Last Updated on 2 years by Charbel Coorey

Ashes 2019 3rd Test: Forget Joel Wilson. Australia had a horror last hour

James Pattinson pins Stuart Broad with a pinpoint yorker. Even better for Australia, Broad, as often the case, can’t help but waste a review. He’s plumb. Even better for Australia, it was just the second ball of the 116th over, meaning Pattinson had four balls to seal the win against number 11 Jack Leach. England were still 73 runs away. Six more than their whole first innings score of 67.

None of the four balls were great deliveries. Three were dug into the pitch, with the only full ball a legside delivery that Leach was able to prod away past short leg. This was the beginning of a wretched final hour for Australia, that makes you wonder how journalists, with supposed knowledge of the game, would produce such an article as the one below for what is supposed to be one of Australia’s trusted, credible media outlets.

I refuse to link to link to this article. It doesn’t deserve views from fans who can see things in the bigger picture. Did Wally Mason wake up, see one thing and then decide to write a full article?

As an Australian, it is clear Tim Paine and co have no one but themselves to blame for this defeat. It happens. Mistakes are made. But, to claim Stokes’ heroics shouldn’t count is gutter journalism and an embarrassment to those who put pride in their work.

Australia didn’t handle the pressure well and fans should not put the sole blame on a single umpiring decision. The final hour of mayhem tells the full story.

Lack of variation with the ball

Take nothing away from Ben Stokes. Australia’s woes were the result of the pressure he created – another chapter in the amazing ‘Summer of Stokes’. However, for a Test side to get it so wrong with the Ashes beckoning is a major blow.

76 runs were scored in the last 10 overs of the match. Ben Stokes was outstanding, but the lack of variety and thinking with the ball was a significant reason Australia lost the game. Setting deep fields for beast-mode Stokes is no problem, but the plethora of length and short balls to enable him to free his arms is cause for more frustration than Joel Wilson, who everyone knows is out of his depth. Remember, the man has made incorrect decisions both ways this series.

Then we go to Jack Leach. Across his 17 deliveries, you might count one or two from the seamers that pitched in line and were going to hit the stumps. Mitchell Starc was a name on the lips of many, but James Pattinson showed he can nail a yorker. Pat Cummins is the world’s number one Test bowler. Josh Hazlewood had nine wickets for the match. Surely Australia had enough quality to execute yorkers? It wasn’t to be.

Blame Joel Wilson solely? No.

Also read: Player Ratings from a classic Test – who was Australia’s best?

Missed run out #1: Throw to the wrong end

When you think of a missed run out in this manic hour of play, Nathan Lyon springs to mind. However, there was another missed opportunity by the Australians.

With 40 still needed for victory, Ben Stokes knocked one into the legside, looking to come back for two. He slipped, so was always behind the eight-ball running to the danger end. Instead, the throw from Marcus Harris at square leg went to the bowler’s end with Jack Leach all-but-certain to make his ground, instead of the keeper’s end where Stokes was in trouble.

Blame Joel Wilson solely? No.

Also read: From the World Cup to now, this really is the “Summer of Stokes”

Marcus Harris’ dropped catch

It wasn’t the best day for Harris. With 17 runs to get, Stokes sliced a wide Pat Cummins delivery down to third man. In a moment that reminds us of Simon Jones in Edgbaston in 2005, Harris dived forward, got his hands under the ball but couldn’t cling on. It was not an easy catch, but these are the ones you work for as an international cricketer.

Blame Joel Wilson solely? No.

Australia’s horrible waste of their final review

Why blame an umpire for getting decisions wrong when Australia’s use of review has been nothing short of horrendous all series? Tim Paine’s poor use of DRS came back to haunt Australia badly, choosing to desperately review a decision that was nowhere near close to out. Eight runs were needed at this stage, and my cricket group chat was going off at this point, with the worry that Australia could live to regret such a lack of composure in pressure situations.

So, why are corners of the media putting Ben Stokes down, pinning their attention on one umpire call when Australia thought the above LBW shout could be out? Justin Langer rightly lamented Australia’s poor use of DRS. Paine also refused to blame the umpire for the defeat. So, can we instead focus on improving what’s in our control?

Australia have taken nine reviews in the field across the three Test matches to date. Eight have been struck down, with none upheld in their favour. This is coupled with reviews they didn’t take, such as Rory Burns’ LBW in the first innings at Edgbaston when he was on 21. He went on to make 133.

This is the time to back Australia to get it right in Old Trafford. But, to blame Joel Wilson solely? No.

Also read: Ben Stokes deserves more than a 10! 3rd Test Player Ratings

Nathan Lyon’s missed run out

For all of Ben Stokes’ heroics, he is prone to being involved in run outs: he has been involved in 17 in his Test career. Out of those 17, 14 have ended with his partner run out, including Jos Buttler on Sunday. It should have been 15, with England also showing signs of panic in the tightest of finishes.

With two runs left to win, Stokes reverse swept Lyon straight to short third man. Jack Leach took off, but Stokes was not interested. The throw was lobbed back to Lyon, only to fumble it and send everyone into a frenzy. Tim Paine and David Warner, both about to run to Lyon to celebrate a one-run win, quickly turned back and went back to their positions. How many more opportunities could they waste? What caused minds to be so muddled when precision and calm was the need of the hour?

Blame Joel Wilson solely? No.

As if matters couldn’t get worse, the next ball saw Lyon pin Stokes in front off an attempted sweep. Joel Wilson gave Stokes the benefit of the doubt, but the replays showed three reds.

But, looking at what occurred before Wilson’s decision suggests Tim Paine and his men have no one to blame but themselves for this defeat. After all, Joel Wilson has made mistakes for both sides this series (i.e. Joe Root had to keep reviewing against Wilson’s decisions when batting at Edgbaston), so it was very silly to burn a review just to see if you might get lucky.

Now, all Australia can do is focus on rebounding well ahead of the fourth Test next week in Old Trafford. After such a defeat, it will be interesting to see what mental state they will be in as the Ashes remain up for grabs.