BAIR WITH A SOAR HEAD
Jonny goes a little nuts after ton for England
JONNY BAIRSTOW was England’s head man as they fought to stay in the Ashes in Perth yesterday.
But the Yorkshire batsman insisted his celebration after reaching his hundred was just a bit of fun.
Bairstow marked his first ton against Australia by taking off his helmet and pretending to head-butt it – a reference to Aussie claims he did the same to their opener Cameron Bancroft in a Perth bar at the start of the tour.
The 28-year-old was singled out for sledging as a result of those claims, but last night he said that inspired rather than unsettled him.
After scoring 119 out of England’s eventual 403 all out, he said: “Chat is chat. It comes and goes and in many ways it can spur people on and gee them up a bit and make them all the ® from RODNEY WHITE more determined to succeed.
“Some say it can get inside that just naturally happens. people’s heads, but unless There are lots of emotions you are inside that person’s going on out there. head you don’t actually know “Mala (Dawid Malan) if it affects people or not. talked last night about thinking about hugging his mum when he came off.
“This hundred was my favourite in many ways. I have played in a few Ashes series and it has eluded me until now, but you want to look back one day and say to your kids and grandkids, ‘I made an Ashes hundred at the WACA’.
“There is a huge amount of pride from any hundred but to do it here is very special.”
His mock head-butt was just about all England had to laugh about on day two, however, after handing the initiative to the Aussies after a dramatic collapse.
Bairstow and Malan took their overnight stand to 237, a record fifth-wicket effort against Australia – beating
Fun
“Each individual reacts differently but hopefully I have given a positive reaction in this innings.”
His celebration delighted the crowd and the England players and he added: “It was just a bit of light-hearted fun with everything that has gone on and that’s exactly how it should be taken.”
But it wasn’t all about playing to the crowd and when asked if he was thinking about dad David – who took his own life when Jonny was eight – when he looked to the sky, he said: “Yes, it is a natural thing.
“You want people to be around. It is not something I think about, it is something the previous best of 206 by Denis Compton and Eddie Paynter in 1938.
But Malan’s departure for 140 sparked a collapse that saw Joe Root’s side lose their remaining six wickets for a paltry 35.
They made some inroads when the Aussies batted, but skipper Steve Smith was poised ominously on 92 not out at the close, out of 203-3, and England’s hopes will surely depend on his wicket.
England had a worry about Craig Overton, who damaged a rib diving for a caught and bowled. He will be assessed by medical staff.