Men’s Ashes Fifth Test Report Card, Day One
Featuring fifth Test changes and dropped catches
Fifth Test Changes
Grade: B
For the fifth and final Test of the series, Australia made just the one change to their team, with Todd Murphy replacing Cameron Green. A good change, not only because it added an actual spinner to the attack, but also because Green could just theoretically spend the entire time on the ground fielding at gully anyway, as whichever bowler had most recently finished their spell took a short break in the dressing room. Good tactics.
The reshaped bowling attack required yet another variant on Australia’s palindromic bowling attack, which now read:
Starc?! Rats!
Oh, so Josho!
Too fast! A Pat's afoot
Todd, dot!
No! Si. No! Si. Bison is on.
The other change to the team? Pat Cummins’ call of ‘tails’ finally proving successful, as Ben Stokes lost his first toss for the entire series.
Although, of course, England will claim that it felt like he won it.
Dropped Catches
Grade: C-
Cummins asked England to bat first, and after an unconvincing opening new ball foray from Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, he came on to bowl a magnificent spell that threatened with every single delivery, yet somehow resulted in only the one wicket, that of Zak Crawley. (In yet another sign of how mad this series has become, the dismissal was rightfully described in commentary as ‘The big wicket of Zak Crawley’.)
One of the reasons that Cummins took only the one wicket was that Australia’s cordon decided that, since England batters only got one hit in the previous Test, they’d give them each a couple of bats this innings. Lovely bunch of lads, the Australian fielders.
Further helping their reputation, Australia didn’t field Green at gully, despite having a perfect right to do so. If they had done, Harry Brook would almost certainly have been out twice to ones that flashed through gaps between third slip and gully. (Or thrice if you assume Green would have also caught the rebound off Alex Carey’s drop.)
Now, when it comes to matches, you’re not going to believe what, according to conventional cricket wisdom, catches do to them. And yet, despite dropping five chances and missing a run out, Australia still knocked England over for a seemingly subpar 283. (But, yes, yes. A 283 total scored fast! Always important to note that, apparently.)
Morpheus Off The Short Run
Here’s what I slept through in the rest of the day’s play:
Heading to bed, openers batting under lights
Tough scenario, one designed for true sleepless nights
Yet Khawaja got through
(Although not Warner, that’s true)
So come day two, Australia can aim for much greater heights