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Ashes 2019: Steve Smith hits double century as sloppy England fall apart

A Steve Smith double century has capped an amazing run of form, as a demoralised England were punished for an inept display in the field | WATCH

Peter Lalor and Tom Crystal
14 min read
4:44AMSeptember 06, 2019.
Updated 6:58AMSeptember 06, 2019
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Steve Smith reaches his double century. Picture: Getty Images
Steve Smith reaches his double century. Picture: Getty Images

Australia vs England, day two of the fourth Ashes Test, from Old Trafford. England are 1-23 at stumps in reply to Australia’s 8(dec)-497.

Peter Lalor 4.30am: Smith puts Australia on top

Australia have the game in their control with England on 1-23 chasing 8-497 declared in Manchester.

Steve Smith and associates broke the opposition on day two, the brilliant batsman bringing up a double century to take him to 589 runs from just four innings in the series.

Smith’s third century of the 2019 Ashes was his sixth in England — giving him more than any English player in their home country.

Matthew Wade removes Joe Denly at short leg late on day two. Picture: Getty Images
Matthew Wade removes Joe Denly at short leg late on day two. Picture: Getty Images

England had a horror day. Jofra Archer missed a caught and bowled from the batsman early and never looked in the contest. Later, spinner Jack Leach had Smith caught off what was revealed to be a no ball when he was on 118.

Smith was finally dismissed playing a reverse sweep against Joe Root for 211 after more than eight hours at the crease.

Tim Paine got in on the act, scoring 58 in a 145-run partnership with his predecessor.

The innings will get critics off his back for a while, but he was a little fortunate to be dropped on 9 and 49.

Steve Smith gets a rousing cheer after his innings. Picture: AP
Steve Smith gets a rousing cheer after his innings. Picture: AP

Paine looked better at the crease for the hard work he has been putting in at the nets.

Mitchell Starc made the most of his first appearance in the series. The bowler slogged seven 4s and two 6s to score his tenth Test half century.

Archer was a disappointment, failing to fire or take a wicket on his way to 0-97. Stuart Broad bent his back and was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 3-97. Leach asked questions and took 2-83.

England faced a tricky 10-over period at the end of the day and lost new opener Joe Denly to a sharp catch from Matthew Wade at short leg off the bowling of Pat Cummins.

Australia cannot lose this match but need to take 19 wickets to win it and secure the Ashes with the series tied one-all.

Match blog below — how day two unfolded:

4.15am: Stumps

England seamer Craig Overton is sent in as nightwatchman, and he manages to survive a testing final over from Josh Hazlewood. Overton finishes the day on three, Rory Burns has 15 and England are 1-23. Burns looks solid but the home side have a huge task ahead to get back into this game.

4am: WICKET!

A screamer from Matthew Wade at short leg. Joe Denly gets an inside edge from Pat Cummins onto the thigh pad and straight at the close fielder. Wade’s able to bobble the ball and secure a diving, one-handed catch. England are 1-10.

3.45am: Survival mode

Josh Hazlewood is giving Joe Denly the works here, beating the right-hander repeatedly and then thundering a full delivery into the pads. A big lbw shout is turned down but the Australians think better of a review. Mitchell Starc can’t quite find his range in a two-over burst, so Pat Cummins is brought on.

Joe Denly cops one on the body from Mitchell Starc. Picture: Getty Images
Joe Denly cops one on the body from Mitchell Starc. Picture: Getty Images

3.25am: A tricky session looms

England will have to survive about 45 minutes before stumps, or something in the range of 10 or 11 overs. Mitchell Starc gets the new-ball honours, bowling to Rory Burns. Joe Denly is the non-striker.

England's Joe Denly and Rory Burns head out to bat. Picture: AFP
England's Joe Denly and Rory Burns head out to bat. Picture: AFP

Peter Lalor 3.20am: Smith dominates lacklustre attack

Australia have declared at 8-497 and England’s top order face a difficult period late on the second day.

Mitchell Starc was 54no and Nathan Lyon 26no. Jofra Archer had 0-97, which was commensurate with his apparent level of interest, when Tim Paine called his side in. Stuart Broad bowled 25 overs and was rewarded with 3-97, but nobody really had any answers for Steve Smith, who scored 211 in his eight hours at the crease.

