Australia close in on victory in first Ashes Test as David Warner and Cameron Bancroft frustrate England

     
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Tom Collomosse26 November 2017

England were left to rue a series of missed opportunities as Australia moved to the brink of a 1-0 Ashes advantage on Sunday.

Australia have not lost a Test at the Gabba since 1988 and they seem certain to extend that run after closing day four 114 without loss, needing 56 more runs to win. Assuming they do so, it will leave England with plenty to consider ahead of the Second Test at Adelaide – the first day/night Ashes clash in history – which starts on December 2.

England could feel aggrieved at the dismissal of Moeen Ali, who may have been given out stumped because of some dodgy paintwork, but since lunch on day three they have been utterly outplayed.

Having resumed 33 for two on the fourth day, the tourists kept losing wickets when they appeared on the brink of an important partnership. As it was, England slid from 185 for six to 195 all out, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins blowing away the tail to leave their batsmen a chase of 170. Cameron Bancroft and David Warner hit unbeaten half-centuries and were rarely in difficulty

Is England’s glass half-full or half-empty? On one hand, they have been far more competitive in this Test than many expected. The Ashes rookies – Mark Stoneman, James Vince and Dawid Malan – all made half-centuries in the first innings. Joe Root led with with flair and Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad bowled superbly.

England were 246 for four at one stage of their first innings, and had Australia 209 for seven in theirs. In the end, Australia captain Steve Smith’s brilliant century, and his eighth-wicket stand of 66 with Cummins on day three that pushed the home side towards a first-innings lead, looks set to be the difference between the sides. The pink ball should swing under lights at Adelaide, bringing England’s attack into the game. There is no need to be completely despondent.

Yet England’s batsmen still looked vulnerable to the short-pitched ball, while the tail were utterly flummoxed. Across the two innings, England’s top seven made seven scores of between 38 and 83, but nobody reached a century.

The two senior batsmen, Alastair Cook and skipper Root, go to Adelaide under pressure. Cook was dismissed for two low scores and was out to a horrible, misjudged hook in the second innings.

Although Root made a skilful 51 in the second innings, his two dismissals were identical: lbw to a straight delivery playing across the line. And that conversion rate continues to decline: 13 hundreds and 33 fifties, where Smith has 21 of each. And for all the talent of Broad and Anderson, England simply do not have the firepower of Starc or Cummins, who can regularly bowl at 90mph.

Warner helped put Australia in charge on day four with an unbeaten 50
Getty Images

Moeen Ali was outperformed by fellow off-spinner Nathan Lyon, while neither Chris Woakes nor Jake Ball carried the threat of Broad or Anderson. If they do not improve, Australia will simply be able to see off Broad and Anderson before attacking the other two seamers and Moeen, who is struggling with a cut to his spinning finger

England’s day started to fall apart with Root’s dismissal, this time to Josh Hazlewood. Stoneman (27) and Malan (4) had already been caught at slip off Lyon, and then Tim Paine’s sharp work – and a groundsman’s sloppy painting – meant Moeen was given out stumped by TV umpire Chris Gaffaney for 40.

Moeen thought he had his back foot behind the popping crease but Gaffaney disagreed, leading to close-ups on social media that suggested the line had been painted thicker than it should have been, at exactly the spot where Moeen’s foot was.

Thereafter, Woakes (17) and Jonny Bairstow (42) were bounced out by Starc, who removed Broad caught behind on review and Cummins cleaned up Ball with another delivery aimed at his throat. England could manage no such hostility and Australia – barring something miraculous – will complete the job on Monday.

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