First Ashes Test, day 3 live updates: Aussies embroiled in fresh DRS drama

The Aussies were stitched up by a technology blunder at the Gabba before England slowly crawled their way back into the contest.

England captain Joe Root and No. 3 batter Dawid Malan has resurrected the Gabba Test, with the pair combining for an unbeaten 159-run partnership on day three.

The visitors were on the ropes early on day 3 with Australia reaching 425 in their first innings — a lead of 278.

Australia put on an additional 78 runs after resuming at 7/347 overnight.

The Aussies were led by Travis Head, who went past 150 for just the second time in his Test career before he was clean bowled by Mark Wood on 152.

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In response, England nervously reached 0/23 at the lunch break before rattled opener Rory Burns failed again in the first over of the second session of play.

England captain Joe Root and No. 3 batter Dawid Malan steadied the ship after Haseeb Hameed fell, with the visitors 2/107 at tea, still trailing by 171 runs.

The duo then combined for a century partnership, pushing England’s score past 200 as the sun started setting over the Brisbane skyline.

England is 2/220 at stumps, still trailing by 58 runs. Root was unbeaten on 86 with Malan 80 not out at the other end.

Play will resume on Saturday morning at 10.30am AEDT.

England skipper breaks all-time record

Joe Root has set a new England record for most Test runs in a calendar year, surpassing the previous best set by Ashes great Michael Vaughan in 2002.

1482* — Joe Root, 2021

1481 — Michael Vaughan, 2002

1477 — Joe Root, 2016

1470 — Jonny Bairstow, 2016

1385 — Joe Root, 2015

Soon after, Root brought up his half-century, the first for an English cricketer this series. Malan followed suit later in the session.

Joe Root of England waves his bat to the crowd. Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

‘Useless’: Aussies embroiled in fresh DRS drama

The Australians have been stitched up by the lack of Snicko technology available at the Gabba, with England No. 3 Dawid Malan surviving an appeal for caught behind in the afternoon session.

Josh Hazlewood believed he had found the outside edge of Malan’s bat, convincing skipper Pat Cummins to call for a review — but because the third umpire did not see anything on Hotspot, the left-hander survived.

Cummins and Hazlewood were not happy with the outcome, talking with the on-field umpires after the decision was handed down.

On Thursday, it was revealed that the Snicko and front-foot no-ball technology were not available for the Ashes Test due to Covid-19 complications.

Former Australian Test captain Ricky Ponting said on Channel 7: “Just the biggest series that’s been played for a while and we’ve got two pretty important pieces of technology that aren’t here.”

Channel 7 commentator Alison Mitchell continued: “It is expected to have the Snicko technology available in Adelaide.”

Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne told reporters after stumps: “I actually didn’t hear a noise, but the other four guys around me were adamant there was bat.

“It looked like it had hit the bottom of the toe (on Hotspot) … we thought it looked like there was a mark.

“When you don’t have Snicko, obviously that decision is never going to get overturned.”

England was 2/107 at tea on day three, still trailing by 171 runs.

No snicko, no front foot no-ball check.

Good thing this isn't the Ashes or something. Disgrace. #Ashes#AusvENG

— Nic Negrepontis (@NicNegrepontis) December 10, 2021

DRS without Snicko is about as useless as VAR #Ashes

— Vince Rugari (@VinceRugari) December 10, 2021

No snicko and no technology for no balls. Why?

(For the biggest series in cricket…)

— Sam Billings (@sambillings) December 10, 2021

Starc gets key breakthrough as second wicket falls

Mitchell Starc has dismissed Haseeb Hameed to leave England 2/61.

Hameed had fought stubbornly to reach 27 from 58 balls before he got tempted to flick at a shortish ball from Starc.

Starc sent the Kookaburra to the leg side in a delivery that crept up towards Hameed’s ribs. The ball collected some glove and bat as it sailed through to keeper Alex Carey.

Burns busted in cowardly Ashes move

Rory Burns was gone in the first over after lunch after coming under fire for a peculiar move at the start of England’s innings.

He was dismissed by Pat Cummins on 13 when he edged through to keeper Alex Carey.

The Aussie attack has been smelling blood in the water around the English opener since Mitchell Starc knocked him over with the first delivery of the series on Wednesday.

There are suggestions the Aussies are living rent free in Burns’ head after he took the rare decision to start the innings at the nonstriker’s end.

The sight of Burns walking to the nonstriker’s end at the start of England’s innings caused a stir when commentators pointed out that it is just the fourth time in his 264-innings in first-class cricket that he has not taken the first ball when batting at the top of the order.

News.com.au’s Nic Savage also revealed it is just the third time Burns has not faced the first ball of an innings in his test career.

Burns has batted 53 times in Test cricket.

This is only the third time in Rory Burns’ Test career that he hasn’t faced the first delivery of an innings.

— Nic Savage (@nic_savage1) December 10, 2021

Aussie test legend Matthew Hayden said on Channel 7 Burns may have had a word with opening partner Haseeb Hameed, asking him to take the first ball this innings.

Hayden said he would not blame Burns if he was scared about a king pair.

Just three balls into his innings, Burns was given out LBW only for the decision to be overturned on review.

