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Jonny Bairstow smashes century as England finally show some backbone

The 2021-22 Ashes series has been dire for England but even though the urn is gone, a forgotten star has finally showed some mettle.

Nic SavageNic Savage
@nic_savage1
11 min read
January 7, 2022 - 7:14PM
What an innings from Jonny Bairstow. Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP
What an innings from Jonny Bairstow. Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP

The Ashes may already be gone but England’s batters finally showed some courage on day three of the fourth Ashes Test, with Jonny Bairstow scoring his seventh Test century at the SCG on Friday.

After Australia declared their innings closed at 8/416 on Thursday, England were eager to put together a competitive first innings total in response.

But England’s batting woes continued on Friday morning, with the visitors losing four wickets in the opening session before the lunch break to drop to 4/36.

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Victorian quick Scott Boland was once again the chief destroyer, claiming two wickets in a superb four-over spell.

At lunch it looked as though the same old story which had been told all Ashes series was coming up again and England would be facing a follow on and another massive defeat.

However, Ben Stokes and Bairstow fought back in the afternoon session, surviving until the tea break without losing another wicket.

Early in the evening session, Cricket Australia confirmed that Boland had been taken for a scan after tumbling onto the pitch, but he thankfully returned to the field of play later.

England’s Mark Wood contributed some handy runs in the lower-order to help England avoid the dreaded follow-on, and Bairstow brought up triple figures in the final over of the day.

The England No. 6 had been batting with a sore thumb, but he powered through to pain to revive the innings and keep the tourists in the contest.

First English century goes to Bairstow

Jonny Bairstow has brought up the first English century of the Ashes Tour, reaching the milestone in 138 balls at the SCG on Friday.

The 32-year-old came to the crease when England was 4/36, but he steadied to ship to help the tourists avoid the follow-on.

Partnering with Ben Stokes in a 128-run stand before he was dismissed for 66 by Nathan Lyon, Bairstow and a quick 39 from Mark Wood helped England avoid the follow on.

Bairstow brought up triple figures with a backfoot slash through point. He celebrated the moment by kissing the helmet and saluting the crowd.

“An incredible moment for Jonny Bairstow in Sydney,” Isa Guha said in Fox Cricket commentary. “It’s been a rollercoaster few years in Test cricket for the first century-maker of the tour. Jonny Bairstow, take a bow.”

He also looked to the sky, which Fox Cricket commentator Kerry O’Keeffe said was “for his late father David”.

“He’ll be looking down Jonny and very proud,” O’Keeffe said. “What an innings you’ve just played.”

Jonny Bairstow of England. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
Jonny Bairstow of England. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Bairstow was battered, getting hit all over his body on the way to 100, including a painful blow on his thumb.

Former Aussie opening batter Chris Rogers was on SEN and said: “(It’s a century) that has been full of pluck and courage — it’s been back against the wall stuff.

“I’m not sure there’s anyone who thought England would still be batting at the end of the day when it was 4/36 and the ball seemed to be doing everything.

“Credit to Jonny Bairstow, he’ll reflect on this one and think this is one of the best centuries he’s ever hit, no doubt.”

It’s his seventh Test century and second against Australia. His most recent Test ton came in November 2018, more than three years ago.

After play, Marnus Labuschagne said it was tough work as the SCG pitch is a new ball deck and that it just showed the “Ashes cricket is tough cricket”.

Social media was quick to praise the England star.

‘One of the most bizarre things I’ve seen’

That is absolutely absurd.

Australian all-rounder Cameron Green has just clean-bowled Ben Stokes, but somehow the bails did not fall off the stumps

Coming from around the wicket, Green got the Kookaburra to nip back into the left-hander and clip the top of off stump.

The ball deviated on its way through to the wicketkeeper, yet the bails were unmoved.

Presumably believing the ball had struck Stokes’ pad, the Australians appealed for LBW and umpire Paul Reiffel awarded the wicket. But after Stokes called for a review, replays showed what had truly transpired.

“That’s one of the most bizarre things I’ve seen,” Australian great Shane Warne said on Fox Cricket.

“I’m still in shock. I don’t quite understand what we just saw. Look at how hard this hit the stumps. But the Australian team appealed too. What are they appealing for? I’ve never seen anything like that.”

Legendary commentator Jim Maxwell said on ABC Grandstand: “It‘s hard to believe that actually happened!”

David Warner started repeatedly flicking the off stump during the break in play, showing how much force was required for the bail to even move.

Cummins finally removes Wood

After an entertaining 72-run partnership between Jonny Bairstow and Mark Wood, the Australian skipper has finally created a breakthrough following a review.

Pat Cummins delivered a bouncer at Wood in the 66th over, and the England quick looked to swipe the short ball over deep square leg.

The Kookaburra ricocheted off Wood’s helmet towards Nathan Lyon at point, who claimed a comfortable catch.

The Aussies called for a review, and Snicko technology suggested there was a noise when the ball passed the bat.