Part-time spinner, captain Joe Root, finally dismissed the Australian when Smith played a reverse sweep straight to Joe Denly.

3.17am: Australia declare

Nathan Lyon gets in on the act, dancing down the wicket to Joe Root and belting him for four to mid-wicket. He has a run-a-ball 26 when Tim Paine declares the innings closed on 8-497. The ninth-wicket partnership was worth 59 off just 8.1 overs. Mitchell Starc finishes with 54 off 58.

The view from high up in the stands. Picture: AFP
The view from high up in the stands. Picture: AFP

3.10am: 50 for Starc!

A fun cameo from the paceman produces a half-century off 49 balls, featuring seven fours and two sixes. The past 10 overs have yielded 72 runs. A declaration appears imminent.

3am: Showtime!

Mitchell Starc has waited all series for a bat and he’s making up for lost time. After taking 16 from a Stuart Broad over, he pounds 14 off part-timer Joe Root, with a six and two fours. Some brilliant ball striking from the tall left-hander. Australia are racing towards 500.

2.45am: WICKET!

He’s finally out. Steve Smith’s epic innings comes to an end via a reverse sweep off Joe Root straight to Joe Denly fielding behind point. A few of the England players offer their congratulations to Smith, who walks off to thunderous applause from a big crowd. A smattering of half-hearted heckling is well and truly drowned out by a well deserved ovation. He put on a quickfire 51 with Mitchell Starc.

2.40am: Starc reality

Tailender Mitchell Starc tees off on a tired Stuart Broad, peeling off four straight boundaries with some dazzling stroke play. A nudge to fine leg is followed by a glorious straight drive, another smash down the ground and a blazing slice behind point. Joe Root immediately calls for Jofra Archer to warm up.

2.26am: 200 FOR SMITH!

Steve Smith tucks Stuart Broad behind square leg for two to bring up his third double century in Tests.

2.15am: Over the top!

The question now turns to whether Australia plan to bat on or try and get a crack at England late in the day. The forecast for tomorrow is rain, while the weekend looks much clearer. Steve Smith dances down the wicket and hits Jack Leach for six between long off and cover. Australia move to 7-405, Smith has 197.

2am: On and on and on ...

Steve Smith moves to 190 as Craig Overton, who has kept a disciplined line outside off stump in this spell, strays with his length. This batsman rarely misses a chance to pounce on the loose ball.

1.50am: WICKET!

A mini comeback from England as they get another breakthrough post-tea. Jack Leach induces an edge from Pat Cummins and Ben Stokes takes a simple catch at slip. No sign of a no-ball this time ...

1.33am: WICKET!

The first ball after tea produces a wicket, as Craig Overton gets one to straighten on Tim Paine, who nicks to wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow. A vital 58 from the skipper, who shared a partnership of 145. Australia are now 6-369.

Peter Lalor 1.25am: England get the wobbles

Ben Stokes broke down and couldn’t complete his 11th over. Steve Smith was dismissed by a no ball and had to be recalled. Tim Paine was dropped on 49. And Smith, who has moved on to 173no since, was put down too.

The home side’s wheels seemed to have fallen off completely before tea on the second day of the match. Australia are 5-369 and the match is slipping away fast.

They have only themselves to blame.

Jack Leach has looked to be overstepping the line regularly during the innings without detection, but when he induced an edge from Smith on 118 it was picked up by TV replay.

Stokes,who had celebrated the slips catch by hurling the ball into the pitch, appeared to hurt himself hurling another in from the boundary a bit later. He pulled up on the fifth delivery of his 11th over and left the field.

Jason Roy dropped Paine when he was on nine and the sub, Sam Curran, dropped him 40 runs later.

Paine made the most of the chaos by scoring his fifth Test half century — his first since the UAE last year.

The runs and the game position will comfort the captain, who has been under pressure over his batting in the series.

1.10am: Aussies feast on England errors

A wicketless session for the home team but it should have been so much different. Smith and Paine were given lives by some sloppy fielding. Australia added 124 runs without loss between lunch and tea. Smith is unbeaten on 173, Paine has 58 and England are seemingly out of ideas.

Dark skies over play, and England’s hopes, on day two. Picture: Getty Images
Dark skies over play, and England’s hopes, on day two. Picture: Getty Images

12.55am: Fifty for Paine!

