‘Crowd not happy’ as England wronged in Steve Smith run out controversy

Australia’s thin hopes of winning the Fifth Test improved dramatically after Steve Smith survived the most controversial of run out chances.

It had to be Jonny Bairstow.

The English wicketkeeper is at the centre of another Ashes controversy after the Poms were wronged in what could prove to be a series-defining moment on day two of the Fifth Test.

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Australia was in deep trouble in its first innings at 7/193 when Bairstow broke the wicket early and Steve Smith survived the closest of run out chances.

The Aussies recovered from that position to post a first innings score of 295 - a lead of 12 runs - as this drama-filled series added another chapter.

Day two had it all - a Joe Root screamer, Stuart Broad “s**thousery”, a Todd Murphy cameo but most controversially the Smith run out.

Smith was on 43 when he took on sub fielder George Ealham’s arm and went for two, but stumbled on his turn and left himself with all sorts to do.

He pulled off a perfect dive to keep it close - and Ealham’s throw was so accurate that Bairstow’s gloves clipped the offstump as he gathered the ball, and dislodged one bail.

Smith was still short of his crease when the wicket was first broken, but third umpire Nitin Menon turned his focus to whether he’d made his ground by the time the second bail was out of its groove.

Injured England bowler Jofra Archer tweeted this “is a tough one” and much to the dismay of The Oval crowd “not out” flashed on the big screen.

Out or not out? Picture: Sky Sports

“Well the crowd is not happy,” Mark Butcher said in commentary. “Steve Smith had walked halfway back to the dressing room, but it was a really, really tough decision. Really tough, because Jonny Bairstow had made contact with the stumps prior to getting the ball in his hands.

“The off stump bail had jumped out of its groove ... had Bairstow taken that cleanly and not nudged the bail off that would have been out. But Jonny Bairstow makes contact with that bail and it jumps out of the groove before he had the ball in his hand. That was the decision that the third umpire had to make. Was the bail out of both grooves before he then had the ball in his hand and made contact?”

“There are a few things to take into consideration with that decision,” Ricky Ponting added. “Was it the fact that Jonny had bumped the stump, and the bail had started to move out? Or was it that the bail was still in the second groove by the time that Smith had made his ground? There was lots to look at. Looks to me, thankfully, he’s come up with the right decision.”

This is a tough one

— Jofra Archer (@JofraArcher) July 28, 2023

But 50 minutes later the Sky Sports team completed a forensic analysis of the incident and revealed the middle stump was completely separated from both bails while Smith was still short of his ground.

It forced Ponting to change his tune. “At the time the third umpire made the right decision from what he’d seen and the angles he looked at ... but it was actually out,” he said.

The decision cost England 28 runs off Smith’s bat but crucially allowed Australia’s patient approach to its innings to pay off.

The Aussies had been criticised by Piers Morgan for the “most boring batting in modern Ashes history” as Marnus Labuschagne (9 off 82 balls) and Usman Khawaja (47 off 157) blocked and left for most of the first session.

The lack of scoring intent appeared to backfire when five wickets fell in the second session as Travis Head (four), Mitchell Marsh (16), Alex Carey (10) and Mitchell Starc (seven) all fell cheaply.

As the collapse occurred, former Australian captain Mark Taylor said the visitors had got it wrong.

“I feel like sometimes in this series Australia have almost tried to prove a point,” he said. “We’re going to score at two (runs an over) and prove your theories wrong.”

“What happens is happening now - a couple of wickets fall and you’re still 140 runs behind.”

“Gee it’s been a very stagnant Australian innings,” added Callum Ferguson. “Very un-Australian.”

Stuart Broad is up and about. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

But Smith’s survival offered Australia a lucky reprieve and the complexion of the game changed in the final session.

Pat Cummins was superb, partnering with Smith for a 54-run eighth-wicket stand before adding 49 runs with Todd Murphy for the ninth-wicket.

Cummins made 36 in another incredibly valuable knock in this series, while Murphy clubbed Mark Wood for three sixes to post his highest-ever first class score of 34.

Australia suddenly still had hope of pulling off a 3-1 series win, even if the word out of both camps at stumps was pro-England.

“The wicket was pretty good to be fair. There was a bit of swing around ... but the wicket itself was pretty nice,” Smith said.

“Probably a little disappointed we weren’t able to capitalise and get a bigger lead.”

“On the whole I thought it was a really good day for us,” Jimmy Anderson said, after another frustrating innings where he took just one wicket in 26 overs.

“I do think we bowled really well in that first session. I was surprised they didn’t try something - walk at us, try to put us off our lengths.”

“They’ll be disappointed to be honest, Australia,” added Ponting on Sky Sports. “We heard Steve Smith talk about how good the wicket was ... England did bowl really well this morning but there wasn’t enough pressure put back on them.

“Bowlers are allowed to bowl well but batters are allowed to bat well as well.”

Butcher was a little more positive about where Australia stood.

“It’s only a slender lead, that won’t be significant. What might turn out to be significant is how many overs England have just bowled,” Butcher said.

