The third day
It’s getting better and better for England but we are entitled to ask why it took the 4th Test for Stuart Broad, Alistair Cook and Joe Root to rediscover their mojos. Maybe I am still curmudgeonly. I was delighted to be there at 4-46 when Cook made his double century. Again I will assume our reader has followed the events, read up on all the statistics and where Cook is in the all-time run table. I will merely make a few observations on the day’s play.
My first is to praise the Barmy Army. The Barmy Army were stationed next to bay 13. In football terms this would be the equivalent of Spurs fans in the section next to the Arsenal hard core. The was no trouble at all though the Army sang football songs and I am sure are drawn from the same background.
When we were all wilting, not least Cook at the crease – what a feat of concentration that was – the Barmy Army was in fine voice clearly inspiring the players on the pitch. With test crowds dwindling, the MCG had seen crowds over the first three days of 88,172, 67,862 and 61,839. The Barmy Army is the only appreciable away support of any country.
Indians will flock to English Test grounds this summer but these are indigenous. I have never heard any racist comment from the Army although there is much banter. The singing is of much higher order than the Richies and the occasional “Ozzie, Ozzie, Oz”. For long periods the singing of the Barmy Army was unchallenged making it akin to an England home match.
Once again there were unsatisfactory decisions and decision-making on dismissals. Dawid Malan was not out but before we blame Cook for not referring (he had enough on his plate) one assumes he was asked if he struck the ball and would know. The video of the second main incident – whether Khawaga grounded his catch – was inconclusive so the soft out (soft option might be better) of the umpire 70 yards away was maintained.
England will surely benefit from a lifeless pitch in more seam conditions and the absence of Starc and Cummins and Smith being crook have helped too. Moeen Ali’s cavalier knock must mean we will not see him at Sydney where the curator does often prepare a spin-favourable wicket which would assist Mason Crane.
