on the first, so tight Cummins almost starts celebrating in anticipation of it bowling him. Then there’s another play and miss, before Malan is the beneficiary of a poor misfield from Boland - through the foot and knee of his “long barrier” - and Malan gets off strike. I’m looking forward to Crawley v Cummins though. Crawley took him down in the second innings at Sydney, and the youngster is looking to score at every opportunity. How does the Australian skipper respond? Well, it’s on the money, but Crawley drives loosely in front of point for four. His bat spun in his hands. Cummins smiles wryly. Crawley is more watchful to finish.
5th over: England 20-1 (Crawley 11, Malan 5)
Starc is full and wide and Crawley doesn’t miss out. It’s forward of point and carved comfortably. If you’re short or wide, or straight as Starc is next ball, he will deal with you. Okay, it’s four leg byes, but the point still stands! Starc needs to be tighter here and he is: a leave. Crawley then drives splendidly for four past mid off - he’s always looking to score. He looks still, balanced and focused. Twelve from the over.
Ponting on Burns’ run out
Ricky Ponting on Rory Burns' run-out ⬇️ #Ashes pic.twitter.com/t1uX42FLX1
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) January 15, 2022
4th over: England 8-1 (Crawley 3, Malan 5)
Cummins bowls a ripsnorter past Crawley, and another - both bring him forward and the first has Carey collecting the ball with fingers pointing up. Pace, movement, carry. The next is straighter and Crawley whips him to long leg for one. Shades of Sydney in Crawley’s confidence there. Cummins is up for an LBW but he quickly withdraws, it pitched outside leg, and Cummins indicated there may have been glove, too. Malan is then struck in the stomach for his trouble. Pain.
Rory Burns is the last English opener to be run-out in a Test since... Rory Burns against New Zealand in Hamilton in 2019.
— Matt Back (@MattNotFront) January 15, 2022
Prior to that, the last English opener to be run out in a Test was... Rory Burns against Sri Lanka in Galle in 2018.#ASHES
3rd over: England 7-1 (Crawley 2, Malan 5)
Malan is playing Starc from the crease, awkwardly. There’s a few play and misses, even as Malan corrects by making a big stride to the ball. Malan earns a reprieve with a half-volley on middle and leg, which he dispatches through mid on for four.
Updated
2nd over: England 3-1 (Crawley 2, Malan 1)
We’re getting a look at snicko, suggesting Burns may have nicked one in Starc’s first over. There’s a thick spike as the ball passes the bat, but there seems to be a gap between ball and bat. No one on the field was interested. Warne, on Fox, is! Cummins is hitting his area before Crawley takes a quick single and Burns is struggling ... we’re going to have a look! As you now know, Burns is out, possibly burnt. Cummins takes Malan’s edge later on but it escapes the clutches of Khawaja at third slip safely enough. He gets one for it.
Oh dear
— Max Rushden 💙 (@maxrushden) January 15, 2022
WICKET! Burns run out (Labuschagne) 0 (England 2-1)
Oh no! Crawley dabs to cover, says “yes, yes, wait...”, there’s a slight stutter, Burns is running to the keeper’s end, Marnus swoops on the ball and throws down the stumps fiercely and directly, and Burns is out by a few centimetres. Bad running, exceptional fielding, deflating for England!
Updated
1st over: England 0-0 (Burns 0, Crawley 0)
It’s Starc to Burns, there’s a memory. This one bears no trauma. He’s back and defending. The next is a big shout for leg before but turned down. Sliding down leg. Beat him for pace, Burns’ leg getting across there too. Australia has three slips, all the usual condiments. He defends, he leaves, he nearly plays on, he plays and misses ... but he survives.
@sjjperry That total is probably too much already for our batsmen.
— cuthbert Baines (@cuthbertmacbain) January 15, 2022
I'd be willing to bet we'll be 3 down within the next 90 minutes.#Ashes
That’d be better than Australia!
