Malan defends Bairstow over nightwatchman decision
England batsman Dawid Malan defended Jonny Bairstow after the Yorkshireman declined the use of a nightwatchman and proceeded to lose his wicket in the final over of the fifth Ashes Test’s opening day.
Despite debutant Mason Crane being padded up and ready to bat, Bairstow strode to the crease following the dismissal of skipper Joe Root, only to edge Australia seamer Josh Hazlewood behind three balls into the last over.
That left England 233-5 at the close having been handily placed at 228-3 only moments earlier, although Malan – the tourists’s leading run-scorer in the series – finished proceedings unbeaten on 55.
“It sums up where we have been this tour,” said Malan. “We have been on top and then we make one or two mistakes and suddenly it has let the Aussies back in.”
Asked if he was surprised to see Bairstow and not a nightwatchman advance to the wicket, he added: “I was a little bit. But it’s not a coach’s thing, it’s left up to the batsman that’s next in to make the decision.
“Jonny made it and good on him – it takes a lot of guts to go against what people normally do. He probably felt he was better suited to the new ball.
“I’ll have a nightwatchman every time if there is an opportunity but each to their own. You can’t look back and say he shouldn’t have. He backed himself but got out.”
Malan shared a 123-run stand with Root, who had appeared set for his 14th Test century before clipping paceman Mitchell Starc, who missed the fourth Test with a heel injury, to Mitchell Marsh at square leg while on 83.
Root's dismissal continued his trend of failing to convert half-centuries into tons; on only three occasions in the last 18 has the 27-year-old reached three figures after passing 50.
“No one means to get out,” said Malan. “Joe Root played fantastically well but the second new ball presents a different challenge, especially here where you don’t know if it is going to swing or skid off the wicket. Three yards either side and you say it was a great shot.
“He still averages 53 in Test cricket and the day will come when he does start converting them as well as [Steve] Smith does or the other greats. When that happens it will be scary to see how good he can be and how high his average can jump to.”
England’s top order all made starts before losing their wickets as Pat Cummins claimed the scalps of opener Mark Stoneman and James Vince for 24 and 25 respectively.
Former captain Alastair Cook, a double centurion during the fourth Test in Melbourne, made 39 before falling lbw to Hazlewood as Australia, who have regained the Ashes by virtue of holding an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series, reduced England to 95-3.
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