After being stuck on 49 for six and a half overs, Tim Paine has his first half-century of the series. He’s made England pay for dropping him on nine and 49. Meanwhile, the news out of the dressing-rooms is that Ben Stokes has a shoulder injury but has returned to the field.

Ben Stokes leaves the ground after failing to complete his over due to injury. Picture: Getty
Ben Stokes leaves the ground after failing to complete his over due to injury. Picture: Getty

12.40am: From bad to worse ...

England are officially falling apart. In the space of a few minutes Ben Stokes leaves the field midway through his 11th over with an injury of some sort; Steve Smith pulls Jofra Archer through mid-wicket to reach his 150; and Tim Paine is dropped by substitute fielder Sam Curran as he tries to play a similar shot off the same bowler. Another sitter spilt. This is getting ugly.

12.20am: Slipping away from England

Tim Paine drives Craig Overton beautifully through the covers for four, bringing up the 100 partnership. Both of these batsmen should have been dismissed, which may explain why England look flat in the field. They’ve let this Test slip through their fingers. Paine is into the 40s, his highest score of the series.

Ben Stokes uses his melon during a lighter moment on day two. Picture: Getty Images
Ben Stokes uses his melon during a lighter moment on day two. Picture: Getty Images

12.05am: Running on

David Gower, Test great turned TV pundit, points out that Steve Smith has become the leading run-scorer for the calendar year — after giving his rivals a seven-month head start due to his suspension over the sandpaper scandal. He's over 430 runs, eclipsing Ben Stokes (327) on the list.

11.45pm: The Paine barrier

This is turning into a good session for the visiting team, yielding 72 runs without loss. The second new ball has failed to produce a breakthrough but has offered Paine and Smith a chance to cash in against some attacking fields. The skipper is looking increasingly comfortable, crunching Archer to point for four and moving to 36, with five boundaries.

Jos Buttler jumps over the ball as Steve Smith hits out. Picture: AFP
Jos Buttler jumps over the ball as Steve Smith hits out. Picture: AFP

11.30pm: A costly step?

Just to recap, Australia were 5-273 when Jack Leach ‘removed’ Steve Smith, who would have been on his way for 118. The visitors have moved onto 5-297 and Smith 131.

The big screen shows the no-ball bowled by England spinner Jack Leach. Picture: Getty Images
The big screen shows the no-ball bowled by England spinner Jack Leach. Picture: Getty Images

11.05pm: Wicket ... No!

Steve Smith is finally removed — well caught at first slip by Ben Stokes — but the replay shows spinner Jack Leach has, unbelievably, overstepped the crease. It’s a no-ball! Celebrations turn to agony — the England nightmare continues as Smith strolls back to the crease.

10.50pm: Dropped!

Jason Roy grasses a sitter at second slip as Tim Paine chases a wide ball from Stuart Broad in the first over after lunch. The bowler looks crestfallen as Roy looks for somewhere to hide.

10.40pm: Second session begins

Stuart Broad gets us underway after lunch, bowling to Steve Smith on 101. Tim Paine has nine.

Smith walks out to bat after lunch. Picture: Getty
Smith walks out to bat after lunch. Picture: Getty

Peter Lalor 10.20pm: No stopping this phenomenon

Steve Smith has brought up ANOTHER hundred.

There were concerns the blow to the head which ruled him out of the last innings of the second Test and the entire game at Headingley may have upset the brilliant Australian, but they proved unfounded.

His third hundred comes in just his fourth innings of the series (he made 92 at Lord’s) and is the 11th time he has reached three figures in an Ashes match.

It is also the sixth time he has scored a century in England.

Smith now has over 2500 runs against the old enemy. He is one of the few batsmen whose average in England is the same as his average at home.

Skipper Tim Paine leads the applause for Smith’s century. Picture: Getty Images
Skipper Tim Paine leads the applause for Smith’s century. Picture: Getty Images

It is the eighth consecutive time he has scored 50 or more in an Ashes innings. Beginning with the Perth match in 2017-18 he has scores of 239, 76, 102no, 83, 144, 142, 92 and today’s 160-ball effort.

He offered one chance, a relatively easy caught and bowled back to Jofra Archer early on the second day.

Archer’s slow full toss surprised Smith but the shot surprised the bowler more, and he failed to respond in time.

The highly anticipated match-up has proved a non contest, Archer bowling with indifferent energy and Smith clearly not flustered by what happened at Lord’s.

