The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Bairstow’s batting decision backfires
CRICKET: Keeper falls to last ball of the day after refusing to opt for nightwatchman
England’s decision to forego the nightwatchman option surprised everyone and backfired badly when Jonny Bairstow fell to the last ball of day one at the SCG.
Both Dawid Malan, who finished unbeaten on 55 after sharing a stand of 133 with Joe Root (83), and Australia allrounder Mitch Marsh were taken aback at the sight of Bairstow marching out with little more than five minutes left.
Root yet again failed to convert his fifty into a century – for the 16th time in his last 19 attempts – and then England’s frustrations were compounded when Bairstow was caught behind off Josh Hazlewood to leave them 233 for five in this final Ashes Test.
Malan had just seen his captain fall to the third delivery with the second new ball – well-caught by a diving Marsh at square-leg off Mitchell Starc – and was then joined by Bairstow, who chose to go in ahead of Mason Crane even though the debutant was padded up.
“I was a little bit (surprised). But the decision is not the coaches’ to make, that’s down to the batsman in next to make,” Malan said.
“Jonny made that decision, and good on him,” added Malan. “It takes a lot of guts to go against what people normally do.
“He probably felt he was better suited for that new ball (than a nightwatchman).”
Malan would have taken a different decision. “I’ll have a nightwatchman every time if there’s an opportunity given to me,” he said.
“(But) each to their own. You can’t really look back and say he shouldn’t have.”
Bairstow’s arrival shocked, and soon delighted, Marsh.
“I was very surprised,” he said, confirming he like Malan would have taken the safer option himself.
“In the end I’m pleased (as well), yes. Obviously if he bats out that last over and is not out tomorrow and gets going ... but I’ve played three games this series, and I think ‘Lyno’ (Nathan Lyon) has padded up about six times for me.
“So I’d have had the ‘nighty’.
“I think with the new ball, it’s probably even more so. But it wasn’t our decision.”
Root’s late departure was bad enough for England.
“(It’s) definitely (frustrating),” said Malan.
“I think it sort of sums up where we’ve been on this tour. We’ve been on top for so long in games, and we make one or two mistakes and suddenly let the Aussies back in.”