Ashes 2015 5th Test Day 2 match report: England stare at follow on after Australia compile 481

Steven Smith scored a magnificent 143 to take Australia to 481 in the first innings, before England collapsed to 107-8 in reply on Day 2 of the fifth Ashes Test at the Oval.

If this series has shown anything, it is that batsmen from both teams have refused to show the gumption to hold fort when the opposition is on top. Australia proved it at Edgbaston and Trent Bridge, while England did so at Lord’s and, now, the Oval. 

Following two humiliating capitulations in Birmingham and Nottingham, when Australia refused to collapse in their first innings at the Oval, it was looking like this match would finally go at least into the fourth day, unlike the last two Tests. However, by the end of Day 2 of this fifth Test, it looked as if it was England who want to keep the trend going.

Australia scored 481 in their first innings, batting for just under five sessions. The visitors did extremely well to negotiate the cloud cover and the short-lived assistance offered to the English seamers by the pitch on Day 1, before making the best of glorious conditions for batting in the second half of their innings.

Australia would have hoped that the Oval Test was played right after their 405-run win at Lord’s, where the conditions were pretty similar to Kennington. Who knows, this series, which was already decided before the start of the fifth Test, would probably still be alive. 

Like at Lord’s, Australia’s top scorer was Steven Smith, who hit his 11th Test century and shared crucial partnerships with Adam Voges (76) and Mitchell Starc (58). That the conditions were in his favour should not take away from the resilience and maturity he showed while batting.

It wasn’t entirely a chanceless innings. On 92, after playing so watchfully for over two sessions, Smith swiped at a short and wide delivery from Steven Finn and found the edge that carried to the keeper. It happened just past noon and a delivery after his overnight partner, Voges, had been dismissed leg-before.

The duo had batted so well together, notching 146 runs for the fourth wicket and given Australia the advantage. Now, within two deliveries, they had almost thrown it away.

And then, a huge chorus of disappointed cries went around the Oval, as the big screen pointed out that Finn had overstepped by a mile. The umpires, not for the first times in this series – and as it would turn out, not for the last time in this match – had missed a huge no-ball. 

Smith could hardly believe his fortune as he walked back, neither could the crowd. But the 26-year-old had learnt his lesson. It was 27 deliveries before he scored the next eight runs to reach his century, which he then celebrated with a heave over long-off for six.

England staged a mini fightback in the morning session of Day 2, taking four wickets and reducing Australia to 376-7 from their overnight 278-3. However, a counterattacking rearguard from Starc ensured they reached a total that all but eliminated the possibility of losing.

As England walked out to bat, it seemed like this match would see a bucketload of runs being scored, but the hosts were clearly not interested. One after the other, the Englishmen gave their wickets away and induced a loud, sarcastic cheer from the partisan crowd when they crossed 100 with eight wickets down.

Still trailing by 374 runs and just two wickets in hand, England can give up hope of winning this series 4-1, which would have been a mighty shot in the arm ahead of difficult tours to the UAE and South Africa later this year.

Instead, the point that will stick out at the end of this series regarding the Three Lions is that they are only good in home conditions which suit their seam bowlers.