As David Warner and Cameron Bancroft ran off the field when England was dismissed for 227, Steve Smith obviously wasn’t going to enforce the follow on.
Why not, for heaven’s sake?
England’s morale was shattered, they were 215 runs in arrears, and sure weren’t looking forward to facing the far superior Australian pace attack at night in Adelaide, when the pink ball was likely to be lively.
But that wasn’t the only crazy decision.
England captain Joe Root handed Smith a big bonus when he sent Australia into bat last Saturday.
Smith and his baggy greens said thanks very much and piled on 442 before declaring.
Last night Smith returned the compliment by batting again, and Root said thanks very much with Australia 4-53, a lead of only 268 with six wickets in hand, and two days to play.
Two crazy captaincy decisions in the one Test.
Sure the Australians are in the better position of the two, but they could have been far better off by making England follow on.
England was damn lucky to reach 227, they should have been out for less than 170.
But thanks to Chris Woakes batting eight with 36 from 62, and top-scorer Craig Overton batting nine with an unbeaten 41 off 79, they very nearly avoided the follow on their own right.
But the real story was Steve Smith not availing himself of the Adelaide night air, and the subsequent increased pink ball movement.
The carnage Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood would have caused would effectively have ended England’s Ashes campaign right there.
Perhaps Smith wasn’t impressed with the trio’s lacklustre bowling to Woakes and Overton to allow England to tally 227.
That could be the only sane reason for not enforcing the follow on.
(AAP Image/Julian Smith)
As a result, England’s attack thrived last night for the first time – they won’t match these figures for the rest of the campaign.
Anderson 2-16 off 11 with seven maidens.
Broad 0-14 off seven.
Overton 0-8 off ten.
And Woakes 2-12 off seven.
They made the pink ball talk, with the four best Australian batsmen back in the shed – Bancroft (4), Khawaja (20), Warner (14), and the skipper for six, all four really struggling against an inspired England attack that couldn’t believe their luck they were handed a lifeline.
That leaves Peter Handscomb and nightwatchman Nathan Lyon, both three, to resume this afternoon.
Then it will need two heroic first dig repeats from keeper Tim Paine and Pat Cummins to take Australia over 350 in front.
Maybe, just maybe.
If England get out of this unscathed, they can thank Steve Smith, who suffered a rare brain explosion.
They can count on it not happening again.
TC123
Guest
He's already regretting it. Hes put his team under enormous pressure by underestimating the opposition.
TC123
Guest
How about now?
John360180
Guest
$4 at the end of day 4.
anon
Roar Pro
Gotta let Shauny Marsh grind his way to 100!!
anon
Roar Pro
As fantastic a player Smith is, as instrumental he has been in winning matches off his own bat, he is not a particularly good captain. In some of his decision making and general man management which is at times abysmal and borders on high school level pettiness. England should have no sniff at all right now, and if they can add another 75 runs without losing another wicket tomorrow afternoon they are odds on to win it. If we lose it's entirely on Smith and means a massive momentum swing going into Perth.
Alan
Guest
And yet it seems he was right ?
Brasstax
Guest
With all due respect, I don't think the current England team have 2 batsmen of the caliber of Dravid and Laxman to make Smith regret enforcing the follow on.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Given how, pre-series, there was plenty of content about how the pink ball test was England's best chance to maximise Anderson and Broad's impact for the series and the night sessions would be their time to shine, Smith should have taken less notice of the modern mantra about follow-ons.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Good point. That test in India was a turning point for enforcing follow-ons, but not for the Aussie skipper of the time. Subsequent captains seem to be reluctant because of that result, but it never scared S Waugh.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Not mentioning Marsh was a fair oversight. I thought.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Momentum in sport is a funny thing. Australia held all the aces and reviews were going their way. A couple of good balls on a lively night in Adelaide and all of a sudden, the calls and reviews are going England's way. Not enforcing the follow-on was the only way England had any chance of getting back into a contest and they have done so. With no reviews left in this innings, a Root century and some contributions from Ali and Bairstow and this could be an interesting finish. Calling it a brain explosion is a little harsh. The quicks weren't fresh after the English tail had wagged and the previous two nights hadn't been to difficult for batting. Both these factors would have been in Smith's mind, but i really wanted to see him send England back in and put them to the sword during that night session.
TC123
Guest
No threats of violence at all shorty
Brainstrust
Guest
The thing I can;t understand, is why did they bat so slow in the first innings and not play for time to push the English innings back to the night session.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Full chestbeating mode was when he posted at length about a knock he'd made in club cricket that some other batsman said was the best he'd ever seen at that level, during a discussion on batting in test matches.
George
Guest
Chris has gone into full chestbeating mode since the series began.
Cassia
Guest
$7 on Betfair at the change of Innings. Respect your opinion however I'm surprised at your series optimism given Australia's fragile batting.
dave
Guest
In test cricket the team that was asked to follow on has only won the game on three occasions and Smith should have noted this as not asking England to follow on has given them a chance to win this test.. The poms are now full ,of morale and a couple of verses of Rule Brittania by the balmy army may yet inspire them to win this game;the poms have never been so well let off since Dunkirk.
Rellum
Roar Guru
WInning in the Shield doesn't really matter anymore so he can take those risks with little blow back. He has to take a risk in Tests.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Always. It’s the internet. Words expressed should be met with words in return, not threats of violence because you can’t handle someone deconstructing the logical fallacies in your argument. A little man is someone who decides to resort to implied threats of violence due to words on the internet. I’m 6’4”, 34 years old, very fit and 90kgs. Take a swing. If I can’t beat you, I can certainly outrun you.
TC123
Guest
You sound like a little man. Always brave on that keyboard little man?