Smith Drives Australia On Rain-Hit Day

Australia 492-9d (Smith 138no) v
England 32-0
Fifth Ashes Test, The Oval
Scorecard

England’s openers survived a tricky final hour of a rain-affected second day at The Oval to keep their hopes of earning at least a draw in this final Ashes Test match very much alive.

Play didn’t get underway until 1430 local time as a steady drizzle frustrated the crowd and the Australian batsmen. With more rain forecast for Saturday, a draw is very much a possibility on what remains a flat and true Oval pitch.

Steve Smith and Peter Siddle eventually resumed for Australia, with the latter not lasting long before being cleaned up by a beauty from James Anderson, which pitched and straightened to knock over his off-stump. Both Anderson and Stuart Broad actually found some movement in the first few overs as the pitch appeared to have sweated slightly under the covers. However, any moisture soon evaporated and Australia found it relatively plain sailing thereafter.

Smith brought up his maiden Test century with a straight six off Jonathan Trott, who then got his revenge by enticing Brad Haddin to chop onto his stumps shortly before tea when on 30. Smith played brilliantly throughout his innings and looks a different player to the one that struggled so much in the last Ashes series in Australia.

He played mostly second-fiddle to Australia’s lower-order hitters after bringing up three figures as the tourists heaped the misery onto England’s attack in the final session. James Faulkner made a breezy 23 off 21 balls before being caught well on the deep square-leg boundary by Trott to give Chris Woakes a maiden Test wicket.

Woakes was again solid without being spectacular with the ball. Perhaps the truest test of his credentials at this level will come tomorrow with bat in hand because, on the showing so far, he looks no better than a fourth seamer at this level; albeit on what has been an unforgiving pitch. Of England’s other debutant, Simon Kerrigan, there was no sign as even Graeme Swann wasn’t introduced into the attack until late in the piece.

Swann soon made up for lost time by having a free-swinging Mitchell Starc bowled in his first over as Australia continued to press on with a eye on the declaration. Ryan Harris then held things up with a powerful 33 that spanned just 27 balls. He twice launched sixes before being brilliantly caught and bowled by Anderson.

The ball was skied high in the air, but with most of the fielders on the boundary, Anderson was forced to run about 30 yards to his left to complete a tumbling catch. Australia declared one ball later with just over an hour left in the day.

Alastair Cook and Joe Root then survived the 17.3 overs that they faced before bad light brought a slightly premature halt to proceedings. Australia’s bowlers delivered opening spells of varying quality, with Peter Siddle and Ryan Harris again impressing and Mitchell Starc again struggling with his line.

Root was given a working over outside off-stump by Siddle, who used the crease intelligently to lure him into playing at balls that he shouldn’t, while Harris didn’t concede a run until his fourth over and was his usual naggingly accurate self.

England, though, will be relatively content with what they witnessed in the final hour. All the signs are that as the shine wears off the ball, batting shouldn’t be too difficult and there should be runs to be had. Their first target, of course, is the 293 that they need to avoid the follow-on. They ought to manage it comfortably.

© Cricket World 2013

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Video - It Was An Unbelievable Feeling - Smith

Australia batsman Steven Smith says that reaching his maiden Test century on day two of the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval was an 'unbelievable feeling'.

He reached it in fine style by hitting Jonathan Trott for a six to reach three figures for the first time, in his 12th Test.

By going on to reach an unbeaten 138, Smith helped Australia reach 492 for nine before they declared, giving themselves a fighting chance of claiming a win from the final game of the series.

"I probably wouldn't have played quite the same shot if it was someone else bowling," Smith also admitted.

"Jonathan Trott is obviously a part-timer, he doesn't bowl too often. I said to Hadds (Brad Haddin) between overs I said what do you reckon to just hitting him over his head and he said just keep a clear mind and if it's there, go for it. And it was there and I managed to get it away.

"It was an unbelievable feeling. Obviously I've played 12 tests now and I would have hoped it would have come sooner but it's a great feeling to get one hundred in a Test match."

Video courtesy of SNTV

© Cricket World 2013

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Gloucestershire extend Smith loan

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Fifties For Hughes, Cowan And Smith at Hove

Fifties For Hughes, Cowan And Smith at HoveSteve Smith ended on 98 on day one at Hove. Action Images / Jason O'Brien Livepic

Australians 354-5 (Smith 98no) v
Sussex
Tour Match, Hove, day one

The Australians’ beleaguered batting line-up received a welcome boost ahead of next week’s third Ashes Test at Old Trafford. All of their top four made meaningful contributions and found the going relatively easy on another sunny day on the south coast.

Openers Ed Cowan and Phil Hughes overcame some early difficulties, in particular against in-form quick-bowler Chris Jordan, and added 150 in 35 overs. They undoubtedly benefited from a pitch that was on the edge of the square, a lightning-quick outfield scorched brown by the recent dry weather, and the absence of two of Sussex’s first choice attack. James Anyon was unavailable due to injury and was replaced by Twenty20 specialist Chris Liddle, while spearhead Steve Magoffin was rested.

Stand-in skipper Cowan was eventually dismissed by left-armer Lewis Hatchett, who found some swing and bowled impressively in only his 10th first-class match, for 66, with Hughes following suit a little later, caught by debutant wicket-keeper Callum Jackson, who is playing because of a finger injury to Ben Brown.

Usman Khawaja made 40 before becoming the first man to fall in a Monty Panesar double-strike. Panesar has endured a difficult season and has possibly been overtaken in England’s spin-bowling ranks by the likes of James Tredwell and Lancashire’s Simon Kerrigan. However, he had Khawaja caught by Chris Jordan and then dismissed Matthew Wade for a duck in his next over.

That made it 218 for four and Sussex perhaps sensed a way back. Steve Smith, though, had other ideas and played fluently to end on 98 off only 155 balls. He added 131 with James Faulkner for the fifth-wicket before the all-rounder gave Panesar a third wicket when on 48.

The tourists had earlier given a debut to young Western Australian off-spinner Ashton Turner. Turner was called up the Australian squad for this match to make up the eleven after several members of the Ashes squad were rested. He is currently in England, where he has been playing club cricket in Sussex and training at the Ageas Bowl International Cricket Academy in Southampton.

© Cricket World 2013

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