After the hosts raced through the visitors’ tail on Day 3 of the first Ashes 2023 Test at Edgbaston on Sunday (June 18), England fast bowler Ollie Robinson joked that Australia have ‘three No. 11s’.
After resuming their first innings on 311-4, Australia were all out for 386, surrendering a seven-run advantage. They were 372-6 at one point before losing four wickets for 14 runs. Short balls claimed the lives of Nathan Lyon (1), Scott Boland (0), and Pat Cummins (38) all.
Robinson said
Robinson, who took two of the last three wickets to fall in Australia’s first innings on Sunday, made a sly remark about the visitors’ tail’s lack of contribution. During a press conference following the conclusion of the day’s play, he stated:
“It’s something we spoke about as a group. We said once we get past Pat Cummins, we feel like they’ve got three No. 11s. It’s something that we can target through the series and try and wrap up their innings quite quick and try and give us that momentum into our batting innings.”
Nathan Lyon and Cummins both miscued short balls while trying to hit big shots off Robinson, while Boland meekly defended Stuart Broad to ludicrous point. Australia’s lower-order batting was hindered by the absence of Mitchell Starc, who produced a useful 41 in the second innings of the World Test Championship 2023 final against India.
Robinson elaborated on England’s short ball strategy against Australia’s tailenders:
“I think it’s pitch dependent, really. Obviously Pat Cummins is a really good player, and I think we felt like bowling full to their tail would give them a chance to maybe score some more runs, so it’s a wicket ploy, but also it’s harder to score when it’s two-paced.”
While Australia lost Lyon and Boland cheaply, Cummins hit three sixes in 38 balls to reduce England’s lead.
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