3.25am - Stokes magic ends the day

An eventful day finished in fitting circumstances as Ben Stokes caught Pat Cummins on the boundary to end the Australian innings at 295.

Cummins had been superb after walking to the crease with Australia in big trouble at 7/185 but was out for 36 after going for a big swipe when Joe Root was reintroduced.

Cummins heave initially looked like carrying over the rope, but Stokes managed to snaffle it in a moment of magic.

The England skipper’s momentum carried him over the boundary so he threw the ball into the air, remade his ground and then pocketed it.

3.15am - Murphy gives Wood a taste of own medicine

After all that Australia has a lead.

Valuable lower order runs from Pat Cummins and Todd Murphy pushed the visitors past England’s first innings total late on day two.

Murphy pulled Mark Wood for three sixes over square leg in an exciting cameo.

After seeing the likes of Wood and other members of the England tail score runs against the Aussie short ball in the series, Murphy flipped the script.

Murphy is seeing them well! Three sixes now for the off-spinner! #Ashespic.twitter.com/cvkb94xNyD

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) July 28, 2023

The ninth-wicket partnership fell one run short of 50 as Australia perhaps got some reward for putting 100-plus overs into the England bowlers.

Murphy only averages 12 in first-class cricket and has never scored more than 30 at domestic level but certainly looked capable with bat in hand before being trapped LBW by Chris Woakes for 34 off 39 balls.

It was good reward for Woakes, who got his third scalp in the eighth over of his spell. Australia was 9/288, five runs in front.

2.15am - 54-run stand ends as Smith skies one

Steve Smith may have just been starting to dream of another Ashes century when he skied a catch off Chris Woakes to depart for 71.

Smith had combined with Pat Cummins for a 54-run stand that had the deficit down to 44 runs when his aggression cost him.

The Aussie star appeared to flick a switch midway through the 90th over, charging Woakes out of nowhere and luckily seeing his shot carry over mid-off.

He went hard again off the final ball of the over, trying to hit it over midwicket but getting a top edge that flew over the slips and was tracked down by Jonny Bairstow.

At stumps, Smith said he’d seen Harry Brook move in from the square leg boundary and “thought it was a free hit”.

“I felt it was time to start a counterpunch, maybe I pulled the trigger too early,” he said.

12.35am - Five wickets fall in the session as Australia in tatters

Steve Smith is running out of partners after Mitchell Starc went down swinging at a Mark Wood short ball.

Starc hung around long enough to get the deficit under 100 runs but not much more as he fell for seven to leave Australia 7/186 from 73 overs at tea. Smith is 40 not out.

“There just hasn’t been enough intent from the Australian batters,” Ricky Ponting said in commentary.

12.05am - Carey outfoxed by Joe Root

Alex Carey’s frustrating innings is over after he fell for a Joe Root sucker ball.

The Aussie keeper had looked to be positive but kept finding fielders as he took 15 balls to get off the mark.

He decided enough was enough against Root, slog-sweeping him down the ground for six to get his tail up.

But the rush of blood had immediate consequences as he took another swipe at Root’s next delivery and hit it straight to Ben Stokes at short mid-off to go for 10. Australia is 6/170.

Since starting the series with 66 in the First Test, Carey has made scores of 20, 22, 21, 8, 5, 20 and 10.

He appeared to be miles ahead of Jonny Bairstow as the best keeper in the series but that gap has closed now too.

Wicketkeepers in this #Ashes series:

Jonny Bairstow - Batting Average 35, Catch Success 75%, 1 missed stumping

Alex Carey - Batting Average 22, Catch Success 82%, 0 missed stumpings

— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) July 28, 2023

11.30pm - Even Anderson taking wickets now

Australia’s hopes in the Fifth Test are fading fast after Mitch Marsh played on off the bowling of James Anderson for 16.

Anderson found an inside edge to leave the visitors 5/151, still trailing by 132 runs with Alex Carey and the tail to come.

Anderson got his first scalp of the innings in his 16th over after Stuart Broad struck twice early in the session.

11pm - Aussies in trouble as Head goes cheap

This Australian innings is becoming as good an advertisement for Bazball as any England has offered this series.

Australia grinded out 50 overs in the hope batting would get easier, but it’s been anything but at the start of the second session as Stuart Broad finds one of his famous grooves.

After trapping Usman Khawaja LBW, Broad tempted Travis Head with an outswinger and he couldn’t resist, dabbing at it and nicking off to Jonny Bairstow for four runs.

Australia is 4/127 and in real trouble and is now facing criticism from its own.

10.50pm - Khawaja also goes without cashing in

Serious questions are being asked about Australia’s snail-paced approach to this innings after Usman Khawaja joined Marnus Labuschagne in the sheds.

Khawaja missed a straight Stuart Broad delivery from around the wicket and was trapped LBW for 47 off 157 balls.

For the third innings in a row Khawaja wasted a review challenging a decision that looked obvious as his frustration at soaking up 50-plus overs of pressure without even making 50 showed.