Travis Head was dismissed earlier in the session after scoring an unconvincing 19 and Matthew Wade played an appalling shot which saw him dismissed for 16.

The batsman attempted to hit Jack Leach out of the ground but managed only to hit the ball straight up in the air. It’s hard to remember a shot that got such hang time, and Joe Root spent a lot of time waiting for it to come down but was up to the challenge when it did.

Wade squandered an opportunity to get runs and for Australia to build a more significant total. He will not be popular in the dressing room.

Jack Leach removes Matthew Wade after an ill-advised slog on day two. Picture: Getty
Jack Leach removes Matthew Wade after an ill-advised slog on day two. Picture: Getty

10pm: Smith’s dominance in numbers

Steve Smith today extended his Ashes record of eight successive fifties and reached his 26th Test century in 160 balls, including 11 fours, AFP reports.

It’s the former captain’s third century in an Ashes where his lowest score is the 92 he made after being felled by Jofra Archer at Lord’s.

Smith scored 144 and 142 in Australia’s 251-run win in the series opener at Edgbaston — his first Test since completing a 12-month ban.

9.55pm: SMITH TON!

Steve Smith clips seamer Craig Overton off his pads to bring up his century, his third Test ton in four innings. And he made 92 in the other Ashes innings. It’s his 26th in Tests. An amazing run of form.

9.30pm: WICKET!

Oh no, Matthew Wade. He’s down the track to Jack Leach but skies an attempted slog over mid-wicket. Joe Root takes the catch and Australia have lost their fifth wicket. As Mark Taylor in commentary says: “He’s not going to like the replay of that shot.”

9.20pm: Near-miss for Smith

He narrowly avoids running himself out, turning Jack Leach just in front of square leg and taking off for a quick single. Matthew Wade wants no part of it, however, and sends his batting partner back. That would have been disastrous for Australia. Smith whips the next ball to the mid-wicket boundary.

9pm: A tight opening

Drinks are called after an hour in which Australia have lost 1-44 on the way to 4-214. Steve Smith is 81, while Matthew Wade has hit boundaries in a pair of consecutive overs to reach 16. Spinner Jack Leach is into the attack as light rain begins to fall. The covers are now on.

8.40pm: Bowlers bounce back

New batsman Matthew Wade isn’t exactly looking impregnable so far, playing a couple of loose drives that he’s lucky not to nick. Put away the big shot and dig in — Steve Smith is at the other end! Jofra Archer and Stuart Broad are bowling a tighter line than yesterday, getting some assistance with some movement off the wicket.

Steve Smith ducks under a bouncer. Picture: AFP
Steve Smith ducks under a bouncer. Picture: AFP

8.20pm: WICKET!

Stuart Broad strikes again, this time removing Travis Head (19) with a delivery that moved back sharply from around the wicket. Head ponders a review but thinks better of it, and just as well, as ball tracking shows the ball clipping leg stump.

8.10pm: Chance!

He’s faced only a few balls but Steve Smith is already riding his luck today. He plays and misses to Stuart Broad and Jofra Archer, then offers a difficult return catch to the latter. A low full toss is blasted back past Archer, who manages to get a hand on it but is unable to hold on. The ball races down to the boundary for four. Smith then nearly plays on, just to get the heart rate going.

8pm: We’re underway!

Stuart Broad will bowl the first over of the day, to Steve Smith on 60. Travis Head is at the other end on 18.

7.30pm: Bright skies

It’s sunnier and warmer in Manchester for day two, and without the howling gale. The temperature is sitting at 14C, heading for a top of 17C.

7pm: Calm before the storm

Tim Paine may have an eye on tonight’s Eagles-Bombers encounter if his arrival at Old Trafford on day two is anything to go by. Essendon are in the finals for the first time since 2014, chasing their first play-offs win since way back in 2004.

Pat Cummins and Tim Paine, carrying a Bombers scarf, arrive at the ground today. Picture: Getty
Pat Cummins and Tim Paine, carrying a Bombers scarf, arrive at the ground today. Picture: Getty

Mike Atherton 5.50pm: Root passive, Archer tame as England go soft

The stage was set: two early wickets; a capacity crowd, full-throated roars at the ready; Jofra Archer, ball in hand, and Steve Smith at the crease.

