• Final Test, day three: England 294 & 313-8; Australia 225
• Joe Denly dismissed for 94 but England build lead of 382
Suddenly Joe Denly is a Test batsman. Actually he has been tiptoeing in this direction throughout this series, in which he has only failed to reach double figures on two occasions. But here on a serene September Saturday Denly posted his highest Test score, an elegant yet exasperating 94, in front of a full house at the Oval.
This will not be as good a feeling as becoming a father for the second time, which was the case on Thursday night, but his future as an international cricketer now looks much brighter. The winter tours beckon. He will surely resume his partnership with Rory Burns at the top of the order in New Zealand in November. Denly and Burns may not have quite the same ring as Hobbs and Sutcliffe, Vaughan and Trescothick or Strauss and Cook but there is now scope to get used to the identity of England’s latest old firm.
Written by Vic Marks at the Oval
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/sep/14/ashes-england-australia-fifth-test-day-three-match-report under the title “Joe Denly misses out on century but steers England to dominant position”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
