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Even in this, cricket in England’s great summer, there is still time for a stinking day or two.
The first day at Old Trafford, a vital fourth Test in a tumultuous Ashes series, was beset by rain and wind – Manchester in September, eh? – to the point that they played for a period without bails because they would not stay on.
Australia had the best of the 44 overs possible, reaching 170 for three, thanks to their two batsmen of real substance Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, who each kept up their record of making a half-century in every innings this series. This, though, was the first time they have batted in the same innings, which spelt bad news for England.
Australia had much in their favour, notably victory at a toss where the choice, batting first, was obvious because the pitch appears very flat. But still England, having been given a brilliant start by Stuart Broad, did not bowl that well and even appeared to lack a little energy. This was a little odd, given they cannot lose this Test, but they are far from out of it now.
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Due to vicious crosswinds that made the rain swirl through and saw play stopped because the bails fell off, crisp packets distracted the batsmen and a beach ball zipped across the outfield, bowling from the James Anderson End appeared particularly difficult (although Craig Overton said that it felt like bowlers were running into the wind at both ends), an irony that will not have been lost on Joe Root. How he would have loved to have his great fast bowler at his disposal.
England had got so much right early on. With the game’s fourth ball, Broad dismissed David Warner for the fifth time in seven innings this series. This was the second time in as many innings that Broad has dismissed Warner for a duck. Looking to leave the ball, he could not get his bat out of the way swiftly enough.
Broad this week laughed off suggestions that he had the wood over Warner, but the fact is that he has dismissed the punchy left-hander five times from 87 balls at the cost of just 32 runs. Warner is averaging a meagre 11 for the series, and 29 in 12 Tests in England. Broad has unsettled him when bowling round the wicket and has dismissed him in a variety of ways.
Marcus Harris followed Warner, trapped leg before in Broad’s first over. The ball struck Harris above the knee role and Kumar Dharmasena took his time to raise the finger, so the batsman reviewed. But it was clipping the stumps, and DRS did not save him. Those two wickets took Broad to 111 wickets against Australia, the third most for England behind Ian Botham and Bob Willis.
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That left Australia’s opening batsmen averaging under 12 in the series with just one score, Warner’s battling first innings 61 at Headingley, above 20. Indeed that is the only time Warner has reached double figures in the series.
But Harris’s wicket just brought Labuschagne and Smith together. England overreached in search of wickets, and the Aussie pair made hay, sharing 50 before lunch, which was the last sensible action of the day. When they returned, England lost their discipline further, with Jofra Archer – having swapped from the Anderson End – short on rhythm and pace, and Broad looking increasingly unhappy.
Smith looked as impressive as ever, and broke his own record for most Ashes half-centuries in a row (eight now). He remains a huge problem for England, especially as the pitch does not likely to be conducive to bouncing him out.
It was Overton, on his home debut, rather than Archer or Broad, who broke the partnership of 117. He got one to nip off the seam and through Labuschagne to take the bails – which were back by now. Tea was taken soon after, and rain meant they never returned. England would have wanted to stay out, with Travis Head all at sea. Conditions, surely, will be better on Thursday, which should only help the batting team.