The Ashes 2013: 3rd Test, Day 3 - The Quick Flicks

Kevin Pietersen

Day 3 of the third Ashes Test between England and Australia saw fortunes fluctuating on both sides, but by the end of the day’s play, Australia still had the upper hand as the hosts lost wickets at regular intervals in reply to the mammoth 527/7 posted by their opponents.

At stumps, England were 294/7, still trailing the Kangaroos by a massive 233 runs. With the pitch offering movement for the seam bowlers, it will be an uphill climb for the last three batsmen to help their side avoid the follow-on.

Here are the quick flicks for the day:

Cook returns to form

England skipper Alastair Cook started off proceedings on the third day with his side at 52/2, in the company of Jonathan Trott. He added 15 with the Warwickshire batsman before Trott was dismissed by pacer Ryan Harris.

Undaunted, Cook soldiered on, putting on another 46 runs with the stylish Kevin Pietersen for the fourth wicket. In the process, he registered his 31st Test fifty, and his second in this Ashes series.

Although England would have enjoyed seeing their captain return to form, they would have hoped for a longer innings than his eventual 62. He was out to a brilliant catch from wicket-keeper Brad Haddin off a very poor leg-side delivery by left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc. Nevertheless, his knock set the platform for a Pietersen-Bell assault.

KP stands tall

You just can’t keep the maverick England batsman down. Sufficiently recovered from an injury scare, the South Africa-born swashbuckler was in full flow right from the word go. He started off with a 46-run partnership with Cook, before joining hands with Ian Bell for a magnificent 115-run stand that brought smiles to the “Barmy Army”.

Pietersen was particularly harsh on off-spinner Nathan Lyon – he hit the 26-year-old out of the attack with two thumping sixes, one each over long on and long-off. He went on to hammer his 23rd Test century before falling to Starc for 113.

Unfortunately, KP wasted a review, so that reduces England’s balance to just one. Nevertheless, it was a sublime innings from the 33-year-old.

Bell joins the party

The Warwickshire lad has been England’s most consistent batsman in this edition of the Ashes. More often than not, he has bailed his side out of trouble with his risk-free approach; he played the big shots only after getting his eye in.

Walking in with his side reeling at 110/4, Bell combined with the flamboyant Pietersen to add 115 for the fifth wicket. Both of them took the attack to Nathan Lyon, with the Sherminator lofting him for another six.

He picked his spots well, effortlessly driving and cutting the pacers, before he was cleaned up by Ryan Harris with a lovely delivery (on a good length) around off, which nipped back a bit. His knock of 60 was his 37th Test fifty and his 13th against Australia. Terrific knock!

Wayward Starc hits the mark

Having scored yet another half-century in Australia’s first innings, left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc provided the late burst with a couple of timely wickets towards the close of play. He dismissed Cook to pick up his first wicket, before removing the struggling Jonny Bairstow with another wide delivery outside off-stump, and ended things by trapping centurion Pietersen lbw with a good-length delivery on middle stump that angled into the batsman.

But Starc was wayward initially, bowling too many wide deliveries. Skipper Michael Clarke will have to have some strong words with the pacer if Australia are to win this game.

Lyon becomes the lamb

After having troubled the England batsmen towards the end of the second day, much was expected from the young off-spinner. However, he was made to look ordinary by the duo of Pietersen and Bell; the former, in particular, was very aggressive, clubbing him for two huge sixes. Cook and Bairstow also hit Lyon for a few boundaries, completely putting him off his line and spoiling his figures.

Day 4 promises to be even more thrilling. England will need to score the remaining 34 runs to avoid the follow-on; failing that, and if Australia decide to bat again, the bowlers will need to restrict them to a low score. We definitely have a thriller on the cards!