England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow has found his place under pressure amid a number of shaky displays, but has shown his quality in the fourth Ashes test at Old Trafford
Pricklier than a hedgehog sandwich when his back’s against the wall, finally the chances are beginning to stick for Jonny Bairstow.
âThe king of Bazball claimed some of the criticism was “out of order” when he shelled half a dozen chances earlier in the series. But at Old Trafford, England’s wicketkeeper produced the second-best catch of his Test career to dismiss Mitchell Marsh in the first innings â the best one was intercepting that Just Stop Oil clot who tried to sprinkle his orange pixie dust on the pitch at Lord’s last month.â
And England were in safe hands again when Bairstow clung on to end Marnus Labuschagne’s 11th Test hundred in Manchester’s gloom with a view.
When the rain gods relented and play started at 2.45pm, for two hours they were thwarted by Labuschagne and Mitchell Marsh’s robust fifth-wicket alliance. It felt like a slow puncture inexorably removing the oxygen from England’s dreams of going to The Oval next week with the urn still at stake.