10.30pm - ‘Thanks Australia’: Cricket erupts over ‘boring batting’

There’s extenuating circumstances but Australia appears determined to win this Test in the least Bazball way possible.

There were only 13 runs scored off the bat in the first 14 overs and just 54 runs total in the opening session of day two as Usman Khawaja and particularly Marnus Labuschagne forgot about scoring.

“This is the most boring batting in modern Ashes history. Thanks Australia,” Piers Morgan tweeted.

To be fair to the Aussies, the England bowling did not offer them a lot of opportunity. And there was potential value in keeping England’s quicks in the field for as long as possible given spinner Moeen Ali is off the field with a groin injury.

But the Aussies were were just 2/115 at lunch from 51 overs - 168 runs behind despite having faced only 22 fewer balls than England in its first innings.

Labuschagne played one of the slowest knocks by a first drop in Australian cricket history and then was out for nine off 82 balls before even remotely cashing in on his hard work.

“That’s why they play Bazball, England will tell you,” Mark Butcher said in commentary.

9.35pm - Joe Root takes a screamer to remove Labuschagne

Joe Root is mobbed by his England teammates after his stunning catch to remove Marnus Labuschagne on day two. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Scoring had been incredibly slow over the first 90 minutes of day two, a rare lull in such a fast-paced series.

But this Test match was lit up by an incredible act of athleticism from Joe Root to remove star Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne.

Labuschagne looked out of sorts all morning, scratching his way to just nine runs from 82 balls, when he got a nick on a superb delivery from Mark Wood.

What really should have been keeper Jonny Bairstow’s catch was instead snared by Root diving to his left.

Nice of Bairstow to leave that for Root 🙄
Seriously what was Johnny doing? Sleeping ????
Brilliant from Root 👏👏#Ashes23#ENGvAUS

— Bernie Coen (@berniecoen) July 28, 2023

Former Australian Test quick Trent Copeland was among those in awe of the catch.

But Bairstow wasn’t spared some criticism, with many taking to social media to state Root had saved the keeper’s blushes.

The dismissal left Australia 2/91.

8.45pm - Australia slow out the blocks

There has been very little action so far on day two.

The England bowlers started with three consecutive maidens before the first runs were finally added, courtesy of leg byes.

Usman Khawaja has moved to 33 not out, taking him to 410 runs in the series, three ahead of Zac Crawley for the most from either side in this year’s Ashes.

The tourists are 1/79, with Marnus Labuschagne struggling for rhythm and having already changed his bat once, on just five from 51 balls.

7.45pm - England dealt a huge blow before play gets underway

Moeen Ali, who emerged from the wilderness to be a key player for England in this series, won’t be in the field for the home side at all on day two.

Ali sustained a groin injury batting on Thursday and leaves a big hole in the attack as the team’s frontline spinner.

“That Moeen Ali injury will play a big part in the rest of the game now,” former Australian Test cricketer Callum Ferguson said on Channel 9.

“It will be really interesting to see how much work he’s going to be able to do with the ball.

“They’ll assess it, no doubt, over the next little period.

“If they’re without their spinner, that takes away a huge weapon here at The Oval, because we know spinners have played a huge role here.”

7pm - A rare opportunity awaits Australia in London

There has been an inordinate amount of whinging from the English throughout the series, led by commentator Piers Morgan and captain Ben Stokes, who thinks legacy is more important than winning the Ashes. No, really.

But the Australians have the opportunity to finally do something not seen since Steve Waugh’s team won the seventh of eighth successive series victories back in 2001.

That is to actually win a series in England, not draw it, as the Aussies managed in 2019.

After winning their first toss of the series and sending England in, the tourists would be thrilled to have skittled the Poms for just 283, even allowing for some missed chances in the field.

The Aussies will start the day dreaming of a big total to bust this match and this series open. Usman Khawaja is undefeated on 26, just five runs from passing Zak Crawley (407 runs) for most runs in the series, alongside Old Trafford centurion Marnus Labuschagne (2 not out),

David Warner, who has again been in the headlines all week, was the one wicket to fall for just 24 late on Day One as the end of his Test career inches ever closer.

For the umpteenth time, Warner flashed at a ball outside off stump and could only watch as a thick edge flew to Zak Crawley at a wide second slip.

Warner had to face repeated whispers of his imminent retirement over the past week, with wife Candice also discussing his playing future.

The Sydney Test seems the right time for David Warner to retire, if you mean last summer's Sydney Test.

— Brydon Coverdale (@brydoncoverdale) July 27, 2023

The 36-year-old repeated his stance that the Sydney Test match against Pakistan in January next year will be his final appearance in the longest form of the game.

But the derision that is facing him in Test cricket only grows, as evidenced by Brydon Coverdale’s tweet above.

His latest failure in this match had many, including fast bowling great Glenn McGrath, believing “the vultures are circling” and Warner may not survive to walk out on the SCG.

Unless he manages a big score in Australia’s second innings, surely the Australian selectors will be looking for fresh options this coming summer.