Fifth Ashes Test. The Oval.

[K]

Now Buttler cover drives Hazlewood for 4.

And next ball a thick outside edge for 4 more.
...

England's 300 comes up.

[K]

Marsh gets Woakes nicking off, as Smith takes a great leaping one-handed catch at second slip.

England 7/305 (87). Archer in.

We watch the slo-mo replay.

Ponting: "Great camera work."

[K]

And next ball Siddle gets Buttler, holing out to a diving Marnus. Another excellent catch.

8/305 (87.1). Leach in.

Ponting says it's taken Oz three days to wake up.

Oz on a team hat-trick.

Ponting: "He kept his elbows from digging into the ground. ... Good technique."

Leach defends.

Athers says Smith has huge hands. Does Smith have freak body proportions?

It was great camera work of the Smith catch.

[K]

Cummins bowls the final over of the day.

Leach pops the ball close to Bancroft at bat pad but survives.

England 8/313 (91). Stumps.
The lead is 382.

Oz's chances in this match are hanging by a thread, but it was looking even worse at 2/214.

[Pies4shaw]

If Smith is over his flu, we'll win this with two wickets down. If not, it could be difficult.

The thing about this game is that in both innings England's first 7 batsmen have all got to double figures. It is obviously an easy wicket for that to happen, so Australia really should make a genuine fist of the chase. The batting is generally hopeless, though, so they probably won't. The only way to win it is probably for Smith to open - and farm the strike from the first ball.

[Skids]

That's a bit harsh on Marnus Labuschagne P4S. 500 in his 8 tests at a healthy average nudging 40.

Smith scores another double ton and we snatch it.

[Pies4shaw]

That puts him behind Warner, Khawaja and Head, none of whom should be playing in the present Test. He's not yet made a century - but he does, at least, put his head down and make it hard for the opposition to get his wicket. It'd be quite OK if some of the others (apart from Steve GOATSmith) would manage that.

[K]

[K]

Odds:

England 82%
Oz 16%
Draw 2%.

[K]

Foul language: Tim Paine downplays Ashes sledging row

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/foul-language-tim-paine-downplays-ashes-sledging-row-20190915-p52re1.html

"Wade was at the centre of multiple spot fires while, in a separate incident, England all-rounder Ben Stokes allegedly labelled David Warner a "f---ing prick" with tensions rising as England seized control...

Paine was addressed by umpire Marais Erasmus after a run in between Wade and Root early in the Englishman's innings on Saturday.

Wade was also spoken to by Erasmus's partner Kumar Dharmasena, the pair stepping in to defuse any escalation between the two sides, who have, on the whole, played for the urn in good spirits..."

[K]

Michael Vaughan:

"Batting at No.3 hasn't helped him. I think he's a No.4. When he is at his best he is a busy player, energetic. I just see his technique where he has got that half a bat outside off stump, and that can put him at risk at the start of his innings.

I like Root when he is a busy player and proactive, which is easier to do at No.4.
...

England have a big decision to make at No.7, between Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes.

My preference at the minute would be Buttler or Foakes. I think Bairstow has had enough chances in Test match cricket."

[K]

Brettig:

"An exasperated David Gower was caught exclaiming "haven't got a f***ing clue" on air this day, a moment that was not merely amusing but aptly summed up the mood of Australia's Ashes tourists three days into the fifth Test match in seven weeks, at the end of the same English summer that also featured a memorable World Cup.

For all the tension and drama across the preceding four matches, climaxing with Australia's retention of the urn inside the final hour at Old Trafford, no day's play had been quite as tetchy, ill-tempered or frustrated as this one. Stump microphones picked up plenty of snark between the two sides, while Ben Stokes and David Warner exchanged words as they walked off for lunch, and the umpires told Matthew Wade to pipe down.

Senses of hot temper flowed at other times also, as when a Marnus Labuschagne lbw appeal was denied on the basis that a shot had been played, and a terse exchange followed between the fielders and the umpire Kumar Dharmasena about a "precedent" being set for the fourth innings chase that is soon to follow.

Australia's cricket was of a mediocre standard at best...
... for the most part, the tourists struggled to rouse themselves, not least after their own decision-making had dug a major hole in a Test that England should now win.

The visitors' use of DRS was again faulty, twice declining to review not-out decisions where ball-tracking showed three reds - England's bowlers have 21 lbws for the series to Australia's 10 - although there is a sense that, on numerous occasions, not least at the critical moment in Leeds, the umpires might have looked upon the touring side's appeals more kindly. Certainly the contrast between Wade's lbw dismissal on day two, to a sharply swerving ball from Sam Curran, and Denly's survival on day three when Marsh landed the ball between stump and stump, will be the cause of some discussion in the Australian dressing room."

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/27614043/fatigue-kicks-tetchy-australia-end-longest-tour


[Yep. These are not minor mistakes the umps have made. Umpires' errors have gifted England an ODI World Cup, no less, and probably a drawn Ashes series. You've got to wonder whether when the stress has been highest the umpires have been intimidated by the English crowds. It's sad for cricket.]

[Pies4shaw]

"After the third day, Paine admitted he had some work to do with the DRS."

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2019/09/15/were-having-a-mare-non-referrals-leave-australia-on-back-foot-in-fifth/

He may not be much of a cricketer but he's Captain of Understatement.

[K]

"Australia's record with the DRS this campaign, combining in the field and while batting, now stands at six successful reviews from 32 attempts."

[K]

And a cricinfo reader has raised Bairstow's fake fielding.


There is a 5-run penalty for fake fielding, which presumably will not be applied to that incident. I'd like to see the exact wording of the rule.

Here it is:


"41.5 Deliberate distraction, deception or obstruction of batsman

41.5.1 In addition to 41.4, it is unfair for any fielder wilfully to attempt, by word or action, to distract, deceive or obstruct either batsman after the striker has received the ball.

41.5.2 It is for either one of the umpires to decide whether any distraction, deception or obstruction is wilful or not.

41.5.3 If either umpire considers that a fielder has caused or attempted to cause such a distraction, deception or obstruction, he/she shall immediately call and signal Dead ball and inform the other umpire of the reason for the call.

41.5.4 Neither batsman shall be dismissed from that delivery.

41.5.5 If an obstruction involves physical contact, the umpires together shall decide whether or not an offence under Law 42 (Players’ conduct) has been committed.

41.5.5.1 If an offence under Law 42 (Players’ conduct) has been committed, they shall apply the relevant procedures in Law 42 and shall also apply each of 41.5.7 to 41.5.9.

41.5.5.2 If they consider that there has been no offence under Law 42 (Players’ conduct), they shall apply each of 41.5.6 to 41.5.10.

41.5.6 The bowler’s end umpire shall

- award 5 Penalty runs to the batting side.

- inform the captain of the fielding side of the reason for this action and as soon as practicable inform the captain of the batting side.

41.5.7 The ball shall not count as one of the over.

41.5.8 Any runs completed by the batsmen before the offence shall be scored, together with any runs for penalties awarded to either side. Additionally, the run in progress shall be scored whether or not the batsmen had already crossed at the instant of the offence.

41.5.9 The batsmen at the wicket shall decide which of them is to face the next delivery.

41.5.10 The umpires together shall report the occurrence as soon as possible after the match to the Executive of the offending side and to any Governing Body responsible for the match, who shall take such action as is considered appropriate against the captain, any other individuals concerned and, if appropriate, the team."

https://www.lords.org/mcc/laws/unfair-play