The Ashes: England need another Ben Stokes miracle as Josh Hazlewood strikes before bad light comes to rescue
JOE ROOT’S box was shattered and his leg deadened but that was nothing compared to the misery he suffered when he was out. Root played a valiant innings of 71 as he offered every ounce of effort in his attempt to England save the Fourth Test. He was first doubled over in pain and then […]
JOE ROOT’S box was shattered and his leg deadened but that was nothing compared to the misery he suffered when he was out.
Root played a valiant innings of 71 as he offered every ounce of effort in his attempt to England save the Fourth Test.
He was first doubled over in pain and then spent more than five minutes on his back in agony. Hard ball, dangerous game this cricket.
But Root knows better than anybody he really needed still to be batting at the close of day three. England have a heck of a lot of work to escape with a draw.
Root’s rearguard spanned 168 balls and came just 24 hours after he presided over a grim day in the field during which his captaincy credentials came under scrutiny.
The skipper tried to take personal responsibility for his team’s predicament with runs and crease occupation.
He was constantly muttering under his breath as he prepared to face balls, willing himself on, self-regulating his strokeplay excesses.
If this game ends in stalemate, England will regain the Ashes by winning the final Test Thursday. If England lose, of course, the little urn will remain in Aussie hands no matter what happens at the Oval.
Root received yeoman support from Surrey opener Rory Burns, who contributed 81 and helped in a third-wicket partnership of 141.
But Burns, Root and Jason Roy were dismissed in the space of eight overs late in the evening session and England’s predicament once more became jittery.
They will resume this morning with 200-5 and still 297 behind. They have yet even to match Steve Smith’s total of 211 runs.
Root suffered several painful moments as he faced up to Australia’s trio of high-velocity bowlers.
His abdominal protector – seemingly manufactured in Specsavers green – was snapped clean in half when he was struck amidships by Mitchell Starc.
And then he needed treatment when another rapid delivery from Pat Cummins hit him on the right quad. The ball sneaked into the gap above his pad and below his inside thigh pad, inflicting an old-fashioned dead leg.
Root was horizontal while physio Craig de Weywarn administered pills, manipulation and some TLC.
Eventually, Root was able to continue and his stoicism was undiminished until he was lbw to the excellent Josh Hazlewood.
Root was plumb but his dismissal in the 70s for the second successive innings left him furious because he knew his job was not complete. He wants to be like run addict Smith, not continually getting out after reaching a half-century before arriving at three figures.
At least after a string of terrible batting displays, culminating with their dreadful 67 all out at in the first innings at Headingley, the penny seems finally to have dropped with England that staying in is a good idea.
Blocking rather than bashing, defending rather than driving, leaving rather than larruping, are acceptable strategies in Test cricket. Prudence was the foundation of the miraculous victory in Leeds before Ben Stokes’ late pyrotechnics.
Stokes might have to do something significant here, too, and at least he is not out as England enter day four with many overs of resistance still required.
Play did not start until 1.30pm because of morning rain and nightwatchman Craig Overton edged his third ball to second slip.
Root and Burns then held firm for 53 overs, sometimes fortuitously but mainly skilfully. If anything, Burns looked more secure than during his century in the opening Test at Edgbaston.
The left-hander is an ungainly batsman, with plenty of Smith-like twitches, but he is effective and putting together a decent series. He is working hard to eradicate vulnerability to the short ball, too.
Root gathered an all-run four courtesy of a cover drive off Hazlewood that halted just short of the boundary.
On 36, his box was ruined and, when he’d scored 54, he edged Pat Cummins but neither wicketkeeper Tim Paine nor first slip David Warner moved and the ball flew between them for four.
In the same over, Cummins asked for a review for lbw against Root. It was not out but Root was left hobbling around. The muscle seized up and, two balls later, he needed to call for medical help.
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At 166-2, England looked in good shape and a draw was the favoured outcome.
But Burns was caught at second slip, Root was lbw and Roy had his middle stump sent flying. All three wickets were taken by Hazlewood and he has four of the five to fall in the innings.
Let us hope Stokes can inspire the likes of Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler to bat for a decent chunk of today.