Aussies Bazballed again as Root, Bairstow and Crawley power England towards series-levelling win

It wasn’t as destructive as at Old Trafford, but another England blitzkrieg has ensured Australia will need to mount a gargantuan run chase – or pray for more rain – to prevent the hosts squaring the Ashes series 2-2.

A sparkling 91 from Joe Root, aided by 70s from Zak Crawley and Jonny Bairstow and with helpful contributions from Ben Duckett and Ben Stokes (42 apiece), saw England pile on 9/389 at more than five runs an over for much of the day, a lead of 377, with the visitors again incapable of stemming the tide.

Until a late flurry of wickets as the tail swung for the hills, the loss of Stokes and Harry Brook within nine balls just after lunch was the only time the Aussies could take scalps in quick succession as a placid Oval surface gave them little of the help the bowlers had enjoyed across the first two days, with four of England’s first five partnerships reaching 70 or higher.

While things never got totally out of hand as they had in Manchester, Pat Cummins will likely again have to endure criticism of his captaincy, as more ultra-defensive field placements and unsuccessful bowling tactics did nothing to stop the flow of boundaries or the continual rotation of strike.

That Australia weren’t utterly humiliated once again was down to an encouraging three-wicket haul from spinner Todd Murphy that included the scalps of both Root and Stokes, as well as four from the otherwise expensive Mitchell Starc; with every bowler going at more than four runs an over, though, there was plenty of punishment to go around.

Joe Root attempts to sweep. (Photo by John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images)

While rain is expected to descend on London on Day 4, there won’t be enough of it to save Australia’s bacon with a repeat of the fourth Test washout: barring a Ben Stokes-esque Headingley miracle from 2019, the visitors will be hard pressed to secure their much-coveted first Ashes series win in England since 2001.

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England’s final innings of the series started in much the same way as its first: Crawley booming a drive on the up through covers for four first ball, the only change the identity of the bowler shifting from Cummins to Starc.

Having been the pick of the quicks on Day 1, the left-armer would leak two more boundaries in a disastrously expensive opening over, Ben Duckett punching him down the ground and whipping off his pads as Starc lost his radar entirely.

Two more fours would follow in his second over, Starc conceding 22 in 12 balls before being yanked from the attack; the skipper, though, would scarcely fare any better, Duckett continuing his explosive start with a clip to perfectly bisect two fielders in front of square then late cutting with finesse past gully.

Bringing up a half-century partnership in just 52 balls, the pair would take just seven more to pass Australia’s opening-session haul on Day 3, and with one fewer wicket, as a long day loomed for the tourists.

The stand had swelled to 79 before a reintroduced Starc struck: finding a hint of movement for the first time all morning, Duckett’s booming drive caught an edge faint enough to only elicit an appeal from the bowler and Carey, but convincing them enough for Cummins to go upstairs, where the DRS confirmed the opener’s fate on 42.

With Moeen Ali unable to bat at three due to spending Day 2 off the field nursing a groin injury, Stokes chose to elevate himself into the role; to begin with, he’d merely need to rotate the strike as Crawley continued his fine series with another half-century, this one off a relatively sedate – by his standards – 61 balls.

Taking the long handle to Todd Murphy, repeatedly sweeping the spinner’s leg stump line for boundaries through mid-wicket, Crawley motored to 71 at lunch, England with an imposing 130 runs in a 25-over opening session – and the second didn’t start well for Australia either.

Top-edging a hook off Hazlewood, Stokes was spared as Starc failed to do as the captain himself had done to finish Day 2, fumbling the chance over the rope at fine leg, much to the jubilation of the nearby fans.

Where Stokes survived, Crawley wasn’t so lucky; on 73 and appearing set for a second Ashes century, Cummins adjusted his line outside off and quickly drew an outside edge into the safe hands of Steve Smith at slip.

Replacing him was Root, though, who proved more than capable of maintaining the run rate at above five an over, getting going in style with a clubbed pull off Cummins for four.

As if to prove their luck wasn’t in, an on-field not out call would save the England star on 4 as Hazlewood rapped him on the pads, Australia’s review finding the ball was smashing into off stump but denied by an umpire’s call verdict on whether he’d been hit outside the line.

