Malan: Scary to see how good Root can be

Dawid Malan has thrown his weight behind his captain, Joe Root, after the latter was dismissed for 83 on the first day of the final Ashes Test in Sydney. Root’s 141-ball vigil and his 133-run partnership with Malan had pegged Australia back for most of the final session on Thursday (January 4) before Mitchell Starc had him dismissed in the penultimate over of the day. With Jonathan Bairstow following suit, England were reduced to 233/5 at stumps, with Australia taking the day’s honours.

Root was visibly distraught after his dismissal, slumping to his haunches with his head bowed before slowly making his way to the dressing room. It was the fourth time this series that he had failed to convert a fifty to a century, but Malan backed his skipper, saying it was just a matter of time before the centuries are notched up.

"He still averages 53 in Test cricket and the day will come when he will probably start converting as well as Steve Smith does or the other greats have done," said Malan, who ended the day unbeaten on 55. “And when that happens, it will be scary to see how good he can be and how high his average can jump to. Joe's disappointed when he gets out, whether he scores 150 or he scores 50. No matter who you are you want to be scoring 100s.

“No one means to get out. I thought Rooty played fantastically well up to that point. The second new ball is always a challenge. You don’t know if it's going to swing, you don't know if it's going to skid off the wicket. We were definitely speaking about trying to get through this period, still looking to be positive, still looking to have our scoring intent. Unfortunately, he clipped that to square leg and if it was two or three yards to the left or right it would have been four and everybody would have said 'great shot'."

Malan’s unbeaten half-century made him the top run-scorer for England in the series, but it was disappointment at losing late wickets that came through. “It sort of sums up where we've been on this tour,” he said. “We've been on top for so long in games and then to make a couple of mistakes and let the Aussies back in ... it's disappointing.”

One of the talking points of the day’s play was England’s decision not to send out a nightwatchman after Root’s dismissal, even with just seven minutes of play left. Bairstow walked out instead, only to be caught behind off Josh Hazlewood.

Mitchell Marsh, the Australian allrounder, later admitted he was surprised by the decision. “I was very surprised. I’ve played three games this series and I think Lyno (Nathan Lyon) has been padded up about six times for me,” said Marsh. “So I would have had the nightie. It’s the last 20 minutes for us usually, I think that’s enough time for Gazza (Lyon) to survive if we need a nightwatchman. With a new ball it’s probably even more (important) to send him out.”

However, Malan backed Bairstow’s bravery for walking out rather than subject Mason Crane, the debutant who was all padded up, to the new ball against Australia’s premier fast bowlers. “I was a little bit (surprised) but the decision’s not the coach’s to make, that’s down to the batsman that’s in next to make,” said Malan. “Jonny made that decision and good on him for making it. It takes a lot of guts to go against what people normally do with the new-ball, he probably felt he was better suited for that. I think some people like it and some people don’t.”