Australia all out 303
An entertaining innings - from over 1 to 75 - comes to an end and Australia registers 303. Some may remember this for Travis Head’s scintillating run-a-ball hundred, commencing at 12-3 in bowler-friendly conditions, others will remember this innings for Marnus’ meme-able dismissal. Broad finished with 3, as did Wood - who went at nearly six-and-a-half an over. The entire thing was fast and frenetic, and all eyes now turn to England with the bat. Has the wicket flattened, as is the Hobart promise? We’ll soon see.
WICKET! Lyon b Broad 31 (Australia 303 all out)
Lyon had found a few runs early in the over but he cleared that front leg one time too many. He misses the slog, and it takes his off bail. A fantastic innings from Australia’s number 10.
Australia's score now beyond anything England have achieved this series...
— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) January 15, 2022
75th over: Australia 301-9 (Lyon 29, Boland 10)
They’re backing Wood, which is fair enough ... if they can get Boland on strike, which they can’t yet. Lyon misses a huge swipe/pull outside off. Will they go again? No need! He carves him behind point for four! He loves the pace. That was deft and stylish! So Wood goes shortish, Lyon lifts it, it’s in the air for many, many seconds, Billings sprints 40 metres to attempt the catch but he can’t get there! He gets two. Lyon is clearing his leg now and having fun. He belts one but it doesn’t get past mid-on, that’s one. In the mean time, Australia registers 300. Wood is great, except when it’s Wood v Lyon.
Scott Boland averages twice as much with the bat than he does with the ball in Test cricket.
— Daniel Cherny 📰 (@DanielCherny) January 15, 2022
74th over: Australia 294-9 (Lyon 22, Boland 10)
Broad carries on after drinks (which is to say he continues bowling, not that he misbehaves). A rare quiet over, notable only for a Lyon single.
To sum up that hour, on the scorecard it’s probably England’s. 3 wickets, 50-odd runs. But Lyon’s intervention will have curbed any greed they had for a quick finish to the innings. How much longer can the final wicket last?
DRINKS... while Rod Tucker puts the ball through hoops again
73rd over: Australia 293-9 (Lyon 21, Boland 10)
Can Boland bat? At first glance, not especially. But following a play and miss he props forward and thickishly edges one past gully for four! Scratch what I said earlier, Boland has just clipped Woakes, Mark Waugh-esque, for four through midwicket! I was wrong. Boland was right. Again. Simon Katich on SEN notes that it’s a good sign of the quality of this wicket for batting. England may be buoyed! Two more for Boland. Annoying runs, if you like England.
72nd over: Australia 282-9 (Lyon 21, Boland 0)
So Lyon gets another win, Wood is removed from the attack. Broad continues in the absence of Ollie Robinson, whose prognosis looks worse on every report. Broad wisely eschews the bouncer barrage, so we are treated to many balls dribbling to mid off for no runs. A Broad yorker goes under Lyon’s bat, but misses off stump. The GOAT then gets two to fine leg.
Johnstarbuck’s here: “Waiting for the tail to droop isn’t doing anything good for my blood pressure, which I’m now taking as I do every morning. It seems, according to TMS, that England are the worse team in regular play for mopping up the tail. Why is this? They used to study each batting bowler’s technique e.g. to Denis Lillee, bowl straight.” If true, I wonder if it’s more to do with other teams investing more in the quality of their lower order bats?
71st over: Australia 280-9 (Lyon 19, Boland 0)
So Woakes grabs Carey, and Australia’s favourite son, Scott Boland, heads to the crease. Australia will have wanted 300 (because it’s a round number, I guess), and they may yet get there if Wood keeps bumping Lyon. Boland drives the last, square, but can’t beat point. Lyon will be on strike.
From Brian: “Good morning Sam, Hope you have solved the smoke alarm issue - possibly set off by the friction of Mark Wood’s relentless bumper barrage? Never mind rubbing two sticks together - how about two brain cells?”
I thought Wood’s approach was working wonders, he just picked the wrong guy. If you are referring to my brain cells, the horse has bolted.
WICKET! Carey b Woakes 24 (Australia 280-9)
Bowled! Carey chops on to Woakes. He half-prods forward, but inside edges it onto his stumps. A bit of bounce? It takes leg bail.
