AUS v ENG 5th Test @ SCG Day5
ENG 1st 384 Root 160, Brook 84, Smith 46
AUS 1st 567 Head 163, Smith 138, Webster 71*, Labuschagne 48
ENG 2nd 342 Bethell 154, Brook 42, Duckett 42
AUS 2nd 5-161 Labuschagne 37, Weatherald 34, Green 22*, Carey 16*
AUS win by 5 wickets and series 4-1
15,000 patrons saw the locals prevail with only a couple of hiccoughs.
ENG added 40 run to the overnight including Bethell getting his 150. Nice icing.
Needing 160, AUS openers Head & Weatherald got a start of 62 in 10 overs which calmed most of the nerves for the moderate chase. As has become accustomed, the ENG seamers couldn’t staunch the flow of runs. Although the Weatherald surviving a DRS review for caught behind furthered the adverse narrative against the Snicko technology.
From that position Smith & Labuschagne looked like they’d coast home. Bzzz, No.
In a glorious example of cricketing irony (shadenfreude?) Smith fell to a ripsnorter from Jack which pitched a foot outside off, spun violently, took leg stump and left Smudge incredulous. Maybe both teams should have picked specialist tweakers more consistently, eh?
Khawaja came out to an ovation, scratched around briefly and then left to an ovation. Best of luck to him but he shouldn’t have been selected after the Perth Test.
Labuschagne tried to finish the chase in short order and was run out by a postcode.
So 5 down needing 40 might have been a cause for nerves but Carey & Green were effective and efficient in closing it out.
You need to doff ya lid to SCG curator Adam Lewis who produced an immaculate surface that adorned the game. Nearly 1,500 runs. 3 scores of 150. Bounce and seam for the quicks. Assistance for the spinners. Finishing mid Day 5. All time record crowd for an SCG Test. Bravo bravissimo.
Man of the series went to Starc for taking 31 wickets and most when the series was live. I think that was correct but were there a chosing of second between Head & Carey that would be a doozie. My vote, Carey.
For the series 4 batters scored above 300:
Head 629 @62.9 Root 400 @44.4 Brook 358 @39.7 Carey 323 @46.1
3 bowlers took 20 wickets:
Starc 31 @19.9 Carse 22 @30.3 Boland 20 @24.9 with Tongue 18 @20.1 in 3 Tests
The series batting stats are interesting.
AUS scored more runs 2,513 vs 2,224
AUS had a higher average 31.8 vs 26.4
AUS hit more boundary 4s 294 vs 241
ENG had the slightly higher strike rate 67.1 vs 66.8 for AUS
For the bowling AUS bowled more overs, took more wickets, conceded fewer runs.
AUS had a better bowling average 26.0 vs 33.2
AUS had a better bowling economy 3.7 vs 4.1
AUS were superior in the field in both catching and ground.
Carey was sublime with 28 dismissals and his glovework over the stumps has inspired a generation of keepers.
ENG had the slightly rougher end of the umpiring pineapple inc technology.
The post mortem for ENG will be interesting.
I think the premise of the tour, that AUS even with their first choice XI were vulnerable was right. And AUS never got that first XI on the park. AUS didn’t uncover anybody new.
ENG weren’t ready to play. They gambled on players lacking match fitness. They had 2 good days and then there was bugger all else.
Bazball is an ex-strategy. It works against teams that lose their composure trying to emulate it’s high octane. It just doesn’t work against team that play hardnosed conventional Test cricket. It’s all about batting, maximising the score off 50 overs. Bowling strategy isn’t really in the conversation. But don’t throw it away totally. It’s an approach so much better on so many levels than the dirge that proceeded it.
We might not see either Root or Smith in the next Ashes here, which will diminish the contest. Unless the physios can find stronger Elastoplast we might not see Stokes either. His yeoman efforts were remarkable. They wanted him to bat #3, open the bowling and chase balls to the long on boundary.
In Bethell, Root, Brook there is a batting engine room for most, especially home conditions. See ball, swing at ball doesn’t work for openers outside games with fielding restrictions.
Take the gloves off Smith. He’s not even Surrey’s first choice keeper as I understand. Bat him at 6. Find another keeper.
For the bowling, that once in a generation range of 140+ sharp quicks are now all broke and gone. Carse was heroic though way too inconsistent. Tongue was my pick of the bowlers outside Stokes. Potts was thrown to the wolves. Find a spinner who can put revolutions on the ball or keep it very tight.
yibbitta yibbita, dat’s all folks.