A superlative 160 from Joe Root laid the foundation for England’s first-innings 384 on the second day of the fifth Ashes Test – only for some of the gloss to be removed when he left the field during the Australian reply clutching his back.
If the niggle was exhaustion-related, no one could blame him. He had batted for nearly six and three-quarter hours by the time he popped a return catch back to Michael Neser, adding a second century on Australian soil to the unbeaten 138 he had made at the Gabba in early December, and drawing level with Ricky Ponting on 41 Test centuries.
But Root has a history of back trouble, and England’s medics were trying to ascertain the extent of the damage while the hosts – led by Travis Head’s punchy 55-ball half-century – made good progress under gathering clouds and the SCG floodlights. An ECB statement confirmed only that he was suffering ‘some discomfort’.
And England’s mood darkened further during a dismal final session with the ball, in which Australia plundered 166 for two at nearly five an over, with Head becoming the first batsman of the series to top 500 runs on his way to an unbeaten 91 off just 87 balls.
Having just been hit for two fours in two balls by Head, an irritated Ben Stokes became involved in a confrontation with Marnus Labuschagne, placing his left arm round the batsman’s shoulder and appearing to tell him to button it – or words to that effect.
Moments later, Stokes had the last laugh, as Labuschagne skewed to Jacob Bethell in the gully and walked off, even more slowly than usual, for 48, prompting Australia to send in nightwatchman Michael Neser.
Joe Root celebrates after reaching a century on his way to a brilliant 160-run knock for England
However, England will be worried about their talisman’s fitness after he suffered a back injury
Travis Head is inching towards another century this Ashes series for Australia, with him on 91
The first half of the day, though, belonged to Root, who had resumed on his overnight 72, picked up four first ball with a controlled edge, and scarcely looked back.
He had work to do, too. Harry Brook had added only six to his first-day 78 when he nibbled at Scott Boland in the third over, spurning a golden chance to register a maiden Ashes hundred.
And when Mitchell Starc removed Stokes for a duck, courtesy of a thin edge revealed by Australia’s review, England were 229 for five. It was the 14th time Starc has removed Stokes, more than any other Test bowler.
Unlike Brook, Root was taking the trouble to assess the second-day conditions. And, while Jamie Smith rode his luck, he moved serenely to three figures, getting there with a push down the ground for two off Neser, and celebrating with characteristic modesty.
Smith had already been caught at cover on 22 off a Cameron Green no-ball, before edging the next delivery between wicketkeeper and slip. There were some authentic strokes along the way too, not least a flick-pull for six off Starc, but his demise, on 46, was a horror show.
With less than 10 minutes before lunch, Australia had turned to the gentle seamers of Labuschagne, whose fourth ball was a half-tracker. Astonishingly, Smith cracked it straight to deep cover, where Boland was the only man in front of square on the off side. It may just have been the worst shot of these Ashes.
Still, at least Smith had helped Root add 94, and Will Jacks now took part in a seventh-wicket stand of 52, before edging Neser – armed with the second new ball – low to gully.
That was the first of four wickets to fall for nine runs as Neser finished with four for 60, including Root, who tried to turn him on the leg side, only for a leading edge to balloon up and the bowler to grab an athletic diving catch to his right. Root left the field to handshakes from the Australians and a standing ovation from a crowd of over 46,000.
Not for the first time, England wasted the new ball. In his first Test for over a year, Matthew Potts was too short and wide, sending down seven overs for 58, while Brydon Carse again struggled to control his length.
England’s mood wasn’t helped when Ben Duckett dropped Jake Weatherald low at square leg off Carse on 15, and it needed another intervention from Stokes to calm nerves, Weatherald trapped in front for 21.
But Head was in the mood, and Labuschagne tucked into the freebies on offer in a raucous second-wicket stand of 105 in 18 overs. England will need quick wickets on the third morning to wrestle back control.
