Unflappable Clarke lifts spirits of the Aussies
MANCHESTER: Centurion Michael Clarke played a true captain’s innings as Australia shrugged off another umpiring controversy to produce an Ashes fightback and rack up 303/3 on the first day of the third Test yesterday.
The unflappable Clarke was 125 not out from 208 balls at the close after notching the tourists’ first ton of the series with a flicked single, while Steve Smith was unbeaten on 70 after a day of fluctuating fortunes which ended with Australia on top.
England, who are 2-0 up in the five-match series and will retain the Ashes at the revamped Manchester venue with a win or a draw, were cheered on by a packed crowd and a lone trumpeter but some pizzazz was missing from their play and the atmosphere.
Opener Chris Rogers, 35, fell short of his first Australia century when he was trapped lbw by a fullish ball from spinner Graeme Swann for a Testhigh 84 in the middle session.
Replays showed Rogers was right to be given out, but Usman Khawaja’s dismissal before lunch was the major talking point.
He was adjudged to have been caught behind off Swann for one, but reviewed umpire Tony Hill’s decision.
Third umpire Kumar Dharmasena sided with his colleague despite replays showing no obvious edge in the latest decision review system (DRS) dispute to afflict the series and Australia.
Shane Watson earlier got away with several loose shots through the slips, over gully and just short of point but was caught at slip by Alastair Cook off paceman Tim Bresnan for 19.
Clarke and Rogers, obeying the message from on high to Australia Prime Minister Kevin Rudd added his voice to the latest Ashes umpiring controversy by blasting the dismissal of Usman Khawaja as “one of the worst” decisions he has ever seen. “I’ve just sat down to watch the Test,” tweeted Rudd. “That was one of the worst cricket umpiring decisions I have ever seen.” Former Austalia leg-spinner Shane Warne was stunned by the decision, the latest in a series of controversies involving technology in the Ashes series. “There was daylight between bat and ball and no noise,” Warne told Sky Sports. “The only noise was when the bat hit his pad. That’s a shocker that’s an absolute shocking decision. “You can see the bat hitting the pad, the ball goes past, no noise. There was clear evidence there as well. That is a ridiculous decision.” Sapa-AFP knuckle down and build an innings after repeated Australian carelessness with the bat this series, were watchful but pounced on any loose bowling as the pacemen struggled with footholes.
Clarke was impressive in his 24th Test ton if not at his very fluent best having been troubled by spectators above the pavilion sightscreen when taking on Swann, who took 2/82.
Smith survived another minor DRS controversy when
there was no Hotspot England reviewed a not-out lbw decision against Swann and Hawk-Eye said just less than half the ball would have hit leg stump, thus reverting to the umpire’s call.
The hosts later wasted their second and last review on Smith when DRS showed he had not edged James Anderson behind. He was then plum in front to Stuart Broad on 24, but Hill said not out.
Australia had lost the toss at Trent Bridge and Lord’s, when England batted first both times on their way to victory, and the relief on Clarke’s face was visible as the coin landed his way.
The tourists, who risk losing a seventh Test in a row and a third straight Ashes series, brought in David Warner at No6 after the aggressive lefthander returned from his banishment to the A squad as punishment for punching England’s Joe Root in a bar in June.
He replaced the ineffective Phil Hughes, while off-spinner Nathan Lyon came in for leftarmer Ashton Agar and paceman Mitchell Starc replaced the injured James Pattinson.
England were unchanged with Kevin Pietersen fit to play.