Ashes 2017/18 - Melbourne Day 3 - Now They're Cooking

Already part of Ashes folklore after his 766 run series in 2010/11, Alastair Cook has an aura of someone who could score massive runs at any stage, even after a prolonged period of struggle. He has now become the first overseas batsman since Sunil Gavaskar to have scored a century on all 5 of Australia's main Test Grounds. 104 not out overnight, Cook picked up where he left off and how refreshing it was to see him bat with such positivity, grace and purpose to finish the day unbeaten on 244, his second double-century on these shores and a timely reminder of his importance to English cricket over the last decade.

In many ways, Cook's imperious innings covered the negative attention that could have been sent in the direction of his Captain. Joe Root quickly passed his fifty, however once again he fell into a trap and didn't convert. Pat Cummins, clearly feeling better after Day 2's stomach upset, bowled with good pace and set up the baited hook-shot, Root obliged and took it by holing out to a grateful Nathan Lyon at Deep Square Leg for 61.

It would be completely wrong to call Root's 61 a failure, and criticism of such a score is misguided. Without a hundred in the series, Root has scored regularly and got started. The frustration is that he hasn't gone on to make a really big score, the same criticism leveled at Alastair Cook before this wonderful innings. Before this series Root and Steve Smith were described as the two best batsman in world cricket, however only the Australian Captain has performed in this series to deserve such praise. Smith's incredible successes have highlighted Root's plight.

As ever with the England side, nothing ever looks nailed-on. Cook continued on his merry way but all around him the sense of an imminent wicket loomed large. Perth centurion Dawid Malan got going, but faced with the new ball and Josh Hazlewood he was rapped on the pads. My immediate reaction was that he had got outside the line, but it was given out and he chose not to review. Unbelievably, just like James Vince yesterday Malan chose not to review and this time there was a clear (and sizable) inside edge which would have surely seen the decision overturned.

England's innings was all about starts; Bairstow got to 22 with relative ease before trying to cut one from Lyon that was too close to him, a great catch by wicketkeeper Tim Paine to one that had a fair deflection. Moeen Ali tried to hit himself into form, chance his arm and got to 20 before trying one too many and hitting a short wide ball from Lyon straight into Shaun Marsh's hands at Short Cover. Chris Woakes also got to the twenties and threw it away with a tame glove behind, in reality the trio of Bairstow, Ali and Woakes should all be contributing more with the bat than they did at Melbourne, Bairstow's hundred in Perth showing what he is capable of.

Rolling back the years, Alastair Cook was the rock that England needed in this innings and ensured England got into a lead. The On-Drive to bring up his double century was a thing of beauty and the MCG crowd rose to acclaim a stupendous knock. Realistically a lead of more than a hundred was required to put any kind of pressure on the Australians though with a lead of just 46 and only Broad and Anderson to go, the hopes were rapidly fading, especially when Hazlewood struck Broad on the helmet and Cummins clearly causing issues for the Nottinghamshire man.

After weathering a hell of a storm, Broad came good and took on the Australian bowlers. The yorker is underused at many levels of the game, and missing Mitchell Starc's expert use of it ended up costing the Australians dear as the persistent short pitched bowling tactic backfired. Broad began hooking and pulling, sometimes luckily and occasionally riding that luck with edges over the cordon. This is where the yorker would have surely come in nicely. Intimidatory bowling is all well and good at the WACA or Gabba on bouncy pitches, but the lifeless MCG pitch did not have the capacity to really intimidate in anything like the same fashion and the lack of real attacking bowling with yorkers worked in England's favour. Broad delighted the Barmy Army by passing fifty with two smashing shots into the leg side.

Broad fell in somewhat controversial manner as ultimately the short ball worked. Pulling into the deep again he managed to pick out Usman Khawaja who managed to get his hands underneath the ball, face-plant the turf, lose the ball under his body and pick it up with the opposite hand all while somehow keeping it off the turf, or so it seemed. The soft signal was "out", and the Third Umpire took a while to replay it.

Using a bit of common sense it is physically impossible for Khawaja to have taken that ball in that manner without it touching the turf at some point but with the ball obscured under his body there was no clear evidence that the ball had indeed touched the turf. As the replays were inconclusive, the decision stayed with the on-field umpire and Broad was on his way with questions as to whether Umpires should really be giving soft signals for catches so far away from them. For what it is worth, I think it was handled correctly in accordance with the laws of the game and given the events the correct decision was made, however I still don't know how Khawaja has kept that off the turf.

Cook looks a new man, finishing with a flurry of boundaries as James Anderson hung around against the tired Australian attack. Cook 244 not out as England close on 491-9, with two days left in the game you would say that a declaration is unlikely and pushing past 500 until the last wicket falls is the order of Day 4. An Australian victory doesn't look likely in this game, but only a fool would write them off, especially with Steve Smith waiting in the wings. Anderson and Broad will have a huge job to do with the new ball tomorrow, but for now let us rejoice in a fabulous innings from a legend of English cricket.