The Ashes: Hopeless England lose early wicket, of course, as Steve Smith brilliance helps Australia dominate in Fourth Test
AND of course they lost a wicket - Joe Denly’s dismissal seemed entirely predictable at the end of a day of crippling errors and shattering punishment.
Denly, elevated from No4 to opener, was superbly caught at the second attempt by Matthew Wade at short leg at 7pm with three overs to go.
It put the tin lid on eight hours of unrelenting misery for England that ensured they have no chance of winning the Fourth Test.
England’s mistakes included two shockers in the space of 20 minutes and the best they can hope for over the next three days at Old Trafford is a draw.
England finished with 23-1 In reply to Australia 497-8 declared - a huge total in the context of this low-scoring series.
It is taken as read that Steve Smith batted for a long time and scored lots of runs. He always does that.
The big difference this time was that England allowed his wicket to slip through their grasp on at least two occasions. And Aussie skipper Tim Paine was also reprieved by a dropped catch at a crucial stage.
Jason Roy was the guilty man who spilled a dolly chance offered by Paine and then, fewer than five overs later, Jack Leach had Smith caught at slip only for the wicket to be overturned because it was a no-ball.
Yes, England’s spin bowler really had overstepped the line for the first time in his Test career. And, naturally, he did it when Smith was the batsman.
The consequence of those two clangers was catastrophic.
Ben Stokes went down in a worrying sign for EnglandPaine had scored just nine runs at the time of Roy’s mistake and went on to make 58 - his first half-century of the series.
Smith, 118 not out when Leach’s sent down his no-ball, took such terrible toll that he had reached 211 when he finally perished to a reverse sweep in the quest for quick runs.
Smith broke the heart of England so ruthlessly that No9 Mitchell Starc, playing his first match of the series, was able to come in and smash and slog his way to fifty.
A grim day for England was made even worse by the sight of Ben Stokes leaving the field in the middle of an over with a sore shoulder.
Stokes returned but did not bowl again. Little could be more demoralising for England than the incapacitation of the Headingley hero.
England have only themselves to blame if they end up losing here. Their bowling on day one lacked penetration, pace and purpose and yesterday they committed all manner of mistakes.
Smith was also dropped on 65 by Jofra Archer, a sharp caught and bowled chance when a full toss was drilled back.
And Paine, on 49, was badly dropped by sub fielder Sam Curran at mid-on when he failed to keep down a pull shot against Archer.
Smith, of course, is the sort of man who takes maximum advantage of such opportunities and he went on to his third double-century against England.
It is difficult to overstate his skill and mental strength. In his first Test following his 12-month ban for his part in sandpapergate, Smith scored twin centuries at Edgbaston.
Now, in his first Test since being concussed by a horrific blow to the neck from Archer, Smith piled up his 26th Test century. Only one man - the legendary Aussie Don Bradman - has exceeded his 11 hundreds against England.
He is a remarkable twitchy, edgy, fidgety, idiosyncratic run-scoring machine.
Smith had a few more alarms than normal. He played and missed a couple of times in the opening two overs and there was an early delay when he was distracted by the sun reflecting off a vehicle windscreen. It turned out to be a Sky TV van.
Smith had added just five runs to his overnight 60 not out when Archer failed to grab the caught and bowled chance. A few balls later, he almost dragged on to Archer.
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Left-hander Travis Head was lbw to Stuart Broad from round the wicket and Matthew Wade, trying to slog Leach, skied a catch to Joe Root at mid-on.
England failed to take a wicket in a disastrous, error-riddled afternoon session but Paine edged the first ball after tea. Pat Cummins was caught at slip off Leach and Smith finally departed to the 319th ball he faced.
Still the pain wasn’t finished for England as Starc swung merrily away and his innings included four fours off successive deliveries off Broad.