Mitchell Starc’s delivery hit high on Burns’ pad, but umpire Paul Reiffel did not hesitate to raise his finger.

Rory Burns saved by the DRS. Photo: Kayo.

Burns immediately reviewed and the DRS verdict went his way when ball-tracking indicated the ball was going on to sail over the top of the stumps.

Burns was also dropped off the bowling of Pat Cummins when Jhye Richardson dropped a tough chance diving to his right.

Richardson’s reach for the catch with his opposite hand was described as “weird” by Aussie test great Michael Hussey.

Isabelle Westbury, a Former England cricketer turned columnist for London’s The Telegraph, posted on Twitter Burns made the decision knowing Australian players will sledge him.

“I’ve underestimated Rory Burns,” she wrote on Twitter.

“Any man that decides not to face the first ball in the innings after his first-ball debacle, and can withstand the chat he’s gonna get around Australia from hereon in, must have a thicker skin than I had thought.”

Jhye Richardson puts it down. Photo: Kayo.

Head robbed in cruel end to Aussie innings

Travis Head was dismissed trying to score quick runs after Josh Hazlewood arrived at the crease as the final Aussie batter.

The No. 5 batter’s career-high score of 161 was in reach before his sudden decision to put the foot down on the accelerator again after watching his partners fall around him.

The falling wickets robbed him of a chance to score his highest total.

Travis Head raises his bat. Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images.

He scored 161 against Sri Lanka in Hobart in 2019.

He brought up his 150 on Friday from just 143 balls.

Despite his impressive knock, Head said after his innings he was “disappointed” not to have added more runs at the end.

Aussie test great Mark Waugh said on Fox Cricket: “That’s a brilliant innings from Travis Head. He’s looking to keep the scoreboard flowing. He’s not worried about getting out. He’s happy with his 150 and why wouldn’t you be.”

Justin Langer’s contemptuous slight

Aussie coach Justin Langer has landed a sly slap on English bowler Jack Leach with the under-fire spinner’s series already at crisis point.

Leach finished the opening day with the most expensive figures in Ashes history going at 8.63 runs per over.

Langer continued to stick the boot in on Friday morning.

He admitted the tactic of being aggressive against Leach was part of a strategy to give England selection headaches.

Justin Langer is cold-blooded. Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images.

“One of the things where we have a massive competitive advantage is we have a world class spinner,” he said in an interview on Channel 7.

“Jack Leach and Dom Bess, they’re still quite young spinners. We want to put them under pressure. And then get England thinking about what their selection strategy is going to be. We know how important a spinner is in Australia.”

Code Sport journalist Daniel Cherny described Langer’s quotes as “mental disintegration”.

Ben Stokes condition revealed

English star Ben Stokes’ physical condition has finally been confirmed by the English camp after he was seen struggling to move on the second day of play.

Stokes at different times grabbed at his shoulder and winced in pain several times.

He was also seen running into bowl in discomfort after appearing to injure his left leg while chasing a ball in the outfield.

England confirmed Friday morning Stokes jarred his left knee as he pulled up near the boundary rope.

He was restricted to just nine overs on day 2 and finished with 0/50.

Leach suffers one of the most brutal reviews in Ashes history

Travis Head blasted English spinner Jack Leach into the history books for all the wrong reasons on his way to the third quickest hundred ever scored in Ashes cricket.

Leach finished with 1/95 from just 11 overs — sending stats gurus to reach for the record books.

His figures are the most expensive ever returned in Ashes cricket (with a minimum of five overs), conceding 8.63 runs per over.

His bowling figures are the worst economy rate ever seen at the Gabba, smashing the previous unwanted record held by Eddie Barlow since 1964 with a spell of 1/71 from 12 overs.

It also took Leach’s career record against left-handed batters to 60.9. Australia’s top order includes four left-handers.

It has exposed the truth that England has no spin options to challenge Australia’s batters. Joe Root simply has no slow bowlers up his sleeve and is facing the prospect of selecting four quicks for the second Test, and bowling himself as a part-time tweaker.

The Telegraph’s Tim Wigmore said Leach’s series may be over by the end of the first Test, suggesting Australia had “contempt” for his finger spin.

Joe Root, Jack Leach and Ollie Robinson. Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images.

The Times described it as “a barbaric mauling”.

Code Sport reporter Daniel Cherny described the Aussie attack on Leach as “sheer, unadulterated contempt for Jack Leach” in a post on Twitter.

English cricket scribe Chris Stocks wrote on inews.co.uk Leach’s performance was worse than anything Graeme Swann produced in the infamous 2013-14 Ashes series which saw him retire in the middle of the series.

Stocks says the trust has been broken inside the dressing room.

“Leach is clearly not trusted by captain Joe Root, who opted against picking him for any of last summer’s six home Tests,” he wrote.

“He’s virtually unselectable for the rest of the series.”

The Daily Mail’s Paul Newman wrote: “It was brutal. It was premeditated. And it was a calculated attack that looks likely to knock Jack Leach out of this Ashes and quite possibly beyond.”

BBC commentator Jonathan Agnew said: “I feel sorry for him.”