England dominated the morning session of the third Ashes Test in Leeds, firmly taking control of the game. They had the Australian team struggling at 91/4 by Lunch, thanks to four dismissals.
However, England could have capitalized even more on their advantage if it weren’t for Jonny Bairstow’s poor performance behind the stumps. Bairstow, playing in front of his home crowd at Headingley, let two crucial chances slip, including a straightforward catch off Travis Head.
The first opportunity arose when Ollie Robinson’s delivery found the edge of Steve Smith’s bat, but the deflection was thick enough to make it only a half chance for the keeper.
However, the second opportunity, presented later in the day, was far more glaring. Fast bowler Mark Wood unleashed a rapid short ball to Travis Head in the 24th over, mounting pressure on the Australian batsman. Head appeared visibly uncomfortable against Wood’s pace and instinctively tried to fend off the ball, resulting in a faint contact off the face of his bat. Surprisingly, Bairstow, positioned some distance away from the stumps, failed to hold on to the ball despite reaching it comfortably.
The missed catch allowed the batsmen to steal a run as well.Both Wood and Stuart Broad were devastated by the missed chance, considering Head’s previous struggles against England. The crowd was also left in stunned silence. Bairstow has been heavily criticized for his subpar wicketkeeping throughout the series, with numerous dropped catches in the first two Tests.
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In addition, his questionable behavior at Lord’s, which nearly cost England the match, has put him under significant pressure. The 33-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman needs to redeem himself to secure his place in the team going forward.