Australia’s selection conundrum and Bairstow’s sloppy glovework – Six takeaways from England’s Headingley win

It was another breathtaking Test with the initiative constantly switching between the two sides and neither able to exert total control on the contest.

Both sides have selection dilemmas to ponder, here are the main takeaways from England’s win in Leeds.

Marsh gives Australia a welcome selection conundrum

Had Australia prised out the final three England wickets on day four Mitch Marsh would almost certainly have been given the Player of the Match award. In his first Test since the 2019 Ashes, Marsh played the innings of the game, a brutal run-a-ball 118 as the Australia batters struggled around him. He was by some distance the most comfortable Australian against the extreme pace of Mark Wood, and with Cameron Green expected to be fit for the Old Trafford Test, Australia have a selection conundrum they surely did not anticipate at the start of the tour.

No option is straightforward. If they drop the out-of-form David Warner, there is no obvious candidate to partner Usman Khawaja up top. Todd Murphy’s off-spin played a peripheral part at Leeds, but Australia always pick a frontline spinner. They could leave pick both all-rounders instead of a third frontline seamer, but depending on conditions, that would be a bold move, especially with Murphy’s durability against this England line-up still an unknown. Or they could leave one of the two all-rounders out. Whichever route Australia go down it’s a welcome problem to have.

Brook at three experiment doesn’t last long

Harry Brook’s elevation to three lasted just one innings. After a low score in his first innings, England head coach Brendon McCullum informed Brook that he’d be batting back in his usual spot at five in the second innings. It was a decision that paid off with Brook playing a leading role in England’s successful fourth innings chase on his home ground.

What do England do for the fourth Test? One innings is too small a sample size to derive firm conclusions on Brook’s suitability to bat at three, but equally, England are clearly keen for Brook to bat in what has been his best position up to this point in his Test career. Moeen Ali put himself forward for the role in the second innings but it has been over half a decade since we’ve seen him anywhere near his best with the bat in Test cricket. He feels high at seven, let alone three. Chris Woakes would be a left-field option to retain a balance to the side that gives Stokes plenty of bowling options without having to bowl himself. Joe Root is probably the most sensible option but it is telling that he’s stuck to No. 4 despite all the uncertainty above him at three. Dan Lawrence, Alex Lees or a bolter from county cricket could be considered but like Australia’s Marsh problem, there is no obvious solution.

Bairstow’s sloppy glovework is becoming too costly to ignore

Jonny Bairstow has had a really poor series with the gloves, and increasingly with the bat too. He has now missed seven chances behind the stumps and with the margins so fine, it has already proved costly for England. Giving him the gloves at the start of the series was the simplest way to accommodate both Bairstow and Brook in the side, but at the time, Bairstow’s keeping was somewhat of an unknown after having only recently returned from a lengthy injury lay-off. It is now less of an unknown and England can only hope, not expect, Bairstow’s glovework to improve over the final two Tests. Bairstow has also not passed 20 since the first innings of the series. Is it so outlandish to wonder whether England’s player of the summer in 2022 is dropped from the side in 2023? Bairstow has always been a streaky player – he has never averaged between 35 and 58 in a calendar year in Test cricket. The decision to leave out Foakes at the start of the series was extremely harsh but not unfair. A reversal of that call would be along similar lines.

Holes emerging in Australia’s attack?

Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc were both exceptional for Australia but the rest of the attack looked light on threat. Between them, they bowled 63 of the 102.3 overs bowled by Australia across the Test. Scott Boland caused England occasional problems but ended the Test wicketless, while Todd Murphy was only entrusted with two overs in the fourth innings. Marsh, though he only bowled nine overs across the game, was a point of difference, finding appreciable away swing and was rewarded with the wickets of Zak Crawley in both innings. It is unlikely that Australia retain the same attack for Old Trafford, but you’d expect the result of that Test to be somewhat determined by whether or not Australia’s third, fourth and fifth bowlers improve on their Headingley performance.

England’s comeback kids make the difference

On the other hand, England’s attack was the most balanced it has been all series. Wood was electric, Moeen was exceptional in the Australia second innings with Ollie Robinson unfit to bowl, Woakes was a gnawing threat all game and Stuart Broad continued his excellent series. It was fitting that it was Woakes and Wood who took England over the line in the end. Both have been short on Test cricket in recent years and both displayed how invaluable are when fit and selected. Wood is as quick as they come while Woakes is just a brilliant cricketer in home conditions. From 26 Tests in England, Woakes averages 35 with the bat and 22 with the ball – he’ll surely be involved at Old Trafford.

Labuschagne form a concern for Australia

Marnus Labuschagne’s Test career has been extraordinary. He averaged over 55 in each of his first four full years as a Test cricketer but for the first time as an Australia player he is enduring somewhat of a slump. In nine Tests in 2023, he is yet to reach three figures. Four Tests into Australia’s tour of England, he is yet to reach fifty. There is now more than a 30-run-per-dismissal discrepancy between his home and away averages – to truly sit alongside the top echelon of Test batters, it is a quirk that will need rectifying. His place is not under threat – far from it – but his quiet series so far has been a major reason why Australia have been unable to bat England out of the game in any of the three Tests so fa