The stage set, then, for a full-blooded assault at the start of what could be a pivotal day.

Jofra Archer. Picture: AFP
Jofra Archer. Picture: AFP

Entering the cauldron, Smith may have expected the fiercest of welcomes, but instead England’s hospitality was warm and convivial, unlike the weather, the cricketing equivalent of a cup of tea and a slice of cake.

Read more here

4pm: ‘Never played without bails before’

Manchester — a city synonymous with football, music and wet weather — didn’t disappoint with the latter on a bizarre opening day of the fourth Test at Old Trafford overnight.

Starting a Test match in September is something that’s never happened in this part of the world before but due to the Cricket World Cup the Ashes series has been pushed back to finish deep into the English autumn.

Locals say if it’s not raining in Manchester, it will be soon, so it was to no-one’s surprise that dark clouds and light drizzle greeted the players when they arrived at the ground.

Conditions were dry when Tim Paine won the toss and elected to bat on a belting-looking pitch.

Australian batsman Marnus Labuschagne grabs a fallen bail at Old Trafford. Picture: AFP
Australian batsman Marnus Labuschagne grabs a fallen bail at Old Trafford. Picture: AFP
We know Steve Smith is seeing them well, but this is ridiculous. Picture: Getty Images
We know Steve Smith is seeing them well, but this is ridiculous. Picture: Getty Images

However, rain never seemed far away and play was delayed for two hours after lunch as the 12-strong ground staff battled to keep the covers on the square. When play did finally resume it was stopped once again, this time due to a rogue chip packet — much to the chagrin of Stuart Broad — who was halted twice in his run-up by a distracted Marnus Labuschagne.

Bails then fell foul to the howling wind after umpires Kumar Dharmasena and Marais Erasmus admitted defeat in their numerous efforts to keep them on top of the stumps.

This brought fourth umpire Rob Bailey onto the field, but not with heavier bails as expected but a replacement cap for the avuncular Erasmus who evidently had no interest in chasing his white floppy number across the square. Uncovered stumps were then in play for 15 minutes while new bails were being hastily made courtesy of a hammer and four nails.

“It was frustrating for everyone, I pulled away because I thought the bails had come off,” Labuschagne said of his cross words with Broad.

Umpires Marais Erasmus (left) and Kumar Dharmasena bring on some heavier bails. Picture: AFP
Umpires Marais Erasmus (left) and Kumar Dharmasena bring on some heavier bails. Picture: AFP

“Then the chips packets came on. It was frustrating for the game in general. When they put the bails on you could see the stumps shake.

“It was just a matter of time until they came off.

“I have never played without bails before so it was a bit different, but overall it was pretty tough conditions for bowling.”

AAP

Will Swanton 3.30pm: Time to let Warner off leash

The Australian columnist Will Swanton believes David Warner needs to be given a licence “to swing from the fences” if he’s to get back in form this Ashes series.

“He’s been all-or-nothing before sandpapergate, now he has to turn it on and off. He’s required to act like a choir boy, then bat with fire and brimstone. Tone down his verbals. Turn the other cheek. Put a sock in it. Leave behind the sand paper and everything it stands for,” Swanton writes today.

“That’s nice. But it doesn’t suit Warner. He doesn’t look comfortable in his own skin. Apprehension has never been part of his makeup. He’s being a good boy in Test cricket, which may be the worst thing for him.”

Read the full story here.

Gideon Haigh 3pm: It’s runs at first sight

“Marnus, meet Steven. Steven, this is Marnus. Hey, I know you guys have never met, but I really think you’ll get on.”

The Australian’s Gideon Haigh believes that in Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith has found a kindred spirit.

“From a distance, they can look uncannily, jauntily alike, when they’re working the ball off the pads, making room to slash, letting the ball go, although Smith performs the full pivot on leaving, Labuschagne only a little curtsy,” Haigh writes today.

“Does the younger Labuschagne remind the older Smith a little of himself? Does the older look like someone the younger might aspire to emulate? Whatever the case, it suits them both. Marlene Dietrich was once asked if she minded being imitated by other performers. She replied: ‘Only when they do it badly’. Labuschagne does it exceptionally well.

Read the full story here.

Additional reporting: Agencies

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/cricket/ashes-2019-fourth-test-day-2-live-coverage-from-old-trafford/news-story/e4e191e241fc147335da630fe154f49b