Crisps stop drama, batting without Steve Smith and bails seeing it like a beach ball. Here is the pick of the action out of Old Trafford…
Steve Smith led an Australia recovery to the side after concussion to a blustery and rain-hit day one of the fourth Ashes Test against England at Old Trafford on his own return.
SCORECARD | AS IT HAPPENED
Stuart Broad dismissed David Warner (0) for the fifth time in seven innings and also removed his opening partner Marcus Harris (13) as Australia tumbled to 28-2 after electing to bat in chilly Manchester.
However, Smith (60no) – again after missing England’s Ben Stokes-inspired, series-levelling triumph in the third Test at Headingley – took his conducts tally for the show to 438 at a mean of 146 because the tourists closed per day on which just 44 overs were bowled on 170-3.
No further proof that it was being seen by Smith like a beach ball was required following the batsman softly swatted an inflatable to get four throughout the leg-side. This was an unusual sight but the shooter with which he attained a record eighth successive Ashes fifty at a row has been all the more astonishing.
Smith, at the words of Ian Botham, had to dive to attain a complete, broad delivery which was acres outside off stump but held his upper body shape enough to drill it to four to the drive – falling onto his rear knee in the process.
“He looked just like a drunk,” observed David Gower,”but he middled it” Proving, in the procedure, that provided that you keep your eye on the ball your standing is of significance.
The eccentric shot came at a crazy day session in which Australia batted on the stumps without any bails – the umpires removing the bails as soon as they were blown off by the end. It took several 25 minutes to umpire Rob Bailey to discover some heavy bails – or rather the initial bails with a few screws drilled to the end of them.
Interruptions were brought by the crisp wind as crap – principally packets – brought play to a shuddering halt by swirling to and out of their batsmen’s eyeline. Inspired by Stuart Broad’s face, the waits got on his nerves.
Did England miss a trick? The build-up into the Evaluation was dominated by the possible contest between Jofra Archer and Smith but, to the shock of a number of our pundits, the paceman did not appear to flex his back and then go out if the returning batsman came at 28-2 – the speed gun consistently registering in the very low 80mph bracket. What is more, Archer bowled only seven balls he knocked over at Lord’s, forcing him to miss the next Test.
“It is possibly the first time that Joe Root needs to be a tiny bit hard using Archer,” said Nasser Hussain, demanding some difficult love, before acknowledging that conditions were tricky. “I understand you are cold, I know you’re stiff, it has been a long summer, but crank it up!’ Make out to him that this is definitely the most important spell.”
Nas continued:”Smith could have spent the previous two weeks considering this comeback against Archer, who has peppered him. I fully understand he was drained at that time Smith came and so you take him out of the attack to provide him a second burst before supper, but that burst never came.”
Ricky Ponting:”For me, England have looked flat. But I don’t want to discount how hard those conditions have been for bowling. Is exactly how windy it has been – and also a stop, start type of event. But there wasn’t that fire that we would normally expect to see, even coming quite a very long break from Leeds to here.”
Michael Holding:”Smith was permitted to venture out there and pretty much settle in and by the time Archer got into the assault, Smith was pretty much settled. When people get struck you can work out exactly what’s going on in their thoughts. It was odd because Archer had not fated his five overs at extreme pace.”
David Lloyd:”Where’s Warne sat?” Since the umpteenth empty crisp packet interrupts the day session.
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