TWO JOES LEAD FIGHTBACK

think we can win the game. It’s all about winning and the belief has to be there.

“We are not getting too far head of ourselves, though.

“It will be a tricky period when the new ball is taken in

defiant batting. In the stands, initially, it was the gallows humour of cheering every forward defensive block as if it were a World Cup six.

Then, as milestones were reached, came a series of standing ovations as Root and Denly flourished. They were over the top, but they were fun.

The first celebration was England passing their first innings calamity of 67 all out.

Root reaching his half century with an exquisite cover drive was next, followed by the 100-run partnership. Perhaps the loudest the morning but if we get through that we’ll be in a great position.”

The 126-run partnership between skipper Root (above) and Denly was at the heart of England’s fightback from the catastrophic 67 all out of their

acclaim was for Denly getting to 50 – more slowly than his skipper, but the innings just as valuable.

Courage

What they could see, and what they loved, was Denly’s courage. He was struck on the helmet by a ferocious short ball from Pat Cummins and then on the arm moments later by another.

Denly dug in. He scrambled singles, he left balls outside the off stump with exemplary patience, and he swatted the only bad ball he received from first innings the day before. Root was 75 not out at the close of play.

“We understood the crowd’s disappointment about the first innings and we talked about having the fight and character to do better,” said Denly.

Cummins through the covers to the boundary.

And he stayed there for four hours in company with Root, for 52 overs in a 126-run partnership that put some pride back into English cricket.

This was why England had gambled on Denly, for character and experience. He is not the most stylish batsman in the land, but just now anyone who can stick around for a few hours in a Test match is worth selection.

Root had come to the crease after two ducks in his previous innings, and under supreme

The crowd howled with laughter, but somehow it changed the mood of the contest.

Root removed all risk from his batting and the runs stagnated, while the Aussies sensed the moment and their bowling attack was re-energised.

It was an intense battle to the close of play, with the normally attacking Ben Stokes reining in his instincts and scoring just two runs from 50 balls faced.

England’s victory target of 359 was the result of Australia making 246 in their second innings in the morning session.

That was largely thanks to another gritty and brave innings from Marnus Labuschange.

He was twice bashed on the helmet, one of them a blistering short ball from Jofra Archer that struck him flush on the face grill.

Labuschange reached 80 before he was run out, fooled by a mis-field from Denly.

England began badly, as usual, with openers Rory Burns and Jason Roy both out in single figures with the score on just 15 runs.

A fightback looked more than improbable then, but the great delight of Test match cricket is to expect the unexpected.