England won the third Test but they may as well have won the Ashes series judging by the reactions from some of the local media outlets following their three-wicket triumph at Headingley.
Former skipper Michael Vaughan in the UK Telegraph claimed “the impossible is still on” in reference to England’s hopes of a rare series victory after losing the first two Tests.
“They’re one-third of the way there — and they’ve got a template to win the last two Tests too.
“It is so difficult to win an Ashes series away from home and Australia were tantalisingly close. To pick themselves up from this psychological blow will be a huge challenge for Pat Cummins and his side.
“Mark Wood was a revelation at Headingley. He had the Aussies rattled — not just the tail, who he blew away, but also the top order. We saw that from the moment that he clean bowled Usman Khawaja for pace on the first day. What a brilliant performance on his return.”
Oliver Holt in the Daily Mail claimed England’s win was “the perfect sporting definition of poetic justice” after the controversial Lord’s Test win by Australia.
He took great delight in Alex Carey shelling a difficult catching chance in the final stages.
“Carey had played at Headingley like a man thoroughly discomforted by the reaction to his cynicism at Lord’s and unsettled by the way he was vilified by the spectators on the Western Terrace. He was even the subject of a false rumour, started by Sir Alastair Cook of all people, that he had gone for a haircut in Leeds and failed to pay for it.
“He had kept wicket well enough but he had looked like a rabbit in the headlights when he was batting. He wilted, in particular, in the face of the bowling of Wood. He wasn’t the only one, but in both innings, he looked like a man who wished he could be somewhere else.”
The victory, he believes, has England on the march to an improbable series win.
“The truth is that that momentum swing began the moment Carey ‘stumped’ Bairstow at Lord’s on the final day of the second Test when Bairstow believed, erroneously, that the ball was dead and wandered out of his crease.
“Australia might well have won that match without resorting to that kind of shoddy gamesmanship but Carey’s grim opportunism and Cummins’ failure to withdraw the appeal won a game but may yet have cost Australia a series.
“Their desperation to win at any cost has revitalised England.”
Former England captain Nasser Hussain in the same masthead said the series was on a knife’s edge again when Australia could have easily ended it at Headingley.
“The 2-1 scoreline is a pretty accurate reflection of how the series has gone. England have relinquished some massive opportunities and today Australia will be feeling the boot is on the other foot.
Chris Woakes celebrates with Mark Wood after hitting the winning runs. (Photo by Ashley Allen/Getty Images)
“Because when Mark Wood joined Ben Stokes at the crease on day two, the Australians were dominant, holding a 121-run advantage, and they missed their chance to seize the moment.
“They will leave Leeds asking: how did we lose? Just as England have done in the previous two matches. Equally, 3-0 would not have been a fair representation of events.
“Yes, Australia have lost three important tosses and had the worse of conditions, but it has been much tighter than that and this result sets it up beautifully going to Old Trafford.”
Over at The Times, Mike Atherton thinks every scoreline imaginable could be on the board after the first three cliffhangers.
“Has there been an Ashes series where the opening three games have been so closely fought? Either side, frankly, could have won or lost all three.
“Australia fought tigerishly to the end, of course, but had let England back into the game at vital moments and paid for it now.
“Of the excitement and tension and close finishes, there are echoes of 2005.”
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
And the A. Cook story was the pinnacle of the SoC, wasn't it
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Bedser didn't play!!! I'm sure they should've got him.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
... and Hugh Trumble. Clarrie was spinning in his grave
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
But it's an opportunity not a setback. Yes Lyon is a great bowler but Murphy gets a go and we should back him. Captaincy isn't about protecting bowlers it's about encouraging them. Glass ½ empty, ½ full scenario's abound.
Bloke7
Roar Rookie
Not sure if it's been said by anyone here but the truth is, if Australia won the toss, or the weather was very slightly different, we'd have destroyed England. They got lucky to bowl at us under clouds then bat in the sun. Other way round it wouldn't have been as close a finish as it was. Normally winning the toss goes a long way towards winning but England only managed 1 out of 3. Most importantly, wasn't it nice to to bed before midnight last night.
Wikipetia
Roar Rookie
it was 176 in that test
Wikipetia
Roar Rookie
But it’s why I come to the Roar!
Wikipetia
Roar Rookie
No. But yes. Certainly Macca told them to bat again. But nobody did back then.