Cashing in on the reprieve in style with a trademark reverse-ramped six off Mitchell Marsh, the Western Australian overcorrected with a leg stump full toss easily tickled fine for another boundary as Root’s first 20 balls yielded 27 runs.

Such was Root’s fortune that even an under-edge after throwing his hands at a wide Starc tempter found four, the ball hitting the ground with enough force to bounce over Carey and trickle to the fine boundary; the second of three consecutive boundaries as Root motored to 50 off just 42 balls.

At the other end, though, things were beginning to turn Australia’s way at last: first Stokes, attempting to follow Root’s example, thumped Murphy straight to mid on to depart for 42, then Harry Brook’s brief six-ball cameo featured a walloped six down the ground off the spinner before Hazlewood’s immaculate line drew a tentative prod and an edge through to Carey.

At 4/222, with the lead at 210, Australia had hopes of a run chase below 300 reinvigorated. Bairstow and Root would soon bludgeon them to death.

Continuing on from his onslaught at Old Trafford, Bairstow showed the aggressive intent that characterised his swashbuckling 2022 summer from the outset: lethal on anything wide and punishing the quicks when they overcompensated straight, Bairstow had 34 off just 35 balls when tea was called, England’s ship definitively steadied.

50 would be brought up with a classical cover drive, Bairstow’s third of the series to somewhat justify his selection for the series despite his much-publicised wicketkeeping failures, as Australia paid a heavy price for both wayward bowling and the flatness of a pitch showing none of the life it had exhibited across the first two days.

Almost forgotten amid his mate’s onslaught, Root continued inexorably into the nineties, with even a perfect Cummins bouncer the Englishman failed to read took a top edge as he attempted to bail on an uppercut and reaching the fine boundary.

On 91, though, Murphy would strike, Root denied a century for the second time in three innings by a low shooter. The spinner found the edge of the rough outside off, and with the ball staying low, Root could only inside edge his expansive drive back onto his own stumps.

Still, the pair’s 110-run stand had put England safely into the driver’s seat, and with Moeen at last arriving at the crease and keen to tee off, the final stanza of the day promised more thrills for the crowd.

While Bairstow too would fall short of a ton, swiping outside off to Starc and feathering an edge to Carey, lady luck was still smiling on the hosts.

First, a brilliant piece of Marnus Labuschagne fielding at mid-wicket ending with his throw bouncing just over the stumps with Chris Woakes well short, then a loud LBW shout from Murphy on the same batter reviewed and denied again by an umpire’s call verdict on the top of leg stump.

While Woakes wouldn’t capitalise as Root had, giving catching practice to Khawaja at mid-off to hand Starc a third wicket, Moeen continued to take on the short ball, one fine boundary nearly bringing further Australian disaster as a desperate Smith’s dive failed to wrench the ball in and saw him hit the electronic signage at considerable velocity.

When Joel Wilson finally answered an Australian appeal, giving Wood out LBW to Murphy, the DRS would again break the spinner’s heart; having been twice denied by umpire’s call, ball-tracker would find it skipping totally over the stumps when they finally had an on-field decision go their way.

It would only cost Murphy one Wood reverse-sweep for four before the tailender holed out to deep mid-wicket; with Moeen’s entertaining stay ended an over before for 29 ramping to Hazlewood at fine third man for Starc’s fourth, the only question was whether England would be bowled out before enough time had elapsed to force Australia to start their innings.

Successfully delaying past the cut-off time for stumps, first through some unnecessary field changes and then an ambitious review for caught behind off an Anderson reverse-sweep, some final pain was piled on by the hosts as the number eleven clubbed Murphy for consecutive fours in the day’s final over, including a trademark reverse-sweep.

Going for the shot again, Murphy’s LBW appeal was eventually answered by Wilson: a bemused Anderson’s appeal finding the ball had crashed into his arm and would have bounced over the stumps, a second poor decision late in the day from the much-maligned umpire.

Finishing on 9/389, with a lead of 377, England will likely bat on into Day 4, however many more runs Stuart Broad and Anderson could add: one suspects, though, that they already have more than enough.