Australia side not among Ashes greats but England keep losing key moments

When England were thrashed in Australia four years ago, they lost to a much better side. If the result is to be same this time, it will be because Australia have played the key moments much better.

At Brisbane, England were 246 for four in their first innings and were bowled out for 302. On the first day at Adelaide, Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad wasted the new ball. Here at the WACA, Joe Root and his team could not break their profligate habit, batting carelessly and then dropping three chances.

With a little more than half an hour left before lunch, England were 368 for four, and Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow had centuries. Then, Malan fell for 140, trying to be a little too ambitious against Nathan Lyon – and from that moment, Australia regained control.

England lost their last wickets for just 35 runs in 56 balls; where 450 had appeared a formality, they were suddenly grateful to scrape their way to 403. Australia captain Steve Smith was imperious, making 92 not out as his team reached 203 for three at stumps.

To make matters worse for England, Craig Overton – who removed David Warner and Cameron Bancroft – left the field late in the day with what appeared to be a side strain, kicking the rope in frustration. If that is the case, it is highly doubtful that he will bowl again in the match or series.

The frustration for England is that this Australia team is good, but not great. Their bowling attack, while rightly praised, allowed Malan and Bairstow to break two partnership records, even though neither had made an Ashes century before this match – and Malan had never reached three figures at Test level.

They have one great batsman in Smith, and a very good one in Warner. And the rest? They would not have made an Australia Second XI if they had played in the late 1990s or early 2000s.

Australia are 2-0 up in the series; they know the Ashes are close. In all three Tests, England have given them something to think about, but have been unable to get inside their heads for long enough.

When Bairstow reached his hundred with a scampered single, he banged his head against his helmet, to the delight of England’s followers. In the city where he supposedly ‘butted’ Bancroft in a bar at the start of the tour, Bairstow enjoyed one of the finest moments of his career. His stand with Malan was worth 237, the highest against Australia in Tests at the WACA and England’s best for the fifth wicket in Ashes cricket. Life would get no better for the tourists on Friday, though.

There are those who would blame Malan for allowing Australia back into the match. This is harsh. He scored 140 in only his eighth Test and his third in Australia, so we can cut him some slack. Besides, just because one batsman makes a mistake, it does not mean those that follow should fall in a heap.

Unfortunately for England, that is exactly what happened. Malan tried to hit Lyon against the spin but the ball spooned to cover, where substitute fielder Peter Handscomb took a fine flying catch.

Two deliveries later, Moeen Ali fenced tamely at a short delivery from Pat Cummins and was caught at second slip for a duck. Chris Woakes glanced Josh Hazlewood to Cummins at fine leg. Bairstow played across an inswinger from Mitchell Starc and was bowled, before Overton failed to handle Hazlewood’s bumper and looped the ball to short leg.

Stuart Broad, frequently backing away to leg, clubbed Hazlewood 104 metres for six, into the crowd below one of the giant floodlights. Yet he, too, was caught at short leg trying to defend a bouncer, and England were all out by lunch.

Overton bowled superbly to slow Australia’s assertive start. Warner nicked behind for 22 and then Bancroft was leg-before on review for 25. In between those dismissals, Overton flew to his left and just failed to grasp a return catch that would have sent back Usman Khawaja without scoring.

Where Smith batted as though watching the ball in slow motion, cruising to a 58-ball half-century, Khawaja prodded and jabbed off the back foot, like a boxer cornered.

On 28, he edged Woakes into the cordon but Joe Root reacted too slowly and the ball whizzed past him – another missed chance. Khawaja and Smith were able to add 54 more runs for the third wicket, with the former reaching his 50, only to be out the ball after doing so. Khawaja reviewed when given out lbw to Woakes but the decision was upheld on umpire’s call – much to the anger of Smith, who appeared to remonstrate with umpire Marais Erasmus.

When he calms down, Smith will realise that if his team dominate day three, they will have one hand on the urn, especially if Overton is injured.

There was still time for England to let another moment pass by: Shaun Marsh, on seven, turned Moeen on to the boot of Mark Stoneman at short leg, but neither he nor wicketkeeper Bairstow could claim the dropping ball. We will learn tomorrow/on Saturday how costly it will be.