Amid the doom and gloom of England’s predicament in the second Test, the ongoing development of Ben Stokes provides a welcome chink of light.
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At Adelaide in 2012 South Africa were set a target of 430 – England will be challenged no doubt to make a few more.
The Australians stuck to their plans throughout, whether it was their bowling, batting or decisions.
“But it is a flat wicket and fairly slow”.
South Africa’s batsmen did not “play their natural game”, as most teams feel entitled to do. “They are conceding so many runs and not getting enough wickets”. If he can do it, England’s young bucks can also put their new gung-ho style on hold.
That is why England on Friday evening stuttered to 85-4 and yesterday, despite spirited early resistance form Ben Stokes and Alastair Cook, England failed to pass the follow-on target of 367. But England’s first innings was not built on solid turf so much as sand.
But it took former England captain Michael Vaughan just two words to describe Johnson’s initial four-over spell: “He’s back”. Until then, they have the flawless foil for their self-combusting wildcard, David Warner, at the top of the order. In the same over, a single for Stokes extended the partnership to 100. Stokes as always, showed positive intent while Cook was cautious.
Shortly before lunch, a nasty Mitchell Johnson bouncer caught him on the unprotected point of his right elbow, demanding treatment on the field, and for a moment, as he flexed his fingers, it appeared that he might not be able to carry on.
With the exception of a timeless Test at the SCG in 1894, no side has ever posted such a high first-innings total then lost the game.
This was no occasion to revisit anything like the fastest Lord’s Test century the all-rounder hit on his last appearance here against New Zealand in May.
His performances this summer have established him as a proper Test batsman.
Lyth fell to the second ball of the innings for nought, wafting loosely at a wide ball from Mitchell Starc and nicking a catch to wicketkeeper Peter Nevill.
Buttler did not last long.
It may have been pragmatism rather than old-fashioned gallantry, as Snicko and Hot Spot would have supplied damning evidence.
Marsh did his job by taking two vital wickets, those of Stokes and Cook. It is no excuse that every captain does it before deciding whether to enforce the follow-on, or, as usual, not.
Rogers, who has said he will retire at the end of this series, batted for over six-and-a-half hours, faced 300 balls and struck 28 fours.
An inviting gap was left in the covers and Cook was so tempted that he went for it with his least polished stroke, his extra-cover drive.
Cook had some luck too as he was dropped by Steven Smith at backward square leg on 63. Total: (5 wkts in 57 overs) 181. Josh Hazlewood all too efficiently swung one down the slope to pin Moeen after his brisk 39, and seamed one up the slope to bowl Mark Wood.
The sun went out of the day, and the floodlights were switched on, as the Australians rubbed in the salt.
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Smith, 129 overnight, remained comfortable against the England bowling attack on a pitch offering little assistance.