Updated
70th over: Australia 280-8 (Carey 24, Lyon 19)
The short tactic continues from Wood, but Carey gets inside the line of the third ball and parries it to fine leg for four. He pulls the next to deep square for one (“good cricket”). Wood gets two at Lyon and he smashes it out of the ground for six! Kids start scurrying out on to the ground to find it. I don’t think that landed on the roof, that cleared it! There’ll be a new ball now, won’t there? These are valuable runs. Wood goes over the wicket - a win for Lyon - but it doesn’t matter, Lyon obliterates this one for six too! Straight onto the hill! What a shot, that is sensational batting. Wood was causing fear until this point, Lyon has sat him down. What a riposte. Wood has now conceded 100+ runs.
Updated
69th over: Australia 263-8 (Carey 19, Lyon 7)
Woakes (1-50 off 12) replaces Broad, and his first is clipped for two by Carey, who pressures the hatless Broad with his running and elicits the misfield. Same again, but it’s just one to Broad, whose wide brim is now back on. Less fire this over, three from it.
From John Little via email: “For all the naysayers, England are unbeaten this year. More than can be said for Bangladesh, India and New Zealand.... just a matter of perspective.” That’s the spirit, John.
68th over: Australia 260-8 (Carey 16, Lyon 7)
So, Wood succeeds against Cummins, bringing Lyon to the crease. Same ball, but Lyon hits down. Wood is now bowling bouncers every delivery, including to Carey. The Australian bats are almost facing chest on, legs wide apart, halfway to the crouch upon release. Wood’s at Carey’s chest, Carey stays leg side of it, and he slices it - with control - down to third for one. Lyon then pulls Wood for six! It splits Wood and Crawley who were making ground on it. Lyon plays that shot well, one knee up of course. That said, I’m probably backing Wood here. Wood is too short, next delivery.
Updated
WICKET! Cummins c Crawley b Wood 2
Cummins accepts the invitation to pull, he’s not in control, it gets too high on him and Cummins - who slightly took his eye off the ball as he played the shot - hit it straight down Crawley’s throat at deep square. Cummins was in trouble facing Woof from the off... Wood’s tactic is working.
Updated
67th over: Australia 252-7 (Carey 15, Cummins 2)
Carey chases a wide one from the round-the -wicket Broad, and his inside edge just misses the stumps. Meanwhile, a smoke alarm is going off inside my house, and it is not for smoke reasons. No one is home. Now I have decisions to make. It is not a battery issue. I think I’ve solved it. Anyway, Carey hooks one to fine leg for one and Cummins is defending to cover. Broad sends a fielder to the boundary and goes short to Cummins who pulls vigorously, achieving one run to deep square.
Thanks for the link Pezzylad. Enjoying your thoughts in text once again. So England need to rattle them out for 25 or so to make a game of it? Looked flat out there later on yesterday.
— Guy (@Gletara) January 15, 2022
I’d ordinarily think the game is quite even, I just have reservations about England’s capacity to amass a match-winning score. That said, Root is due, and I’d like to see it.
66th over: Australia 250-7 (Carey 14, Cummins 1)
The chest-guarded Cummins faces up to Wood, who continues with the short stuff. There’s a wide slip, someone at third, and a bat pad. Cummins is uncomfortable. He somehow gets one around the corner for one. Carey’s then backing away trying to slap him through the off-side, but missing. Funky fields and tactics now. Carey’s back and across to the next, which is also short, and he fends it into space behind square for one. Cummins has the last, and he’s jumping then ducking underneath. Whoosh. Cummins laughs as he meets Carey mid-pitch.
65th over: Australia 248-7 (Carey 13, Cummins 0)
Broad’s in to Carey now. There’s two slips and a gully, but no pad pad to Australia’s keeper. Carey pulls him sweetly to the boundary rider for one. Cummins then works one to backward square, via the pad, and Billings hares after it to keep it to one. Carey sees off the last.
"Stop moving the robot," is now officially my favourite sentence ever uttered on a cricket pitch. #Ashes
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) January 15, 2022
64th over: Australia 246-7 (Carey 12, Cummins 0)
There’s a bat pad for Wood now. He nabs Starc as described. Cummins is next, and Wood is wayward down the legside but Billings gloves it brilliantly, sprawling to his left. Wood is clearly trying to shorten him up, as Cummins ducks another. So Wood comes around the wicket and he hits Cummins. The skipper wanted to duck, it wasn’t that high, and it careers into (what looks like) his forearm.
