ROOT IN A RAGE
Smith blows sloppy England away after Joe reads the riot act
JOE ROOT read the riot act to his England team after players complained about the wind and the pitch in a flat first day’s effort in the fourth Test at Old Trafford. But his dressing down fell on deaf ears after England were pushed up against the wall by the brilliance of Steve Smith on day
THERE will be some comfort in the fact England have shown themselves capable of charging to victory from certain defeat once already this summer.
But the feeling they might not get out of this one gripped at Old Trafford yesterday after a blundering display surrendered vital ground in the Ashes battle.
There was no doubt Steve Smith delivered a masterclass, pounding and tormenting a flagging bowling attack to the third double-century of his career, all in the Ashes.
He was eventually out reversesweeping Joe Root for 211, taking his average to 147.25 in this series and 141.78 in the last two Ashes series.
Yet it was also not in doubt that plenty of the other bruises which showed on English flanks at the end of a tiring day were self-inflicted.
Jofra Archer dropped Smith on 67 in the second over of the day while Jack Leach got him out on 118 caught at slip but, shamefully for a spinner, had overstepped.
Australia captain Tim Paine, who shared a 145-run partnership with Smith for the sixth wicket, was also spilled twice, by Jason Roy on nine and substitute fielder Sam Curran on 49.
The first two mistakes cost England 193 runs and allowed Australia to push up their first innings to 497-8 declared. In the 10 overs of reply England got to the close at 23-1, Joe Denly falling to Pat Cummins.
Perhaps more worryingly for Root, there were signs throughout the day that England’s bowling unit was beginning to creak.
Talisman Ben Stokes left the field with an injured right shoulder in the afternoon session and although he will be fine to bat, did not bowl more than 10.5 overs.
Archer looked a shadow of the bowler who terrorised Australia at Lord’s, going for 0-97 and the percentage of 90mph-plus deliveries has dropped from 24 per cent in London to five per cent in Leeds to three here.
There were also signs of frustration, appearing to disagree when asked to come round the wicket, and a lack of concentration in the field.
Craig Overton also felt a twinge in his back, leaving Root’s off-spin to be flogged at the death as Mitchell Starc, with 54, and Nathan Lyon (26) added 59 in an unbroken ninth wicket stand.
With rain forecast for the early part of today it could be that the weather will help England, who face a mountain to climb to parity, still trailing by 474.
Root was spared coming in last night with Overton promoted to nightwatchman after Denly fended
This was a performance of genius from Australia’s new Bradman
one from Cummins to short leg where Matthew Wade juggled the ball before diving to hold a stunning catch.
You feel someone will need to contribute three figures in the reply, even if reaching Smith’s levels will be nigh on impossible.
This was another performance of genius from a player who now has 11 Ashes centuries, behind only Don Bradman and Jack Hobbs, and has more runs this calendar year than any other batsman despite only making his return to Test cricket last month after his ban.
Smith has 22 centuries in the first innings of Tests from just 67 matches, which is a stunning return. England tried everything to knock him out of his stride yesterday, to no avail.
When his wicket finally fell, as the Australians accelerated toward an inevitable declaration, there was a sense he let it slip away. It certainly felt there was no way England were taking it until it was gifted.