The Ashes 2019: Pressure back on Aussie fast bowlers after batsmen fluff lines yet again at The Oval
There’s no respite for Australia’s overloaded quick bowlers as Steve Smith urges them to ‘dig deep for one last effort’ in the wake of another poor batting performance from the tourists.
Cricket
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cricket. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The workhorse Australian fast bowlers have been urged to “dig deep” for one final Ashes push after an ugly batting effort at The Oval in which only Steve Smith once again stood up.
Smith got up from his sick bed to register 80 of Australia’s ordinary total of 225, on a perfect day for batting, which forced the fast bowlers to saddle for a second time in the final half-hour of play.
Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood have had to bowl on each of the past three days of the series; the final day at Old Trafford then days one and two in London after Aussie captain Tim Paine won the toss and opted to bowl at The Oval.
Live stream the India v South Africa T20 Series with KAYO SPORTS on your TV or favourite device. Get your 14-day free trial >
Energy levels were being assessed before the match even began with the fast bowling pair having pushed out nearly 300 overs between them in the first four Tests, bailing out a battling line-up which, apart from Smith and Marnus Labuschange, has produced little.
But with a closing ambition to break an 18-year drought and win the series 3-1, Smith hoped the pair of ironmen had one more big day’s work in them.
“It's always tough backing up when you are a fast bowlers and us batters haven't given them enough time to rest,” Smith, who himself batted with the flu, said after play on day two.
“But it is Ashes cricket and you have to keep digging deep.
“We said before this game we didn't come here just to retain the Ashes, we came to win them. If we can give a little more. Even when you are tired you just have to keep giving a little bit more and the boys will do that.”
Paine was also sick before the game and the toll of four Tests in five weeks was beginning to show on the tourists who secured the urn with a last hour victory in Manchester last Sunday.
Australia will start day three 78 runs behind, and needing 10 quick English wickets to be any hope of holding the urn at the end of the game, which they will do regardless, after another victory.
Smith was adamant, however, that his bowling teammates would find something to keep that dream alive.
“We haven't seen any huge totals really throughout the whole series, it's not been easy. If you bowl in good areas for long enough - I think we've seen that you'll get rewards,” Smith said.
There has been no rewards, however, for a misfiring batting outfit with Smith and Labuschagne the only ones to average better than 27 after four Tests.
While those two have made it look easy, Smith said it wasn’t so simple and hoped the young batters in the group would be better for their England experience.
“It hasn't been easy and players who probably haven't done as well as they would have liked on this tour, they'll take a lot from the experience,” he said.
“Playing in England is completely different to back home and you have to find ways to play away from home, sometimes you need to change certain little things that can help you play in certain conditions and adapt accordingly.
“But I think it will be a good learning curve for all our batters.”
CARRYING THE LOAD
The opening bowling effort so far
PAT CUMMINS
Five Tests
190 overs
27 wickets @ 18.59
JOSH HAZLEWOOD
Four Tests
142.2 overs
20 wickets @ 19
Originally published as The Ashes 2019: Pressure back on Aussie fast bowlers after batsmen fluff lines yet again at The Oval