The Apotheosis of Root

When play resumed at the unaccustomedly early hour of ten, the pitch seemed to have gained a little extra something overnight. If you bowl on a decent length, there is seam movement. Boland removed Brook caught behind for a breezy 84. But there: Brook’s innings always have an air of evanescence, as if he could go out at any moment. Starc roused himself for Stokes and had the English captain caught behind off an away-seamer. Suddenly 5/229 did not look promising. Yet Root was his imperturbable self again. Once before in this series he has knuckled down and concentrated hard. When he does this, a century appears inevitable. And it was.

He put on 94 with Smith, who was fortunate indeed to be reprieved when Green overstepped. With the new ball imminent Australia reverted to some allsorts offerings. With the bowling at his mercy Smith made the curious decision to smack at Labuschagne’s bouncer and hit it straight to Boland in the deep. Smith batted throughout as though he had an urgent train to catch. Root did his best to calm his companion down, but in vain. Nonetheless six down with 323 on the board was better. And Jacks to come in at number eight.

Jacks dug in for a useful 27 while Root’s majestic innings rolled on. But Michael Neser became unstoppable with the new ball, making it jump about and seam. He removed Jacks quickly. Green had Carse caught behind for 1. With the innings collapsing around him Root hit a return catch to the grey-bearded Queenslander, and Tongue lost his stumps. Neser’s rejuvenation had cut England’s total to 384. Which to be frank looked about a hundred short of what was required. Root’s batting was beyond all reproach. The man had made 160 and was ninth out. But there was not enough from the supporting cast.

With nearly three hours after an early tea to go, Australia had the chance to make some serious inroads into the match. The pitch continued to offer seam movement all day, provided the bowlers kept to a good length. This they were utterly unable to do. Matthew Potts perchance deserves some sympathy. The man has been cooling his heels in the background all tour. He has played no cricket to speak of. And suddenly he is asked to open the bowling in Sydney at the very end of the tour. It is unsurprising that three overs of chaff were duly punished. His second spell was not much better. The man has a decent record in Test cricket. Today was an unreasonable ask.

Carse’s opening spell was little better. In no time at all Head and Wetherald had raised a fifty partnership, without the latter looking in any way likely to last the distance. Only when Stokes and Tongue replaced the wayward openers did the attack get underway properly. Stokes trapped Wetherald in front of the stumps. Given the South Australian’s idiosyncratic stance it looked inevitable. Labuschagne came out to bat with a refreshingly positive attitude. The man was looking for runs, and found them aplenty with England’s indiscriminate seam bowling. Alas for Marnus, he wafted outside off, yet again, and edged Stokes to Bethell. Both dismissals had an air of inevitability about them, and if they wish to keep their spots in the batting order something will have to be done.

And then there was Travis. He batted with circumspection, blocking all the good balls bowled at him. The chaff he despatched with maximum prejudice. There was a good deal of that, to the extent that the man is 91 not out at better than a run a ball. He has hit fifteen boundaries so far. He will resume tomorrow with the nightwatchman Neser, and look to build a substantial lead. 2/166 was an unexpectedly healthy return for a session of batting. It rather depends on whether the incoming batsmen treat the conditions with proper respect. While the pitch is full of runs, it is still offering enough to the seamers. One wonders what Webster will make of coming out to bat at number nine. We wish him all the best. He deserves a decent hit at some stage.