Root falls late on day one, 17 short of century at SCG...
Thursday 4 January 2018 22:44, UK
Joe Root's conversion woes continue and a debut for Mason Crane… all you need to know from day one in Sydney.
Joe Root once again failed to convert a Test fifty into a hundred as Australia took two late wickets with the second new ball on day one to take control of the fifth and final Ashes Test at the SCG.
Root batted beautifully in recording his 36th Test half-century but again his innings ended in disappointment as the England captain again failed to convert fifty into a century as he undid his good work late on day one.
On his return to the ground where he was dropped as a novice batsman at the end of England's 5-0 Ashes whitewash four years ago, Root was at his fluent best until he flicked a catch to Mitchell Marsh at square-leg in Mitchell Starc's first over with the second new ball eight minutes before stumps.
It ended a hard-working stand of 133 between the captain and Dawid Malan (55no), which was sadly undermined when Jonny Bairstow fell caught behind to Josh Hazlewood's last ball of the day to leave England reeling at 233-5.
Dawid Malan, talking to BT Sport: "Ten minutes that have changed the day and it shows exactly what Test cricket is like: you make one mistake and you let the other team in. We'd have liked to be three down tonight with all our batters left tomorrow.
"I find it quite tough to score, there wasn't a lot of pace in the wicket and the ball was quite soft while I was out there so I found it quite tough - Rooty found it easier from the way he was scoring. On a different day you could take a few more risks but I felt I'd rather grind it out than just give it away.
"I was a bit surprised but it is up to the batsman who is next it to make that decision and good on Jonny. Unfortunately, it didn't work for him but that's cricket.
"If we'd have been three down, we'd have loved to be 400-plus, 450 tomorrow and there is no reason we can't get there, especially if we get through the new ball. If we can get as close to 400 as possible then with our two spinners, hopefully the pitch breaks up and it turns."
David Saker, talking to BT Sport: "It has equalled the game up and I think we deserved it, we bowled some good stuff throughout the day but we didn't have a lot of luck. The wicket was quite flat as well. It was an even day and, again, tomorrow will be a tight day.
"We expected the ball to move around a bit more. We probably would have batted first as well but at first we thought it might have been a good toss to lose. It's played well though, the wicket, it is only going to get better and late in the game there might be some spin.
"[Joe Root] looked destined to get a big score, the ball before we were unlucky not to get him out and then he hits the next one to square leg, which is the game. It's a great wicket for us and it exposed Jonny Bairstow for the last couple of overs, it was nice to get him as well."
At the age of 20 years 320 days, Mason Crane became England's 18th-youngest player in history, and the youngest specialist spinner to be picked since Ian Peebles against South Africa at Johannesburg in 1927.
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