Malan offers hope
A MAIDEN Test century by Dawid Malan helped England fight back to 4-305 at stumps on the opening day of the vital third Ashes clash in Perth yesterday.
After Joe Root won the toss and elected to bat, Malan’s unbeaten 110 helped the tourists to breathe life back into their Ashes defence by countering hostile bowling on a bouncy WACA Ground wicket hosting an Ashes Test for the last time.
Already down 2-0 in the five-match series, the visitors were wavering at 131 for four against some fiery pace bowling, but Malan steadied the innings with an unbroken 174-run stand for the fifth wicket alongside Jonny Bairstow (75 not out), England’s best partnership of the series.
England overcame the controversial dismissal of opener Mark Stoneman for
56 on a third-umpire decision, and their cause was helped by some generosity from the Australian fielders, who dropped three catches and missed a run out.
Malan was one of the chief beneficiaries as the 30-yearold notched his first century in his eighth Test, and England’s first hundred of the series.
He would have been run out for 32 if David Warner had managed a direct hit, and
was dropped by Cameron Bancroft in the slips on 92.
He steadied his nerves to notch up his century with a powerful pull shot off Josh Hazlewood, having faced 159 balls in 221 minutes at the crease, with 13 fours and a six.
Malan came to the crease with England under pressure against short-pitched bowling from Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, and survived early on by chancing his arm against
the rising ball. He lived dangerously at first, but having survived the onslaught showed plenty of resolve as he settled into his innings.
Alastair Cook’s form woes continued. The former skipper was trapped leg before wicket by Starc for just seven, in his landmark 150th Test.
Cook did not review the decision, and the scorer of more than 11,000 Test runs has just 69 in the series at 13.80.