Buttler fightback can’t relieve the pain for England
JOS Buttler’s late fightback papered over the cracks after England failed to make the most of Australian mistakes on day one of the final Ashes Test at The Oval.
Fighting to avoid a first series defeat on home shores since 2001 but unable to reclaim the urn, the hosts were surprised to be sent in on a true pitch and reached stumps on 271 for eight with Buttler unbeaten on a counter-attacking 64.
Australia’s gamble having won the toss faltered when they dropped home captain Joe Root three times - on 24, 25 and 30 - and allowed England moved to 170 for three at the start of the the final session.
The stage was set for England to knuckle down to a match-winning first innings but they instead lost five for 56, including Root for 57, and were staring down the barrel when Buttler launched his fightback.
Hit on the chest on 17 he decided to take matters into his own hands, peppering the boundary and unloading three sixes as he put on 45 with ninth-wicket partner Jack Leach.
Mitchell Marsh was the unlikely source of England’s earlier struggles, the all-rounder having been recalled for his first game of the series nine months after being dropped over concerns about his weight and conditioning.
He took four for 35, his career-best figures, before cramp interrupted his quest for a maiden five-for.
Tim Paine was influenced by a “strange” looking pitch with a tinge of grass, pressing Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood back into service just four days on from the rigours of the fifth day at Old Trafford.
Rory Burns was beaten on the outside edge twice in the first over and successfully overturned an lbw decision on four, while Joe Denly felt bat on ball twice when he had intended to leave.
The pair managed to scramble together 27 in just under 10 overs, the highest opening stand of a series that has been a bonfire for top-order batsmen.
Cummins parted them, Denly with a familiar waft outside off stump and Steve Smith taking the slip catch after a couple of fumbles.
Root was finally bowled by Cummins and then Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow fell to Marsh in their 20s.
Sam Curran hooked a six but soon fell, lbw to Cummins.
Marsh made it four with another yorker at Chris Woakes and Hazlewood was quick to dispatch Jofra Archer.
By then Buttler had entered do-or-die territory, smashing the total back towards respectability with some delightful strokes.
With Leach seeing off 31 balls at the other end, England lived to fight another day.