England have not let the Urn fall from their fading grasp just yet but Australia appear to be edging slowly closer to victory in the Third Test – and an insurmountable 3-0 lead in this Ashes Series – at the Adelaide Oval.
England started Day Four well and took Australia’s last six wickets for 78 runs in less than 19 overs. If it didn’t quite qualify as a fightback, it was at least a gesture of defiance. At one point Brydon Carse was on a hat-trick but he bowled wide of off stump to Scott Boland.
Australia finished on 349 all out just before lunch, which left England needing 435 to win. The current world record for the highest successful fourth innings run chase stands at 414, achieved by South Africa against Australia at the WACA Ground in Perth in 2008.
But Bazball’s mantra has always been that anything is possible, particularly when England are chasing down a total and so there was still a remnant of optimism among the Barmy Army when the England batsmen emerged.
That lasted until the second over when Aussie captain Pat Cummins elicited an awful shot from Ben Duckett, who was caught at slip. Ollie Pope, who may have played his last game on this tour, was out cheaply again.
The loss of Joe Root was a major blow to England’s faint hopes of saving the third Test
Zak Crawley and Joe Root chiselled out a gritty 78-run partnership but then Cummins provoked a mistake from Root, who was caught behind, and England were reduced to 109-3. Root’s dismissal often represents a haemorrhaging of hope and this time was no different.
Crawley moved past his half-century, his second 50 of the series, with Harry Brook alongside him at the crease but England still need more than 250 runs to win. It remains a target that is all but out of sight.
Crawley’s delaying tactics lead to boos
The last ball before lunch was a soap opera all of its own.
England had lost the wicket of Ben Duckett earlier in the over and Zak Crawley, wanting to make sure there was not time for another over to be bowled, ambled up the wicket to prod the pitch. The crowd booed.
Pat Cummins, waiting at the end of his run-up, mocked Crawley by bending down to tie his shoelace. Cummins ran in and Crawley backed away from the stumps at the last minute, suggesting a spectator had moved in front of the sight-screen. This time, the boos were louder.
Cummins was properly irritated by now. He delivered a peach of a ball that beat Crawley’s outside edge to huge cheers from the crowd.
As they walked off for the interval, Cummins could be seen talking to Crawley. It was hard to make out the words but we can reasonably sure it wasn’t complimentary.
Zak Crawley was booed by the crowd for his attempts to prevent another over before lunch
Pat Cummins was seen talking to Crawley as they made their way off for the interval
Parkrun organiser revels in England’s Ashes woes
More than 500 people took part in the Torrens Parkrun on Saturday morning. The numbers were swelled by plenty of troops from the Barmy Army and the Australian organiser of the event had prepared a list of gags to crack at their expense.
Once he was done, he signed off with a final message.
‘The route takes you past the Adelaide Oval,’ he said. ‘To all our English participants today, I suggest that when you see it, you keep on running.’
Chappell demonstrates his wit
In the gap between the Second Test and the Third Test, I emailed the former Australia captain Ian Chappell to see if he would be willing to sit down for an interview.
Chappell is an intelligent man with a dry wit and I was no match for him. ‘Hi, Oliver,’ he wrote in his reply. ‘I’m retired now and won’t be in Adelaide. Regards, Ian.’
I persevered. I asked him if maybe I could take him out for a coffee somewhere near his home in Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
‘Hi Oliver,’ he wrote this time. ‘I’m retired & I don’t drink coffee. Regards, Ian.’
Former Australia captain Ian Chappell showed his wit when turning down an interview request
Head wins facial hair poll
During the Saturday morning session, the digital scoreboard kept updating the results of a poll that was being conducted inside the ground.
Spectators were asked to choose who had the best moustache: Travis Head or Ian Botham.
Head has won pretty much every contest he has been involved in during these Ashes and this was no exception. His moustache won by 76% to 34%.
Travis Head won a poll inside the ground over whether he or Ian Botham had the best moustache
Press pack feel impact of nanny-state
Officialdom in Australia has become notoriously nanny-state and journalists who had left the premises to have a cigarette twice found their return barred by a security guard because they had to walk through a members’ area to get back to the press box and were not wearing a collared shirt.
Cricket Australia intervened and the journalists were allowed to return to their desks.
Inglis shows off his footwork
Josh Inglis hasn’t made much impression on this series with the bat but there is some evidence he might be a useful footballer.
Fielding at midwicket, Inglis controlled a defensive shot from Ollie Pope with his right foot and juggled the ball three or four times.
The crowd was so delighted that the big screen operators showed a replay of Inglis playing keepy-uppy. The crowd cheered and Inglis took a bow.
