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‘Not happy’: Australia blasted for dropped catches off Scott Boland

The Aussies are on top in the fifth Ashes Test but fans were up in arms when they missed chances to enhance their cult hero’s status.

Matthew Sullivan and Andrew McMurtry
8 min read
January 15, 2022 - 11:03PM
England have made a game of it in Hobart. Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images
England have made a game of it in Hobart. Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images

The fifth Test of the 2021/22 Ashes is intriguingly poised as Australia take a 152-run lead into the third day of cricket.

England struggled with the bat, as has become a trend during this Ashes series, but some late runs from Sam Billings (29) and Chris Woakes (36), the visitors were able to go from 6/110 to a fairly respectable 188 and cut Australia’s first innings lead to 115.

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But England had its own joy late in the day, dismissing David Warner for a second duck in the Test match as Australia limped to 3/37 at stumps.

Steve Smith finished the day 17 not out, while nightwatchman Scott Boland survived the final 20 minutes on three not out.

Earlier, Nathan Lyon had blasted Australia over the 300 mark, blasting Mark Wood for three sixes on his way to 31 from 27 balls.

But while it ended up being a good finish to the day, Australia weren’t perfect — and cult hero Boland was cost an even better day.

Boland has been the find of the summer of Australia but had just one wicket despite an excellent bowling performance.

Scott Boland could have had three. Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
Scott Boland could have had three. Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Finishing on 1/33 in the first innings, Boland had two fairly easy chances dropped in the slips.

After David Warner dropped a regulation chance at first slip, Usman Khawaja dropped a catch at third slip that flew off the bat of Chris Woakes.

Australian cricket greats believe Khawaja was standing way too close to Steve Smith at second slip and reached across and attempted to take what should have been Smith’s catch.

“I’m just not happy with the spacing,” Mark Waugh said on Fox Cricket.

“They’re going in front of each other because they’re too tight together. If Khawaja was wide, that would be straight to Steve Smith.

“They’ve just got it wrong. Still should have caught it but they’re in each other’s way.”

Ex-Australian opener Simon Katich added on SEN: “They’re just too close (in the slips). They need to distance themselves.”

It was an issue the commentators continues to harp on about all day.

But when it cost Australia's new favourite player another wicket, fans were fuming.

However, when Boland walked to the crease 20 minutes from the end of the game as nightwatchman, Michael Vaughan quipped: “Probably going to get a century the series he’s having.”

Please Scott, we’ve never wanted another Gillespie more. Photo by William WEST / AFP
Please Scott, we’ve never wanted another Gillespie more. Photo by William WEST / AFP

But Boland was more in survival mode, batting through the remainder of the session.

Barmy Army delight in Warner misery

It’s been a tour with very little to celebrate for the Barmy Army but they have delighted in David Warner second innings three-ball duck.

It gives Warner a pair as he was dismissed for 0 in both innings as Stuart Broad once again dismissed the usually dashing Aussie opener.

It is the second time in Test cricket Warner has been dismissed for a pair, the last coming against England in 2019.

It’s also the 14th time Broad has dismissed Warner in Test cricket.

Australia then quickly saw Marnus Labuschagne follow Warner off the field as the top order again struggled as it was reduced to 2/5.

It was the first time since 1978 that Australia had lost two wickets for less than 10 runs twice in a Test match.

Although they didn’t drop to 3/12 again, Usman Khawaja followed with the score on 33 as England got their tails up under lights.

Cult hero Scott Boland came out to face the music as the nightwatchman, fending off the final 20 minutes of the day despite appearing to have injured his hand.

England blasted out for 188

Australia have blown England out for 188, taking a 115 run lead after the first innings.

Nathan Lyon wasn’t needed as the Aussie quicks destroyed England’s brittle batting line up once again.

29 from debutant Sam Billings and a team-gh 36 from Chris Woakes saved the day for the Englishmen, as Pat Cummins nabbed four wickets, Mitchell Starc three and Scott Boland and Cameron Green took one each.

Boland on fire, Warner drops a sitter

Scott Boland would have had two wickets in two balls if it wasn’t for David Warner dropping a straightforward catch.

Boland continued his sensational form, getting Ollie Pope to edge through to Alex Carey.

The very next ball, the incoming batter Chris Woakes nicked to Warner at first slip, but he dropped a regulation catch, robbing Boland of the chance to reduce his ridiculous bowling even further.

England collapsing again

Another match, another collapse for England. After appearing to steady the ship, Dawid Malan, Joe Root and Ben Stokes were all dismissed in quick succession in the second session.

Pat Cummins strangled Malan down the leg side for 25 and trapped Root lbw for 34 — the English captain opted not to review.

Stokes came and went for four after he lofted a drive off Mitchell Starc into the safe hands of Nathan Lyon.

Aussies left to rue non-review calls

The Aussies will be regretting the decision not to use their reviews when they should have, as England’s batters were given an extra life.

The entire Australian team went up for a strong appeal, thinking Dawid Malan had edged a Cameron Green delivery through to Alex Carey.

It was given not out and Pat Cummins opted not to send go to the third umpire to review the decision.

Replays showed that was the wrong call, with snicko showing a clear spike when the ball passed Malan’s bat.

Australian coach Justin Langer’s exasperated reaction upon seeing the replay said it all.

Commentators and viewers were surprised Australia decided not to use one of the reviews.

“Tell you what, I reckon that’s out,” Brett Lee said on Fox Cricket.

“His bat is a mile away from his pad.”

Brendon Julian added: “It looks like he hit. Couldn’t have been anything else.”

Sports broadcaster Daniel Garb tweeted: “Malan nicked that. Green got him. Poor call not to review.”