Not a fan of the @FoxCricket rover, then? 🤖#Ashes pic.twitter.com/1ctxyHdVC7
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 15, 2022
WICKET! Starc c Burns b Wood 3 (Australia 246/7)
Wood bangs it in short, Starc is late on it - he top edges it and it’s caught by a backwards-running Rory Burns at square leg, easy as you like. Starc looked uncomfortable facing Wood, and Wood gets his man.
Updated
63rd over: Australia 246-6 (Carey 12, Starc 3)
Broad’s too straight, allowing Carey to tuck him off his hip to square leg for one. Some chat on radio here about who’s ahead ... most agree Australia are by virtue of England missing their opportunity in the first session. Must be said the pitch does now seem decidedly more docile than yesterday. Mike Atherton is also noting that there were some whispers that Craig Overton was set to play yesterday, before Ollie Robinson was included last-minute. I write this as we watch Ben Stokes seek an inspection of the pink ball from the umpire yet again. The cricket’s back on, and Starc looks far more comfortable coming forward to Broad than the guy at the other end. Something’s going on here ... Broad has to pull out of his run-up, just before his gather, and he’s immensely put off by the Fox SpiderCam, or FoxCam, or whatever it’s called. He remonstrates with it. Michael Vaughan laughs nervously, before they cut to SpiderCam.
62nd over: Australia 244-6 (Carey 11, Starc 2)
Wood’s first is timed quite nicely off Starc’s pads for one. Wood’s running in hard - though I suppose he always is. Carey gets one to fine leg. His partner Starc rides a throat ball into the ground quite easily, prods the next to mid-on looking a little jumpy, and that’s the over.
Photograph: Matt Roberts - CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images
61st over: Australia 242-6 (Carey 10, Starc 1)
Broad accompanies Wood. Starc drives handsomely early on but Stokes moves around at mid off and throws the stumps down, too. Starc gets one for his trouble and is off the mark. Carey is trying to drive the next, but can’t beat mid off. The next one is in the same area: Carey leaves, deliberately.
60th over: Australia 241-6 (Carey 10, Starc 0)
Wood starts with a pretty sharp yorker to Carey, he jams it to square leg. Only three balls in this over, not a bad one to start with. Next one beats Carey all ends up, huge appeal, Wood is arm aloft celebrating ... but then there’s doubt, and no review, and replays confirm Carey was nowhere near it. Carey defends the last to mid-off.
I said it was cloudy on screen. Well, the sun’s out now! Jerusalem is rung and sung. We’re away.
Acquaint yourself with the state of things with Geoff Lemon’s piece from yesterday ...
Weather update
90% chance of rain (1-3mm), cloudy, any rain will be late afternoon, evening.
It looks cloudy on screen, but everything’s in readiness to start on time.
Looks like Ollie Robinson is struggling...
Ollie Robinson still battling back spasms - won’t be able to bowl in the first session but will field in case he’s in a position to later. England will hope he’s got his feet up by then…
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) January 15, 2022
Preamble
Morning, afternoon, evening all. Well, we were treated to a whirlwind yesterday, weren’t we? From 12-3 and calls for Bellerive to be stripped of Test status, to a run-a-ball hundred from Head, to further delivery of The Cam Green Promise, and that ceaseless wonder about what James Anderson could and would have done with it all.
All in all, Australia finished with 241-6 – a scoreline most would be satisfied with after a full day’s play, only that this was achieved in 59.3 overs. Perhaps this isn’t quite the Chief Executive’s Wicket predicted ahead of the game.
Nevertheless, both teams will be hoping to push things on today. For Australia, quick runs and a shot at England under lights, and for England, crossed fingers that the Bellerive wicket does flatten out, as is the local promise.
How are you seeing things from your vantage point? Let me know via email at sam.perry.freelance@guardian.co.uk or on the Twitters @sjjperry.
Weather and other preliminary material up next...
