WATCH: Headingley Ashes crowd let Alex Carey know what they think of him as England bowl out Australia for 263
Yorkshire’s Jonny Bairstow was involved in a heated exchange on the final day of the second Test match at Lord’s on Sunday when he left his crease wrongly believing that an over was complete and the ball was dead.
Alex Carey, the wicketkeeper, under-armed the ball on to the stumps and Australia chose not to withdraw the appeal at a vital time in England’s ultimately unsuccessful run-chase.
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Hide AdCarey was called a ‘cheat’ from the stands as he made his way onto the field at the resumption of play on day one.
On the field, Mitch Marsh took advantage of England’s sloppy catching to smash a brutal century and change the game.
The home side had started this must-win match with fire in their belly and were well on top when Marsh, making his first appearance in almost four years as an injury replacement, nicked Chris Woakes to slip with just 12 to his name.
Had Joe Root taken the regulation chance just after lunch Australia would have been in trouble on 98 for five, but Marsh made him pay in full as he powered them to 240 for five at tea.
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Hide AdMarsh batted with unfettered aggression after his reprieve, flaying 17 fours and four sixes as he racked up 118 at exactly a run-a-ball.
The pain finally stopped for England in the last over before the break, Woakes getting his man as an inside edge looped to Zak Crawley via the thigh pad, but significant damage had already been done.
England had dictated terms in the first session, Mark Wood turning in an electrifying burst of breakneck speed to whip up the Leeds crowd and Stuart Broad striking twice, but ultimately their hands let them down.
As well as Root reprieving Marsh, two chances slipped through the grasp of wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow. Back in the spotlight after his controversial stumping at Lord’s sparked a row about the spirit of cricket, Bairstow saw two chances go down.
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Hide AdThe first was a tricky take off Steve Smith but the second should have been a simple catch off Travis Head, who had nine and went on to reach 39no.
There was also bad news for Ollie Robinson, who suffered a premature end to his day after leaving the field with a back spasm.
Ashes debutant Todd Murphy then inside edged on to his stumps to give Wood his maiden five-wicket haul in England – finishing with 5- 34 as Australia were all out for 263.