Jos Buttler has backed England to make life as difficult as possible for Australia in their bid to win the fifth and final Test at The Oval.
England have already wrapped up the Ashes, having gone 3-1 up in the five-match series after winning the fourth Test at Trent Bridge this month, but they have been outplayed by Australia in London.
Having collapsed in their first innings in reply to Australia’s 481, they added a further 42 runs yesterday morning to their overnight 107 for eight to be all out for 149.
Michael Clarke, the Australia skipper, who is playing in his last match before retiring from international cricket, enforced the follow on for the first time in his four-year tenure as captain and England made it to the close on 203 for six, still needing 129 runs to make the tourists bat again.
England’s resistance had been led by captain Alastair Cook, who batted for 234 balls to make 85.
But he fell three overs from the end to the leg spin of Steve Smith, to leave Buttler (33 not out) and Mark Wood (0 not out) to face the Australian attack on Day 4 today with a new ball available to Clarke after the first over.
Buttler, who has struggled with the bat throughout the series, is already on his highest score against Australia. He said: “We’re up against it, but we’ve just got to keep fighting and hang in there. The captain showed that for most of the day.”
It is 12 years since the side who won the Ashes lost the final match of the series and unless rain showers forecast for today and tomorrow interrupt play sufficiently, then that is the situation facing England.
Buttler said: “Everyone’s very disappointed to come here and play as we have.
“It would be great if we could get out of this, and a bit of rain would be great.”
Of his own form, Buttler said: “I’ve had a tough series, it’s been tough mentally when you keep finding ways of getting out, but you’ve got to keep scrapping.”
Nathan Lyon was the pick of the Australia attack, taking two for 52, while Peter Siddle and Mitchell Marsh also weighed in with wickets along with Smith.
Siddle dismissed opener Adam Lyth and the 30-year-old pace bowler, playing in his first Test of the series in place of the injured Josh Hazlewood, impressed with figures of one for 14 off 16 overs, with 10 maidens.
Siddle acknowledged he had endured a frustrating tour.
“I’ve been carrying a few drinks which has been disappointing, I would have liked my chance, but I didn’t bowl as well as I could in the tour matches. I’ve been feeling good,” he said.
Australia had found wickets tougher to come by in England’s second innings and Siddle said: “The follow on is always hard, it was a long day today, but ‘Pup’ [Clarke] asked us what we wanted to do and he wanted to have a real go at winning this Test match.
“It gives us a good opportunity at winning this Test match.”
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