The on-field decision was overturned, and Cummins had secured his second wicket of the innings.

Buttler goes for a duck

Australian skipper Pat Cummins has his first wicket of the Test, removing England gloveman Jos Buttler for a duck.

Buttler chipped a simple chance for Usman Khawaja at short cover, who took his second catch of the innings.

Mark Wood is the new man in the middle.

‘This looks bad’: Bairstow struck on thumb

England batter Jonny Bairstow has suffered a nasty blow to thumb while facing Pat Cummins at the SCG.

The 32-year-old’s thumb bent back viciously after a length delivery from the Australian skipper, and he immediately shook his hand in pain.

“That’s hurt him bad, you don’t like to see that. That reaction is not good at all,” former Australian batter Mark Waugh said on Fox Cricket. “He’s in big, big trouble.”

Team medics examined the right-hander’s hand for about five minutes before his innings continued. England teammate Ben Stokes has also been battling a suspected side strain.

Lyon gets long-awaited breakthrough

England all-rounder Ben Stokes has departed for a well-made 66, with off-spinner Nathan Lyon trapping him in front LBW.

Stokes didn’t even wait for the umpire’s decision – it was plumb.

He and Jonny Bairstow have been relentlessly attacking Lyon this afternoon, but the Aussie tweaker got the last laugh.

It was an entertaining stay at the crease for Stokes. Jos Buttler is the new man in the middle.

Bairstow’s half-century

England No. 6 Jonny Bairstow has brought up a half-century of his own after the tea interval, reaching fifty in 80 deliveries.

Bairstow and Ben Stokes have now combined for England’s third-largest partnership of the Ashes series to date.

Fifty for Stokes

England all-rounder Ben Stokes has brought up his 25th Test half-century, bringing up the minor milestone in just 70 deliveries at the SCG.

He’s been gifted a couple of chances, but despite nursing a side complaint, he’s batted superbly in tough conditions.

Soon after, Stokes and Jonny Bairstow brought up a century partnership for the fifth wicket.

‘What did he say?’: Aussie gets angry

Soon after claiming the first wicket of the innings, Mitchell Starc struck Zak Crawley flush on the finger, causing the England opener to drop his bat in pain.

Crawley was examined by team doctors for about five minutes in the middle before play continued.

While walking back to his mark, Starc yelled across to teammate Nathan Lyon: “Gazza, what did he say to you the other night? I thought so.”

Fox Cricket then showed footage of Crawley talking with Lyon from the evening before, and commentators suggested that the England opener said something that irritated the off-spinner.

“First bit of, call it, sledging this Ashes, there hasn‘t been a great deal,” former England captain Michael Vaughan said on Fox Cricket. “A bit of chirp.”

Aussie skipper puts down tough chance

England all-rounder Ben Stokes has been given an extra life in the middle, with Australian captain Pat Cummins putting down a chance off his own bowling.

Stokes drove the ball back at Cummins, and struck the paceman on the wrist before hitting the turf.

Stokes survives.

‘Pathetic’: Green strikes just before lunch

Things are going from bad to worse for England at the SCG.

Just before the lunch interval in Sydney, young all-rounder Cameron Green dismissed England No. 3 Dawid Malan for 3.

Malan looked to glance a short delivery towards fine leg, but Aussie centurion Usman Khawaja claimed a smart catch low to the turf at leg slip.

England did not score a run during the final 53 deliveries of that session.

‘Absurd’: You can’t stop Boland

Scott Boland’s incredible run of form has continued, with the Victorian seamer claiming two wickets before even conceding a run at the SCG.

England opener Zak Crawley was first dismissed for 18, with Boland getting the ball to nip back past the inside edge and crash into the stumps.

A few overs later, Boland removed England captain Joe Root for the second time in as many innings.

Root swiped carelessly at a wide delivery, and the thick outside edge was caught by Australian vice-captain Steve Smith at second slip.

The England skipper made his way back to the pavilion for a duck, and the visitors were suddenly three down for not many.

Boland has now taken 8/7 from eight overs in his last two Test innings.

Third time lucky for Starc

Mitchell Starc has finally snared his first breakthrough, removing England opener Haseeb Hameed for 6.

The left-arm quick got the ball to deck back into Hameed, who missed the Kookaburra with an expansive drive and a wide gap between bat and pad.

The ball crashed into middle stump, and England were one down in Sydney.

“This is a jaffa from Mitchell Starc,” former Australian spinner Kerry O‘Keeffe said on Fox Cricket.

Cricket reporter Andrew Wu tweeted: “Could have driven an elephant through the gaping hole between Haseeb Hameed‘s bat and pad.”

Dawid Malan is the new batter in the middle.

Carey spills early chance

Oh dear, Australia’s day in the field has started poorly.

Australian gloveman Alex Carey has put down a regulation chance behind the stumps, gifting England opener Haseeb Hameed an extra life at the crease.

Mitchell Starc found the right-hander’s outside edge, and the Kookaburra flew towards David Warner at first slip.

