Coach Bayliss hits back in sledging row
® from RODNEY WHITE in ADELAIDE dismissal for 40, Shaun Marsh proved a more painful thorn in English flanks.
His unbeaten century meant that he and his father Geoff became the only father-son combination to post centuries in Ashes Tests after the older Marsh hit tons in the 1986-87 and 1989 series.
Marsh’s innings meant that Joe Root’s decision to bowl first backfired spectacularly, with Australia declaring on 442-8 and England finishing 29-1 at the close.
Four wickets on day one had seemed a poor return on his investment after Root chose to bowl in what he believed to be favourable conditions.
Bayliss, however, last night maintained that if he had his choice again, Root would not do anything different.
“It’s well documented that one of our challenges is taking wickets on flatter wickets,” he said. “So Joe wanted to give our guys the best opportunity to take 20 wickets. It didn’t work out, although I thought we bowled pretty well after the first session and didn’t get the results we deserved.” England were certainly luckless yesterday when Anderson had two lbw decisions overturned on review in consecutive overs. The first of them, on height, took everyone in the stadium by surprise when balltracking showed it sailing over. Even Marsh, who had scored 29 at the time but went on to make 126 not out, admitted he challenged the decision not on height, but on the fact he thought it pitched outside leg. “I thought it was outside leg more than going over, so when it showed it in line, I thought I was in a bit of trouble,” he said. As the home side rode their luck, England’s fielders caused more Aussie mirth when Alastair Cook and James Vince collided while going for a slip catch as the chance slipped away.