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On a sumptuous late summer Saturday in south London, England continued their push for victory in the final Ashes Test at the Oval.
That it had been a satisfactory day for the hosts was clear from the sight and sound, as 6.30pm approached, of the whole OCS Stand singing “stand up if you love Jack Leach”, and England 382 runs in front, and with their iconic new limpet adding a few more valuable runs.
They will never feel totally safe if Steve Smith’s final innings of the series has not been taken, but England had enjoyed another fine day.
The urn maybe gone, but a shared series is not and both teams are still fighting hard. There was a bit of aggro, between David Warner and Ben Stokes, and Matthew Wade and Joe Root. A bit has been made of the relative friendliness between these sides, but the Ashes will never be truly peaceful, especially while certain characters remain.
Untimely wickets, there were eight of them in all, never quite allowed England to fully get into declaration-whacking mode, but – thanks in large part to Joe Denly’s highest Test score of 94 – they just nudged their way to a position of great strength. They will have two days to finish Australia, most notably Smith, off.
Denly was terrific, and appeared to have a greater plan than at any other time in the series. In Lyon’s first over, he twice hit him down the ground, for four then six, and did not use the sweep, as he has in the past. He drove nicely all day, and his defence was stern, even if there were occasional moments of luck.
The most notable, of course, came on the second evening, when Marcus Harris simply dropped him at gully, but Australia failed to review an lbw from Mitchell Marsh when he had 54, and he very nearly chopped on too.
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But Denly’s third straight second innings half-century was hugely encouraging. Only when Peter Siddle threatened for the first time in the match, finding a little reverse swing in the afternoon, did Denly looked troubled. Tim Paine came up to the stumps to tie him to his crease, and he edged to second slip.
That he had fallen six runs shy of a first Test century was disappointing, but at least guaranteed him a crack at another. He, like Jos Buttler, has surely shown enough that he will be part of whatever’s next for England.
Denly was involved in two significant partnerships. First, there was 57 with Rory Burns, 30 more than the next highest opening stand of the series. That provided England with the steady start to the day they required, and it was a surprise when Burns underaged a cut off Lyon behind. That left him with a series tally of 390, and with his place in the side secure.
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The second, after Joe Root edged Lyon to slip, was with Ben Stokes. It was worth 123, as Stokes made 67, batting with vim and purpose as he also received a lifeline, as Smith dropped a mighty tough chance at slip off Lyon on seven, and was soon punishing anything remotely loose.
Some extra turn from Lyon saw him bowled just as he looked ready to let loose, and Denly fell soon after. Jonny Bairstow’s punchy knock did not last long, but Buttler did. There were crisp drives off front and back foot in his 47 which, like Stokes, ended when the slogging was about to begin.
Late in the day, there was a little twist. Australia’s catching has been poor all Test, but they found two beauties in two balls to put the brakes on England’s final push for runs. Smith dived full-stretch to his right at slip to dismiss Chris Woakes, then Buttler’s top edge off Siddle was taken diving forward by Marnus Labuschagne. Both were greeted with disbelief England should already have enough, but were not quite ready to declare.
It was left to Leach and Jofra Archer to see off the final overs of the day. On Sunday, after they have tried to nudge a few more runs, it will be up to them with the ball.