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Joe Root's incredible record, Dean Jones' radical idea to fix no-ball mess, Barmy Army supports Paine: Talking Points

10th December, 2021
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10th December, 2021
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The late, great Dean Jones is still getting cricket’s top thinkers to consider making the game better with his idea to reposition the square-leg umpire floated in the wake of the no-ball dramas at the First Ashes Test.

Seven commentator Tim Lane brought up in commentary on day three Jones’ radical idea to switch the square-leg umpire to mid-on so they can adjudicate front-foot no-balls.

Cricket legends Sir Ian Botham and Ricky Ponting were fuming over the set-up in place for the Test at the Gabba, which due to technical issues meant Ben Stokes’ frequent no-balls were not called and the third umpire only stepped in to recall David Warner after he was dismissed on day two for 17.

Former ICC umpire Simon Taufel said the square-leg umpire would get in the way of fielders if positioned in line with the bowling crease and rejected the notion that they were obsolete because many of their decisions get referred for a review.

“I think it’s a fallacy to think the square-leg umpire doesn’t do anything,” he said.

“They do a lot of decision making at square leg, you can just take an umpire out of the game and reposition them.”

Taufel added the umpires have an expectation “that there are zero errors and that hasn’t been met in that regard” and called on the ICC to review the playing conditions.

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Botham said a fixed camera should be installed ASAP.

“You would have thought nowadays with the technology there’d be some way of just a buzzer going off when you go over the line,” he said.

“Just a camera in line with it. As soon as you go over, it automatically touches a buzzer or someone does and the umpire stops it.”

Ponting said there needed to be “a back-up plan because we can’t just leave it to the on-field umpires”.

“We can’t afford to have another 20 no-balls missed in a game. They’ve got to find another way.

“If it takes a few seconds, if it’s relayed back to the on-field umpires, then so be it. But what I saw yesterday is not acceptable at international level.”

Root notches record as England fight back

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Many expected England to crumble again in the second innings and the match to be over by stumps on Day 3.

But England showed they do have some fight which is just what the series needed. After his first-innings duck Joe Root notched a 50 and in the process overtook Michael Vaughan as England’s greatest run-scorer in a calendar year.

Root surpassed the magical 1500 runs in the calendar year mark and he could match the all-time record before the year is out which is currently held by Pakistan’s Mohammad Yousuf with 1788 runs.

By stumps on Day 3 England trailed Australia by just 58 runs with Root and Dawid Malan sharing in an unbeaten 159-run partnership. Root was 86 not out with Malan on 80 and more importantly England have eight wickets in the shed to erase the deficit and set something for Australia to chase.

Waugh on warpath over Poms’ tactics

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Earlier, Mark Waugh has lashed England’s tactics in the field against Australia as the hosts piled on a first innings of 425 to take a 278-run lead on day three of the Ashes Test in Brisbane.

The tourists exhausted their bowling stocks and were forced to chase leather in the field deep into the morning session on Friday before Travis Head’s slashing knock finally came to an end, chasing quick runs on 152.

Travis Head

(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Waugh did not hold back on Fox Cricket commentary, saying Joe Root’s side looked all at sea.

“I feel that the England camp have lacked the feel for the game. They’ve got all their stats, no doubt about that but you’ve got to have a feel for what’s happening out in the middle.

“I think they’ve got their tactics wrong most of the game, England.

“I would’ve bowled a lot more around the wicket to Warner yesterday.”

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Waugh said Head should have been targeted with a bumper barrage.

“With Travis Head I’m surprised they haven’t sustained some short-pitched bowling to him,” he said.

“They’ve bowled the odd short one but I would have liked to have seen them persist with that more. “Theyve had two men back, a leg gully – we’ve seen him get caught out to a short ball quite a bit whether it’s caught at third man or fending. They haven’t made it hard enough for the Australian batsmen.”

Barmy Army voices support for Paine

Former Australian captain Tim Paine gained some support from an unlikely source with the Barmy Army getting behind the Tasmanian keeper.

The Barmy Army unveiled a banner on day two of the Test at the Gabba saying they were behind him as he deals with the emotional burden of his recent resignation due to a 2018 sexting incident.

“Mental health does not define you. Your strength and courage does. Get well soon mate.”

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Alex Carey made his Test debut in Paine’s absence in Brisbane and although it’s unlikely Paine will play for Australia again after taking an indefinite leave from the game, coach Justin Langer has left the door open for him to return.

The Barmy Army have made themselves heard at the Gabba with their chanting and singing even though travel restrictions have reduced their usual size dramatically.

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