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Chris Rogers earned a rousing reception when he posted his maiden Test ton overnight to keep Australia in touch at stumps on the second day of the fourth Ashes Test being played at Chester-le-Street in Durham.
What a gutsy dedicated dig from the left-handed opener who will be 36 at the end of the month, proving yet again you are never too old if you’re good enough.
And Christopher John Llewellyn Rogers is sure good enough, and has been for the five years he was ignored by selectors from his debut against India at the WACA in 2008 until Trent Bridge on this tour.
His unbeaten 101 was poetic justice for all those lost years.
And despite the fact he’s listed as a Western Australian via Victoria and five County sides in amassing over 20,000 first class runs, he’s a grass-roots St George man in Sydney.
His father John, a right-handed NSW Sheffield Shield batsman in the late 60a, played in one of the all-time great St George first-grade sides with Test men Norm O’Neill, Brian Booth, and Billy Watson, and State men Warren Saunders, Ray Flockton, John Wilson, and John O’Reilly.
The Rogers genes are alright.
And last night those genes surfaced, but not without some scary moments.
In the seventh over, Rogers faced three successive deliveries from an on-fire Stuart Broad.
He’ was on 16 when Broad struck him on the pad and appealed for leg before. Controversial umpire Tony Hill gave Rogers not out and England called for the DRS, which eventually showed the ball was pitched outside leg stump.
The next ball Rogers belted Broad to the boundary and there was some feeling in that shot.
The third delivery, and Hill gave Rogers out caught behind, so Rogers called for the Review.which showed he didn’t nick it, but it brought leg before into play. That decision was “umpire’s call” so that too was not out.
Having survived all that drama, Rogers settled into his innings and in the process watched four partners head back to the pavilion with just 26 runs between them.
David Warner (3), Usman Khawaja (duck), Michael Clarke (6) and Steve Smith (17) were all guilty of poor shot selection, or inexcusable lack of concentration.
At 4-79 and Broad bowling beautifully, Australia was in deep trouble chasing 238.
Enter Shane Watson batting six to put on 129 with Rogers, before Watson departed on 68, yet another top start but a poor finish.
Not so with Rogers who struck 13 fours in his 233-ball innings, the other six Australian batsmen struck 13 fours between them.
But at 5-222 Australia is far better placed and tonight Rogers will resume with Brad Haddin on 12 in a partnership that could make or break the bid for victory, especially having to bat last on what could well be a dicey track.
The Australians need at least 400, and they are only halfway there with half their wickets gone. It’s a big ask, but if this side is to mean something, anything, in the future, tonight would be a good time to start showing it.
Day one belonged to offie Nathan Lyon with his 4-42 off 20. Day two was Chris Rogers’ unbeaten 101.
Which Aussie will stand up on day three?