Smith helps Australia to slender lead at The Oval in final Ashes Test

LONDON: Steve Smith kept Australia in the fifth Ashes Test and helped his side take a slender first-innings lead on a day of missed opportunities for the tourists at The Oval on Friday. Smith hit 71 for Australia to help them to 295, ensuring a 12-run lead at the end of day two of the final Test after England’s first-innings 283. Pat Cummins (36) and Todd Murphy (34) were also crucial for the tourists, putting on 49 for the ninth wicket before both fell in the 20 minutes before stumps. With questions surrounding his future in the lead up to the match and concerns over his form, Smith proved he is still very much capable of standing up.

The 34-year-old drove fluently early and brought up his half-century with another powerful shot down the ground off Stuart Broad. Smith had a century at Lord’s earlier this series, but before Friday had not passed 50 in any of his other seven innings. This innings wasn’t without drama though, with England believing they had Smith run out on 43 with Australia 7-194 at the time.

Taking a risky second run on substitute fielder George Ealham’s arm, Smith began to walk off when replays appeared to show him short of his ground. However, a closer inspection showed wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow had broken the stumps early, and one half of the bail was still in its groove when Smith’s dive got his bat in. Still, Australia’s vice-captain would have been disappointed with the way he eventually threw his wicket away. With Cummins looking solid at the other end, the right-hander survived a streaky shot when he jumped down the wicket to Chris Woakes (3-61) and skied him over mid off.

Three balls later he attempted to hit the seamer over the legside, only to get a leading edge and be caught behind by Bairstow. Murphy then provided a flurry of crucial runs by hooking Mark Wood for three sixes, hitting Australia towards parity. Australia will walk away happy with a lead, while frustrated they didn’t do more to ram home their advantage at 2-1 up and a chance to end a 22-year series-winning drought in England on the line. Making a clear point to bat time and to try and grind England’s quicks down without injured spinner Moeen Ali, Australia fell apart in the hours either side of lunch.

After setting up a solid base on Friday morning at 1-91, Australia’s middle order crumbled in a collapse of 6-94. Marnus Labuschagne chewed up 82 balls for his nine, but fell victim to a superb one-handed diving catch by Joe Root at first slip off Wood (2-62). Usman Khawaja followed just after lunch, lbw to Stuart Broad (2-49) after using up 157 balls for his 47. Travis Head was out shortly after when he edged Broad for four, before Mitch Marsh chopped on to a ball outside off stump from James Anderson on 16. Alex Carey was caught at cover when he attacked a tossed-up delivery outside off stump from Joe Root (2-20), one ball after he slog-swept the part-time spinner for 10. And when Mitch Starc fell on the hook for seven, the tourists were in real trouble at 7-185 before Smith, Cummins and Murphy all saved the day.