Jonny Bairstow insisted a number of the criticism levelled at him has been ‘out of order’. The England wicketkeeper, who starred on day three of the Fourth Test, believes they’ve finished all the things they will to maintain the Ashes alive however admitted they want a window within the climate to finish the job.
England are chasing six extra Australian wickets with a lead of 162 as they search to take the sequence right into a winner-takes-all shootout at The Oval. But with dangerous climate forecast for Old Trafford over the weekend Bairstow admitted they want a break within the clouds to stage the sequence.
Bairstow thrilled the gang with an unbeaten 99 in 81 balls as England prolonged their first-innings result in 275. And he used the platform of his close to miss to hit out at critics of his wicketkeeping, insisting he has carried out wonders to be even taking part in worldwide cricket so quickly after his freak leg break.
“I’m just delighted to be out there and proud to be taking the field after 10 months out and three years away from wicketkeeping,” he mentioned. “To be back playing international sport after nine months is something I’ve really proud of.
“There has been some chitter-chatter and some of the criticism has been a little out of order. You have to have a bit of perspective. I’ve not played in 10 months and not kept properly in three years so the two combined there are going to be challenges.”
Turning his consideration to the state of the sport, Bairstow mentioned: “We’ve put ourselves into a position taking four wickets here that hopefully, well, we’ve done everything that we could’ve done in the game.
“The weather is the weather. What comes will come and we can control what we have done so far in the game which is score at a rate that puts us in a position that hopefully forces a result.”
Australian quick bowler Josh Hazlewood admitted their dressing room was bruised on the finish of a tough day with each bat and ball.
He mentioned: “We’ve probably not been on the receiving end like that before in terms of run rate. Bairstow played some incredible shots at the end so credit to him.”
