England Need To Display Ruthless Streak To Finish Off Jittery Australia

Derek Pringle fears that despite being on top for much of the game, England haven’t quite made Australia pay when pinned on the ropes

Thank goodness for the tail-end wag between Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad. Without it, England came close to squandering their second opportunity of the match to bury Australia deep in the Birmingham ooze.

The pair added 65 for the ninth wicket, a spasm of late-order life that enabled England to take a crucial 90run advantage after the first innings.

Although well placed to take a lead in excess of 150 when they resumed the third day’s play on 267-4, England’s batsmen were in danger of fluffing that after they lost four wickets for 18 runs in the space of 52 balls, including the centurion Rory Burns. But Woakes and Broad mixed brawn and brain to ensure the Aussies remained under pressure when they batted a second time, finishing the third day on 124-3.

But let’s rewind to day one at Edgbaston, when Tim Paine made the bold call to bat first after winning the toss, a decision that might have had implications regarding the Australian captaincy had Steve Smith not made an heroic hundred on a pitch offering opportunities to all bowlers.

Smith is a superb Test batsman whose quirky technique belies a gift for making runs in vast quantities and in all conditions. Indeed, his average of 62.2 in Test cricket is the second highest after fellow Aussie and cricket legend, Don Bradman.