Carey dived across to claim the chance, but the ball fell out of his right glove onto the deck. Looking at the replays, the South Australian probably could have used two hands.

Sports reporter Mark Gottlieb tweeted: “Yeeeesh … that‘s not a great effort from Carey. Buttler-esque. Would‘ve been a simple one for Warner but to me that’s still Carey’s catch. Could’ve got both gloves to it quite easily.”

The Age’s Russell Bennett posted: “I know they’ve not played in many Tests together yet, but Carey and Warner really need to sort their stagger better than they’ve got it at the minute. Almost every edge to Carey’s right seems destined for a drop, fumble, or at least a mix-up.”

Former Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin told Triple M: “When the ball’s in really tight he’s neat, it’s just about making a decision when the ball goes outside your eye line. You see a lot of the time Alex Carey … move towards the ball rather than trusting his feet that he can move laterally quick enough.”

Hameed survives. Starc is not happy.

11.30am – Play to resume shortly

If there is no further rain in Sydney, play will resume at 12.10pm AEDT.

11.15am – Covers coming off

Good news cricket fans – the covers are starting to come off at the SCG. The umpires will presumably inspect the field soon.

Warne responds to Aussie star’s swipe

Don’t try and mock the King of Spin on Twitter.

Shane Warne has taken a brutal swipe at former South Australian paceman Chadd Sayers on social media ahead of day three of the New Year’s Ashes Test in Sydney.

On Wednesday, Warne questioned why selectors didn’t include West Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh in the starting XI for the SCG Test, claiming he would prefer to bowl at Usman Khawaja.

After Khawaja brought up his ninth Test century on Thursday, Sayers tweeted: “Shane Warne keeps bagging his own Aussie players. Went hard at Starc – Wrong and now Uzzie – wrong #shutup.”

Warne replied on Friday morning: “Hey champ, Fyi – Saying you would prefer to bowl to Khawaja than Marsh is not bagging anyone. Ps I bowled spin. You bowled so called ‘pace’. The keeper stood in the same spot hahaha. PPS You would need a helmet bowling to M Marsh right now.”

Sayers played his lone Test match against South Africa in 2018. He retired from professional cricket last summer.

Aussie star facing axe after Ashes century

Usman Khawaja scored a heartwarming century on his return from the cricketing wilderness to lift Australia into a powerful position in the fourth Ashes Test against England in Sydney.

After years of heartbreak following his axing during the 2019 Ashes tour of England, Khawaja posted 137 in his team’s 8/416 declared.

And the century has him in line to return to the country of his birth with the Australian touring side in March, 30 months after seeming to have played his final Test.

But despite everything he’s achieved in Sydney, Khawaja concedes he might be dropped ahead of the Hobart Test.

The 35-year-old replaced incumbent No. 5 Travis Head, who tested positive for Covid-19 in Melbourne last week, and the South Australian will presumably reclaim his spot in the middle order for the fifth Test.

Head was Australia’s highest run-scorer in the series before the fourth Test got underway.

“I knew it was one game for the series,” Khawaja told reporters on Thursday evening.

“Heady’s going to be back next game, he’s going to be fit, I’m replacing him.

“I understand the process and I’m not against that process either.

“We’re winning, we’re playing really well.

“In my mind it‘s probably this series it was only going to be one game and then move forward.

“At the end of the day I just wanted to contribute.”

Usman Khawaja celebrates his ninth Test century. Photo by Izhar Khan/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Usman Khawaja celebrates his ninth Test century. Photo by Izhar Khan/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Former Australian Test captain Ricky Ponting believes Head’s return to the starting XI is an inevitability.

“Travis has been outstanding in the series so far,” Ponting told cricket.com.au.

“In fact, that‘s the best I’ve ever seen him bat, in Brisbane, and then the way he carried that over into that little cameo he played in Adelaide when his team needed him to go out and score quickly (was impressive).

“It just happens … it‘s a huge call to make.”

Meanwhile, Khawaja’s classy knock further exposed the flaws in England’s batting attack – in one knock, he has scored more runs in this Ashes series than Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Haseeb Hameed, Rory Burns, Jonny Bairstow and Ollie Pope.

Cricket reporter Isabelle Westbury wrote in The Times: “Khawaja’s personal story might be heartwarming but what it demonstrates for Australia is a more telling one. That the host’s sixth-choice top-five batter can so comfortably reach a century, while Australia’s fast-bowling depth has reeled out consecutive five-wicket hauls for its second string attack, is in stark contrast to England’s own red-ball stocks.

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“England have it all the wrong way around; they rely on veteran fast bowlers to keep England’s injury-stricken attack alive, while shoving a conveyor belt of young twenty-somethings into the bright cauldron of Ashes cricket.

“England persevere with the trial and much error of their fresh young batters, the Zak Crawleys, Haseeb Hameeds, Dan Lawrences and Dom Sibleys, chewing them up, hoping (wishing, praying?) that they’re the next Joe Root before spitting them out onto the growing pile of discards.”

With AFP

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