Bite-sized Ashes: David Gower’s on-air gaffe, umpires give Matthew Wade a lecture
Sloppy and incredible fielding, terrible DRS judgment, Matthew Wade gets a talking to and one Aussie continues to inspire unlike any other. Don’t miss our full day three wrap from the Oval.
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Australia’s batsmen face a seemingly impossible task to save the fifth and final Ashes Test after a gruelling day in the field left them facing a monstrous chase at the Oval.
England piled on the runs through Joe Denly (94), Ben Stokes (67) and Jos Buttler (47) as Australia were left to rue sloppy fielding and another day of DRS blunders.
Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne took screamers late in the day amid a flurry of wickets to give Australia some hope – but with two days to play it will take a herculean batting effort from, most likely, Steve Smith to pull off a miracle in London.
Here’s everything you missed overnight as Australia’s hopes of sealing a 3-1 lead and a first Ashes series victory in 18 year slipped away.
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DRS DRAMA HAUNTS AUSSIES #1
Australia have struggled all series with the DRS. They seem to call on them when the decision is not out, but keep the hands in the pockets when a decision is likely to be overturned.
That theme continued on Saturday with Joe Denly given a life on 54 when he was trapped in front by Mitchell Marsh – who was vigorous in his appeal, but denied by both Marais Erasmus and then captain Tim Paine.
Australia opted against the review and, as Murphy’s Law might have it, of course the replay showed it would’ve crashed into leg stump.
“Tim Paine and his reviews… He’s lost all confidence. It’s almost an indication of the week Tim Paine is happening,” said Michael Vaughan.
DRS DRAMA HAUNTS AUSSIES #2
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Australia doubled down on their timid DRS use – a far cry from their trigger-happy approach which has hurt them in previous Tests – with Jos Buttler also getting lucky.
Buttler should’ve been sent packing on 19 when Nathan Lyon appealed for an LBW, but it was turned down by umpire Kumar Dharmasena.
Again, Tim Paine opted against sending it upstairs. And again subsequent replays showed it would’ve been crashing into leg stump.
The camera panned to Justin Langer in the Australian dressing room as the coach buried his head in his hands.
BEST OPENING PARTNERSHIP
We had to wait until day three of the final Test, but finally there’s been a decent opening partnership.
England set the watermark in the first innings when they combined for 27 – seriously, that was the highest of the series – before blowing it out of the water on Saturday.
Rory Burns and Joe Denly posted the first 50-run opening stand, before the former was dismissed for 20 with the score on 54.
Can Australia’s openers respond in kind?
ENGLAND GREAT’S F-BOMB GAFFE
Former England captain David Gower, in his final Test commentating for Sky Sports, is going out with a bang.
The veteran was caught off guard when producers threw to him after the lunch break and he was heard to say “he hasn’t got a f**king clue”.
No word on who, exactly, he was talking about.
WADE WARNED BY UMPIRES
Matthew Wade hasn’t had the most productive series with the bat, despite a first-Test century at Edgbaston.
But he has found a way to make his presence known to the English – and to fans listening in around the world – with constant chatter from short leg.
However he drew the ire of the umpires on Saturday, and was given a stern talking to. There’s no suggestion he was saying anything inappropriate… simply that they were sick of hearing him chirping away!
AUSSIES BRING UP STOKES’ PAST
Wade’s relentless chat wasn’t the only thing picked up by the stump mics on Saturday.
An Australian player was heard to say “oh yeah, Bristol!” as Stokes played defensive shots to Nathan Lyon – a none-too-subtle reference to Stokes’ street fight outside a Bristol nightclub from two years ago.
Stokes was cleared of affray over the scuffle which led to him being sidelined from England’s unsuccessful 2017-18 Ashes series in Australia.
STOKES FIRES BACK AT WARNER
The Australian sledging of Stokes clearly hit a nerve, with the feisty all-rounder snapping at combative opener David Warner as players went off for lunch on Saturday.
Stokes appeared to bite back at Warner, calling the under-pressure batsman a “f**king pr**k”.
DENLY’S DENIED DREAM DOUBLE
Joe Denly missed the first session of play on Friday as he was in hospital for the birth of his second child.
On Saturday he nearly capped off a perfect week as he rode his luck to have a maiden Test century within his reach.
As it was he was denied when nicking off Mitch Marsh where Steve Smith took a fine low catch, sent packing for 94.
PAINFUL BLOW FLOORS DENLY
It’s the one injury that everyone finds funny except the man at the centre of it.
Denly copped a rapid Pat Cummins inswinging straight into, err, a rather sensitive area – sucking the breath out of his body as he fell to his knees.
He stayed there for a full minute before dragging himself to his feet and getting a replacement box. It prompted the odd joke about the timing of Denly’s painful blow, that being that it was good he’d already had two children.
COSTLY DROPPED CATCHES
First it was Marcus Harris dropping Joe Denly on 0 late on day two – and then Steve Smith proved he’s human by spilling a hot chance off Ben Stokes.
Stokes was on seven when he slashed a cut shot off Nathan Lyon to Smith at first slip. It went quickly and Smith couldn’t reel it in as the chance burst through his hands.
They were both costly. Denly went on to score 94, while Stokes added a further 57.
WONDER CATCH #1
Steve Smith really can do it all. As if batting for nearly 31 hours and putting in a Bradman-esque runscoring performance wasn’t enough, Smith pulled off the catch of the series with a one-handed stunner late on Saturday.
Chris Woakes slashed at a wide delivery from Mitch Marsh which looked to be sailing wide of Smith at second slip – but he launched himself to the right, and while horizontal with the ground managed to reel the speeding ball in one handed.
There have been some absolutely superb catches taken this summer, from the World Cup to throughout the Ashes, and this was well and truly in the top tier.
WONDER CATCH #2
Literally the following ball – albeit in the following over – Jos Buttler’s brisk innings came to an end thanks to another piece of magnificent fielding.
Buttler top-edged the chance, sending it high towards the square leg boundary where Marnus Labuschagne was lurking.
The Queenslander sprinted in from the rope and dived forward, taking a spectacular two-handed effort, falling forward at full pace.
On most days, it would be the catch of the day. This time it wasn’t even the best in a two-minute period.
LYON INSPIRES AUSSIES
Nathan Lyon has been below his best for the past two Tests, and is battling a split callus on his spinning finger, but he roared to life on day three – taking England’s first three wickets in a solo performance.
Lyon took two wickets in the opening session, including England captain Joe Root just before lunch with an arm ball that took the edge through to Steve Smith – one of his six catches of the day.
With the dismissal of Ben Stokes after tea, a beauty which pitched on middle and spun past the bat to crash into off stump, Lyon had his third for the day.
Originally published as Bite-sized Ashes: David Gower’s on-air gaffe, umpires give Matthew Wade a lecture
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