Wikipetia
Roar Rookie
It really isn’t that simple Yes Kim was a limited captain Yes he stuffed up that afternoon. Bear in mind that Botham and Dilley took the game away in 70 minutes. Not aware of seasoned WA players offering alternative advice. Presume but cannot prove that Dennis would have demanded the ball. Botham got him, as he did at Old Trafford. To that point, our quicks were dominant — But that’s not my rebuttal. There was a 9 day break. We played a tour game and Lillee rested. Alderman barely bowled. We went into test 4 at 1-1 and dismissed England for 189 and 219. Lillee got 4 for the Match. Alderman 8. bright 7. The attack was still potent We made 258. We were then 3-87 chasing 150 on a flat track. And threw the Ashes away in a choke. The worst loss in my lifetime, unlike Headingley, 100% mental. You want to complete the captaincy evaluation- Kim’s ego shot to the guy waiting at long leg - terrible. Cost us an Ashes. I loved him but if he had been sacked then he could hardly have complained. Of course we can only guess the impact of the bet, how he might have felt responsible for enforcing the Headingley follow on. What the senior players were muttering. So the Hughes we see here and for the rest of the series is withdrawn, trying to win the series off his own bat. Suicide at Old Trafford. Struggling for runs but shielding Yallop, overtly. Terrible times and some but not most of it his fault —- Henry really rated Kim as a player, mate and captain. GSC less so. His action was always ropey. He was POTS twice before his back really jagged it, ironically after the Border away Ashes. But clearly the load in Pakistan, the Windies etc contributes.
GWSingapore
Roar Rookie
What are the odds that England recall Jimmy Anderson to bowl on his home ground pitch, Old Trafford? I am sure the Lancastrian greenkeeper will know how to exactly prepare a pitch to encourage reverse swing.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
GSC was not a good captain.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I just found Lawson pedestrian at Test level and, as a Croweater, l just didn't like him.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
How do you measure the quality of the English batting, there are a lot of ordinary test sides they play Ireland these days . The best South African bowler in English conditions took 17 wickers in county cricket match has been locked away in county cricket. West Indies their best players only play T20, and even if they were at full strength they are still hopeless at test cricket.. If you look at their performances recently in Australia England are ordinary. Bazball in the old days that would be suiicide against a good attack. I think they do have a lot of good hitters of the ball on flat wickets but not test cricket batsman.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
That batting line up scored 400 and bowled out England for 111. In comes down to one factor the follow on knowing he used only three fast bowlers the entire first inning. If the batting is best in the first innings then rest the bowlers dont follow on, and win the test and then series because you wouldn;t have overcooked your bowlers. Irrespective of who they picked they had the series on a platter and Kim Hughes lost it in one move.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Thanks to a certain Chris Tavare at the WACa Australia bowled 155 overs in the first innings . So Dennis Lille bowled 38 overs of those. Yardley bowled 42. The big difference is at Headlingly they only bowled 137 overs across two innings if there was no follow on Dennis Lillee would have had a rest. So Dennis Lillee bowled 43 overs effectively in one innings. so at Headingly the three quicks bowled 133 of those overs and Bright the spinner bowled 4 overs. Chappel bowled 7 bowlers at the WACA. he bowled Border more than himself. Alderman down meant Lillee bowled more of the overs in the fourth innings but Yardley the spinner bowled 85 overs total. Captains in those days were certainly of the ilk to overwork bowlers and not as careful as these days the high wokloads would have shortened careers plus they knew a lot less medically than they do now/. If a bowler took wickets then they would just bowl them for more and more.That doesn't excuse that Kim Hughes was even by those days a flogger of bowlers with no common sense.
NSWelshman
Roar Rookie
I’d say we’re better in at least 9 positions…..Stokes & Broad v Marsh, Green, Smith, Starc, Cummins…..without their two they’re nothing mate!
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Lawson was a top fast bowler when he was fit the problem was playing injured not his ability. Hughes and Border wrecked his career. That he did well in 1989 indicates that he would have had a great career otherwise. Cummins on the other hand had the benefit of a much wiser regime and managed to come back after injury problems. Here are the figures after Australia has scored a total 400. BOWLING O M R W ECON WD NB Dennis Lillee 18.5 7 49 4 2.60 0 0 Terry Alderman 19 4 59 3 3.10 0 0 Geoff Lawson 13 3 32 3 2.46 0 0 Kim Hughes then sacrificed Lawsons career to the altar of utter stupidity, uses three bowlers and then goes for the follow on. Lawson misses the next three test matches and Australia lose the series. The difference in 1981 was simple you had a fool Kim Hughes in charge.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
And that's the crux. My position is an absolute. There is no grey. Out of your crease whilst in play and your stumps are broken it's goodnight Irene. Why is the wicky precluded from exhibiting a skill which shows attentiveness and a desire to gain an advantage where lawfully permissible?
matth
Roar Guru
Well Cummins has been the top ranked pace bowler in the world for about three years so …
Wikipetia
Roar Rookie
Crawley over Warner. On paper. you're taking it, surely Broad over Cummins - big Broad fan but Cummins averages 5 less and doesn't get to bowl in England most of the time Brook and Head line ball for mine. Ditto Robinson but I guess "on paper" we have Lyon and Haze and they both win. I'll give you Stokes and Wood. no issues there.