By Malcolm Conn
Glenn McGrath has described as “rubbish” an umpiring decision to disallow a catch by Mitchell Starc on the boundary that gave England an unlikely reprieve as Australia prepare to press for a second Test victory on the final day at Lord’s.
England were 4-114 at stumps on the fourth day chasing 371 to complete the highest successful run chase ever staged at Lord’s. The record is held by the West Indies, who made 1-344 to win when they were kings of world cricket in 1984.
“I’m sorry that’s the biggest load of rubbish I’ve ever seen. That ball is under control,” McGrath said on BBC’s Test Match Special. Third umpire Marais Erasmus ruled that after Starc took the catch to dismiss Ben Duckett for 50 he slid the ball along the ground.
“I’ve seen everything this game has to offer. If that is not out then every other catch that’s ever been taken should not be out,” McGrath continued. “That is a disgrace.”
However, the Marylebone Cricket Club, which is the custodian of cricket’s laws, issued a statement in support of umpire Erasmus.
“In relation to the below incident, Law 33.3 clearly states that a catch is only completed when the fielder has ‘complete control over the ball and his/her own movement.’ The ball cannot touch the ground before then,” the statement said. “In this particular incident, Mitchell Starc was still sliding as the ball rubbed the ground, therefore he was not in control of his movement.”
Mitchell Starc reacts before his catch to dismiss Ben Duckett was ruled not out.Credit:
Starc took a brilliant, sliding catch on the fine leg boundary half a metre above the ground. But in his attempt to obtain control, he had to cushion his fall with his left hand and in the process rubbed the ball along the turf as he slid forwards.
England will be looking to replicate their stunning chase against India at Edgbaston last year. That was best run chase of all time by England, and came to define the Bazball era, when they scored 3- 378 to win. But there was no sign of Bazball at Lord’s on Saturday as England desperately struggled to survive.
Victory by Australia on the final day would leave them one more win away from claiming their first series victory in England for 22 years.
“Our confidence is extremely high and so it should be,” declared Nathan Lyon, who helped Australia stretch their lead by batting despite hobbling with a torn calf muscle.
The England camp was equally bullish with Ben Stokes (29 not out) and Duckett (50 not out) at the crease.
“Whenever he [Stokes] is ready to go, when he’s up for a fight, he’s in the contest,” England batting coach Marcus Trescothick said.
“Everybody around the world is wary of him when he’s in that frame of mind. Of course, that’s where we’re sitting at the minute, thinking there’s still an opportunity to win the game.
“We’ve seen many games over the years that have drawn out in that conclusion and we’ve come out on top.”
As holder of the Ashes, Australia need only to draw the series to retain the urn as they did during the most recent tour in 2019. England have never come back from 2-0 down to claim the Ashes. Australia did it once in Australia, during 1936-37 when Don Bradman was in full flight.
Starc reduced England to 2-13, having Zak Crawley caught behind down the leg side for three and bowling Ollie Pope for the same score with a raging inswinger that started outside the batsman’s off stump and uprooted middle.
Nathan Lyon plays a shot despite his injury.Credit:
Captain Pat Cummins extracted alarming lift from the benign pitch to remove England’s talisman Joe Root (18) in the rarest of dismissals during this series, a catch at slip.
Harry Brook (4) didn’t need to worry about a second bouncer battering in this match. Having hammered a lofted drive down the ground to the boundary, his third ball pitched on middle stump and jagged up the slope at Lord’s to hit the top of off stump.
Given England’s fearless approach to chasing in the Bazball era, Cummins sent his incapacitated spinner Lyon in to try and stretch the lead a little further. This was despite being in obvious discomfort with a calf injury suffered in the field on the second day.
On crutches for the past two days, Lyon could hardly move and was in obvious pain hobbling a single to get Mitchell Starc on strike at the end of an over. With Lyon unable to run, England put every fielder on the boundary except Joe Root at short leg.
Australia celebrate another wicket.Credit:
Starc and Lyon added 15 in 5.1 overs with Starc swatting a four and a six and Lyon a four before he eventually skied a catch.
“I’ve got a decent tear in my right calf,” Lyon said. “It is pretty obvious. I am sitting down with our medical team tomorrow and we will have a chat about that.
“Pretty shattering, pretty gutted. Pretty speechless if I am being honest. But I have a lot of confidence in that changeroom and just thrilled to be part of this team.”
Australia lost 8-88 in 40 overs once Usman Khawaja (77) was out hooking as one of numerous wickets to fall to short-pitched bowling when England adopted Australia’s strategy.
Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.