Smith’s majesty, Archer’s mastery, the miracle of Headingley: our writers give their verdicts after an extraordinary Test seriesVic Marks There’s no room for smartarsery here. It has to be Steve Smith averaging 110 in a bowlers’ series. Without him Australia would surely have lost the Ashes. Related: Five steps England must take to regain the Ashes in 2020-21 | Rob Smyth Related: Weary Steve Smith is just for once unable to rise to the occasion | Geoff Lemon Related: Jonny Bairstow’s role in the middle order is key to England’s future | Barney Ronay Continue reading...
Left-armer brought intensity to an England side that have lacked bite in the face of Steve Smith’s remorseless brillianceAs the shadows stretched out at the Oval on a lovely soft, drowsy Friday afternoon, something strange happened. Sam Curran took the ball from the Vauxhall end, paced out his comically furious run-up, and began to whistle up an unfamiliar kind of energy.Curran, with his 81mph full-pitch swingers, is an unlikely enforcer. But his outstanding quality is his intensity of purpose. Steve Smith fenced and was dropped by Joe Root. Tim Paine drove at an away-nibbler. Pat Cummins went lbw to another full, drifty hand grenade. Each time Curran came leaping down the pitch punching the air. Related: Jofra Archer’s six wickets...
Rather than being booed, Australia’s leading batsman should be saluted as a brave and decent cricketer for his stirring batting performances against EnglandFor tonight we’ll merry merry be,For tonight we’ll merry merry be, Related: Returning Steve Smith plays down impact of Jofra Archer bouncer Related: There have been 2,358 Tests since 1877 and this was the greatest of them all | Matthew Engel Continue reading...
English morale has been lifted by Jofra Archer’s Lord’s debut but it does not follow that it has dented Australia’sThere has been a distinctly upbeat tone in English cricket during the short leadup to the Headingley Test. For once, the local bowlers do not have to worry about dismissing Steve Smith, the man who has sacked them for 10 Ashes centuries since his first in 2013, but will sit out this week with concussion. England have the cause of that concussion on their side, in the fast bowler Jofra Archer. And, with an hour’s less rain the Lord’s draw could have been an England win, which is an encouraging way to leave a stalemate.Like the Swiss flag, each of those...
Australia’s key problem heading into the third Test surrounds their best batsman while England have a new special weaponThe respite between Tests is brief but at least there is some scope for measured decisions. For Australia the key problem surrounds their best batsman, Steve Smith.During the Lord’s match there was barely any time for their backroom staff to decide whether he should resume his innings on Saturday afternoon. Citing the fact Smith was desperate to get his name on the famous honours boards in the pavilion, a tradition that feels like an ancient rite when in fact these boards are a relatively recent innovation, he was allowed to return to the crease 40 minutes after retiring hurt, though he could...