Joker Jonny hails first Ashes ton with a headbutt
RICHARD GIBSON
Jonny Bairstow had the last laugh yesterday when he celebrated his maiden ashes hundred with a headbutt on his helmet.
Playfully referencing the infamous late-night incident involving australia’s Cameron Bancroft at a Perth nightclub, he followed his customary glance to the heavens to acknowledge his late father David by removing his headgear and butting it.
‘there were a whole heap of emotions running through me, and it was a bit of light-hearted fun with everything that’s gone on. it was spontaneous — i hadn’t thought about it before,’ he said, of the moment when he swung a short ball from Mitchell Marsh to fine leg for a single.
‘this hundred in many ways was my favourite one. i’ve played in a few ashes series now and to score an ashes hundred is something you dream about as a kid.
‘you want to look back in the archives when you’re retired and say to your kids, your grandkids: “i made a hundred at the waCa, away from home, all that”.’ it was also the perfect way to stop the on-field chatter from the australians.
He added: ‘you can say it gets inside people’s heads but unless you’re in that person’s head you don’t know if it’s worked. in some ways it spurs people on and gees them up and makes them more determined to succeed. Hopefully it’s a positive reaction that i’ve given in this innings.’
it was a great day on a personal level for Baristow. the yorkshireman made the most of his promotion to no6 above Moeen ali to develop his overnight 75 into his fourth threefigure score in tests.
But it was not so from a team perspective, following another tail-end capitulation that ceded the momentum provided by a record fifth-wicket partnership for England in ashes cricket of 237.
Dawid Malan’s departure for 140, substitute fielder Peter Handscomb grabbing a spectacular catch at backward point, began a sorry sequence of six wickets for 35 runs.
australia’s bombing of England’s lower order proved fruitful once again on a waCa surface with gaping cracks seemingly widening even more quickly than usual.
‘Credit goes to our bowlers for their fitness. Mitchell starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins have big tanks, they are guys who keep going and don’t really slow down,’ said Usman Khawaja, who aided australia’s recovery before falling for 50.
‘that showed when they were still bowling with such venom after more than 110 overs.’