England’s day started well but got worse. A hundred partnership between Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer helped bring England to within 85 runs of Australia’s first innings score and restored faint hope of salvaging the third Test.
Archer made his first Test half century but Stokes was clean bowled for 83 by Mitchell Starc and England were all out for 286. It was, at least, a recovery from the humiliation that appeared to be their fate after their batting performance on Thursday.
But, after England had reduced Australia to 53-2, they were unable to sustain their momentum and Travis Head, their conqueror in the first Test in Perth, began to take the game away from them again here with some characteristic power hitting.
The highest successful fourth innings run chase achieved at the Adelaide Oval is 315 by Australia in 1902. England will almost certainly have to better that if Australia are not to retain the Ashes.
One of us
Stokes and Archer made a promising start on Friday morning but when Stokes was out for 83, having helped bring England to within 100 runs of Australia’s first innings total, he leapt in the air in anger and frustration and kicked out at the ground, swishing his bat furiously.
In that moment, Stokes was all of us. It was an image that neatly encapsulated England’s series so far.
Ben Stokes struggled to hide his frustration in a representation of every England fans watching
Bowling not up to standard
England created illusions of hope early on Friday but former bowlers were united about the failing that allowed Australia to move into a dominant position by midway into the final session.
No pressure, said the great Glenn McGrath. No pressure, said Jonathan Agnew. When England reduced Australia to 53-2, they had an opportunity to build momentum. Instead, neither Stokes nor Archer were able to bowl and England were reduced to trying to remove new batter Usman Khawaja with part-time spinner Will Jacks.
It looked forlorn. When Khawaja hit 11 off Jacks in the first over after tea, it looked even more forlorn.
Tough Australians
Weak men? It’s harsh to call professional cricketers that. Stokes suggested there were some among England’s number after defeat in Brisbane and I did it on Thursday as the Ashes seemed to slip away from England.
But maybe it’s more accurate to say they have been made to look weak by the discipline and the toughness of the Australians. That Australian bowling performance on Thursday, in a stadium that was like a furnace, looks more and more impressive with every hour that passes.
Australia’s bowling performance on Thursday looks better with every hour that passes
They pulled us back in
After the misery of Thursday, landmarks of faint hope came at regular intervals on Friday morning.
Stokes reached his half century, England moved past 250, Stokes and Archer brought up their century partnership and Archer reached 50, too. Cricket can toy with you like that.
Archer one of the best
Jofra Archer has been the outstanding player of this third Test. Stokes asked for his players to step up after Brisbane and Archer has done exactly that.
His bowling was magnificent in the Australian first innings and he reached his maiden Test half century on Friday morning. It’s probably time to stop reaching for words such as ‘enigmatic’ and ‘moody’ to describe his contributions to this England team.
It’s enough to say he and Joe Root are our best players.
Its time to start talking about Jofra Archer as one of England’s best players – he has proved it
Bumble back?
Ricky Ponting, one of the greatest Australian batters, was 51 years old on Friday. He was presented with a cake next to the boundary rope by the broadcaster he works for.
Reliable sources tell me it was actually a series of cup cakes. David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd was one of those happily tucking in. Bumble is back on television screens here, which is, hopefully, a prelude to his return to mainstream broadcasting in the UK. He should never have been ‘disappeared’ in the first place.
A true great
Ian Botham brought back memories of happier Ashes series for England when he was asked to ring the ceremonial bell before the start of play at the Adelaide Oval on Friday.
Botham has an Ashes series named after him and is one of a select few modern England cricketers to have won an Ashes series Down Under in 1986-87.
Botham is revered as one of the greats of the game in Australia and was given a rousing round of applause.
