Smith puts England to the sword again
● Second consecutive ton steers Australia beyond hosts’ reach and on course for win
Edgbaston
Overnight: England 374 (R J Burns 133, J E Root 57, B A Stokes 50). Australia 284 (S P D Smith 144; S C J Broad 5-86) and 124-3.
AUSTRALIA Second Innings
S P D Smith c Bairstow b Woakes .................. 142 T M Head c Bairstow b Stokes .............................. 51 M S Wade c Denly b Stokes .................................. 110 T D Paine b M M Ali ....................................................... 34 J L Pattinson not out ..................................................... 47 P J Cummins not out ..................................................... 26 Extras b11 lb2 w3 nb6 pens 0 ................................ 22
Total 7 wkts dec (112 overs) .................. 487
Fall: 1-13 2-27 3-75 4-205 5-331 6-407 7-409. Bowling: Broad 22-2-91-1; Woakes 131-46-1; M M Ali 29-1-130-2; Root 12-1-50-0; Stokes 22-5-85-3; Denly 14-1-72-0.
ENGLAND Second Innings
R J Burns not out .................................................................. 7 J J Roy not out ........................................................................ 6 Extras pens 0 ........................................................................... 0
Total 0 wkts (7 overs) ................................ 13
Bowling: Siddle 2-0-4-0; Lyon 3-0-7-0; Pattinson 2-1-2-0.
Woakes, pictured. Thank you God said the cardinals in the Hollies stand.
Smith had only 142 runs to his name, a clear failing when set against the 144 he ripped out of the England attack in Australia’s first innings. And to think Smith earned his first baggy green as a leggie batting down the order. He averaged 29 in his first 11 tests. His first ton came in his 12th. He has added 24 in 54 Tests since, averaging 71. Ten of those have come in the Ashes arena. One final stat to tax your neural networks. He averages 145 in his last 11 Ashes knocks. What hope is there for England in the weeks to come?
This kind of numerical loading has a way of facilitating certainty of mind, contributing to an absurd degree of preparedness facing the first ball of the day. Smith told coach Justin Langer on the fourth morning that a consecutive ton was well within his gift. So it is said, so it shall be done.
An interesting feature of the Smith tableau; his highest score following a first innings century was, until yesterday, 71. He passed that with successive boundaries off Ben Stokes, who banged it in all day as hard as he could to try to raise a lick from an increasingly lifeless track. Stopping a run is a rare event with this fella, never mind taking his wicket. Any success in the field was worthy of applause. Relief is a powerful emotion. The bat wasraisedtomarkhis50just11 minutes after the start of play. Michaul Vaughan advanced the view that were Smith still to be in situ one minute after noon victory would be Australia’s. Vaughan would later claim that Smith was the finest batsmen he had seen, which tells you how profoundly England failed Vaughan’s midday challenge.
Broad sent one past the edge shortly before 11.30am. A rousing cheer went up. Joe Root persisted at the other end with the unconvincing Moeen Ali. If ever a moment called a player forward on a slow, arid turner, it was this. If Ali, a player woefully out of form with the bat, was bowling for his place in the side at Lord’s the opening half hour was a failed audition. Ali served only as a valve through which Australia released the pressure created at the other end via the excellent Stuart Broad.
Of the few loose deliveries sent down by Broad one was fielded at full stretch by Joffra Archer standing in for the stricken James Anderson. Assuming his side strain survived the elongated face plant Archer is a shoo-in for the second Test at HQ where his 90mph chin ticklers promise at least a theoretical tool with which to discomfit Smith.
Sixminutesbeforevaughan’s speculative deadline, Root threw the ball to Stokes, who took a wicket in his first over on Saturday. Stokes needs to feel valued. Chucking him on second change is an insult to his competitive spirit and visceral need to be at the centre of things. With bat and ball he has to be, pardon the expression, throwing punches, taking people out.
It was a probing first over but no cigar. Perhaps in desperation Root went next with Joe Denly’s unfamiliar leg spin. If the conventional route to nirvana were not available, maybe the random act might come to England’s rescue. Some hope.
A nonchalant clip off Smith’s legs stretched the lead to 100. The sun was out, the living was easy, the Hollies deathly quiet. The rest of the day was an Australian procession, an unequal battle between bat and ball on a becalmed pitch. The only tension in the contest was in guessing when Australia might declare.