Clueless Aussies wilt under England's batting onslaught

The hosts make it their day with an impressive display, but Australia weren't at their tactical best

- Ashish Magotra

As Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow were in the middle of putting together another blistering partnership for England on Day 3 of the fifth and final Ashes Test at The Oval, the television screen suddenly flashed images of former Aussie pacer Glenn McGrath and former Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting having a conversation.

It immediately made one wonder if the Aussie teams led by Ponting or one in which McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Shane Warne made up the bowling attack, would have allowed England to just hammer away.

At close of play, England were 389/9, a lead of 377 runs. Joe Root's 91 was the top-score as the hosts took control, and they will now be eyeing a win that will allow them to level the series up at 2-2.

The home side started the day 12 runs behind but they wiped that deficit off with little fuss and a lot of flair. The openers, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, put on 79 off 104 balls. Then, Crawley and Ben Stokes (batting at No.3) strung together 61 off 57 balls. Stokes and Joe Root put on 73 off 79. Root and Harry Brook 9 (8). Root and Bairstow added 110 of 148 balls. It was the kind of batting card we would see in an oldschool ODI. And you get it. At one level, you get it. England's 'Bazball' strategy means they want to go hard at the bowling. And they have the right batters to do that as well. But does Australia have to play along?