The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Frustrated captain still has belief
Skipper Root says England need to be better for longer
Frustrated Joe Root admits his England side have to perform better for longer periods if they are to salvage their fading Ashes hopes.
England went 2-0 down in the series after falling to a 120-run defeat in the second Test in Adelaide as Australia took six wickets in the first session of day five.
England had resumed on 176 for four with hopes of a chasing down their victory target of 354 after fighting back on days three and four. But they were soon ripped away as captain Root and Chris Woakes were dismissed without adding to their overnight total.
“Last night and leading into that we showed what we can do and we showed the side that we actually are,” Root told BT Sport. “We need to make sure we repeat those performances for longer periods of time.
“We came to the ground this morning well in the fight but unfortunately those two early wickets really did cost us.
“If we got in and went on and make a decent partnership there it is a completely different game. But, unfortunately, we just weren’t able to do that.
“It’s very frustrating, I thought the way we responded in the second innings with the ball and then the fight and resolve we showed last night with the bat was outstanding.
“It would have been nice to be two or three down going into today, but, credit where credit’s due, they bowled very well up front and we just have to be better.”
Root won the toss and opted to bowl, but his bowlers wasted helpful conditions as Australia were allowed to post a commanding first-innings total.
Given the chance again, though, Root insisted he would make the same call.
“There are lots of things that you look back on and maybe do differently but that wasn’t one of them.
“I don’t actually (regret it), you want to give your bowlers the best chance to take 10 wickets and in those conditions with the quality that we have I fully expected those guys to take 10 wickets.
“With the rain around and losing some time potentially hampered us, we would have had 10 overs with the second new ball that night that were taken away from us under lights.”
Coach Trevor Bayliss hinted that he
will keep faith with his players for the third Test, but wants to see considerable improvement from his batsmen.
The tourists have been bowled out for 302, 185, 227 and 233 in their first four innings of the series and Bayliss knows that is nowhere near good enough.
“I don’t think there is a real need to panic, the guys have shown the capabilities we have got,” he said. “We have just got to find a way to do it for longer.
“In both Test matches we have competed for a couple of days but to win against Australia in Australia we have to compete for longer than that.”
Australia captain Steve Smith can bask in the glory of heading to Perth knowing victory will see his side reclaim the Ashes, but he also admits to being relieved.
Smith’s decision not to enforce the follow-on on day three looked questionable when Australia were bowled out for 138 in their second innings.
But, despite England making a decent fist of their run chase on day four, Smith always had faith in his bowling attack.
“I was a little bit nervous at times, sometimes it was just about having faith and belief and try to keep doing the basics really well,” he said.
“If you get enough balls in the right areas then you are going to get rewards.
“Would I do the same again, I am not sure. It has been on my mind over the last couple of days to be honest. I thought ‘have I made a mistake here?’
“Although the conditions were favourable for England bowling that evening, we have seen that the new ball in pinkball cricket can swing.
“On another day I may have gone the other way but, at the end of the day, we have won the Test match so it is irrelevant.”
Australia have added all-rounder Mitchell Marsh to their squad for the third Test in Perth, in place of seamer Chadd Sayers.