Journalist Andrew Faulker said: “Smashed it! Weird how Carey wasn’t sure.”

It came after Australia earlier chose not to review an apparent edge from opener Rory Burns.

Justin Langer’s reaction to the non-review call said it all.
Justin Langer’s reaction to the non-review call said it all.

Crawley departs, Australia on top

Zak Crawley looked good for his knock off 18 off 21 balls before he edged a Pat Cummins ball onto his pad, which popped up to Travis Head at short leg.

England opener’s shocker continues

Rory Burns just keeps finding ways to get out. After being brought back into the side for the last Test, the opener’s disastrous Ashes tour continued when he was run out for a duck in England’s first innings in Hobart.

His opening partner Zak Crawley took off for a quick but realistic single but Burns was too slow to get to the other end, and was just short of the crease when Marnus Labuschagne threw down the stumps with an excellent direct hit.

Australia all out for 303 after tail wags

Australia was bowled out for 303 following some excellent batting from Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland, who ensured Australia pushed its total past 300.

Lyon was particularly impressive, finishing with 31 runs off 27 balls.

Stuart Broad roasted for bizarre outburst

Fast bowlers are a rare species and England’s Stuart Broad made that clear for all to see with a bizarre complaint.

The veteran seamer was coming in to bowl to Mitchell Starc but backed out of his run-up at the last second and was clearly bothered by something in his eyeline.

Pulling up at the crease, Broad shouted to no one in particular: “Stop moving the robot!”.

He was referring to Fox Cricket’s roving camera, which was behind the boundary rope at the wicketkeeper’s end, some 75 metres away.

Usually, it’s the batters who are pulling away at the last moment because they are complaining about a problem with the sight screen and bemused fans were quick to roast Broad for his antics.

Sports reporter Mark Gottlieb tweeted: “A bowler pulling out of his run up because there’s movement behind the batsman (in this case a camera on a robot) is utterly ridiculous.

“Just bowl the ball. Are you going to pull out of the delivery if a fan gets up and goes for a beer? This isn’t tennis or golf. Stop being so bloody precious.”

Carey gone as Lyon goes big

Alex Carey was the next man to go for 24 after he inside edged a regulation ball from Chris Woakes on to his stumps.

The highlight for Australia in the first hour has been the Nathan Lyon’s rearguard knock.

The GOAT smacked England paceman Mark Wood for three sixes, one of which went out of the ground.

Mark Wood celebrates his wicket of Pat Cummins of Australia. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)
Mark Wood celebrates his wicket of Pat Cummins of Australia. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

Starc and Cummins depart early on Day 2

England has made an early breakthrough on Day in Hobart, with Mark Wood claiming the wicket of Mitchell Starc for three.

After an uneventful start to the day’s play, Starc attempted to pull a bouncer from Wood, but could only top edge it to Rory Burns at square leg.

A few overs later, Wood dismissed Pat Cummins in almost identical fashion with a bouncer that the Aussie captain skied straight to Zak Crawley for two.

Why Ricky Ponting isn’t laughing at ‘embarrassed’ Marnus

When Marnus Labuschagne was clean bowled by Stuart Broad on Day 1, it seemed everyone in Australia was laughing — except one man.

The Aussie No. 3 exposed all his stumps in an attempt to hit Broad to the leg side, but he somehow managed to trip over his own feet and land flat on his face while offering no protection whatsoever to his stumps.

The sight of Labuschagne lying on the pitch with the zing bails flying amused his teammates Steve Smith and Pat Cummins but was enough to make one of Australia’s greatest ever batters wince.

Poor old Marnus had a shocker on Day 1 in Hobart. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)
Poor old Marnus had a shocker on Day 1 in Hobart. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

Ricky Ponting was sympathetic to Labuschagne and said he will be more “embarrassed” about the nature of his dismissal than getting out.

“Unfortunately when he went to move his feet, he missed his spikes and missed the outside of his boot and sort of stretched out further than he wanted to and got into a position where it was impossible for him to actually hit the ball,” Ponting told cricket.com.au.

“He’ll be embarrassed about getting out but having been there before — I’ve ended up on my face in a Test match — picking yourself up off the wicket to get off the ground is not a place where you want to be.”

The former Australian skipper also fell flat on his face after being bowled in the twilight of his career.

Facing legendary South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis in Adelaide in 2012, Ponting completely missed the ball and lost his footing — falling forward on to the pitch as the ball cannoned into his stumps.

Ricky Ponting wasn’t laughing at Marnus.
Ricky Ponting wasn’t laughing at Marnus.
Same, but different.
Same, but different.

Many pundits cite that dismissal as the moment they knew Ponting had lost his touch at the top level. He retired from Test cricket later in the series.

Ponting said he genuinely felt for Labuschagne, but was relieved his co-commentators haven’t yet dug his similarly ugly dismissal out from the archives for a stitch up.

“You saw (Steve) Smithy and (Pat) Cummins having a bit of a laugh about it,” he said.

“I don’t think Marnus will be having much of a laugh about it tonight when he sees it probably for the 100th time.

“I haven’t laughed at it yet. I’m not going to laugh at it yet either. I’ve actually been waiting all day to get stitched up in comms about it because when it happened a few people waiting for me to acknowledge that it happened.

“I didn’t say anything but I’ve just been waiting for a replay to pop up at some stage. It hasn’t yet. I’m not to bring it up anymore but yeah, you don’t see it too often.

“Trust me, the shot at your dignity when you get out in the first place and when you’ve got to actually get up and walk off the field, it’s not a fun place to be.”

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/cricket/the-ashes/live-why-ricky-ponting-isnt-laughing-at-marnus-labuschagne/news-story/064e210912822ce09f5b3a2cc794ecfe