The Ashes 2017-18: England lack luck in Adelaide, but bowlers fail to back Joe Root’s brave decision to field first

THE ball looped from the shoulder of Shaun Marsh's bat and two England fielders converged.

Alastair Cook and James Vince both ran towards the ball and dived in the hope of catching it.

They collided, were briefly stunned and the ball escaped their grasps.

As they lie languishing on the turf, checking that each other was unhurt, they presented an image that summed up England's predicament.

Desperate, clutching at air and, in the eyes of the Aussies at least, faintly comical.

They didn't quite headbutt each other a la Jonny Bairstow but you get the drift.

Eventually, Australia's innings ended at 442-8 declared after 149 overs.

And Joe Root spent most of those overs scratching his head and cursing his luck.

Putting the opposition is always a high-risk strategy and a captain knows that, if it doesn't come off, he will receive plenty of stick.

It doesn't work the other way. So, if a captain bats first and it turns out to be the wrong decision, he normally avoids any flak.

Root's insertion was based on the cloud cover on Saturday and generally overcast conditions.

He thought the ball would swing but it was doomed to disaster almost from the moment James Anderson and Stuart Broad wasted the new ball by bowling too short in the opening session.

There was enough movement off the pitch to think England might realistically have bowled out the Aussies for around 280.

The bat was beaten on countless occasions - and sure sign that bowlers were pitching too short - but luck was generally against England.

For example, Anderson had both Marsh and Tim Paine given out lbw early on day two only for both decisions to be overturned on review.