Jonny Bairstow: I’m extremely proud, I had to dig deep

Wicketkeeper-batsman Bairstow ecstatic after scoring first Test ton in three years to take England to 258-7 after visitors were in dire straits at 36-4

Jonny Bairstow: I’m extremely proud, I had to dig deep

Jonny Bairstow celebrates his century on Day Three of the fourth Test against Australia at Sydney yesterday. Pic/AFP

Nothing was going to stop an emotional Jonny Bairstow from realising his ambition of scoring an Ashes century in Australia—not even a nasty blow on his thumb during the fourth Test in Sydney on Friday.

Bairstow typified the grit of a counter-punching 128-run partnership with injured Ben Stokes to raise his first Test century in Australia, and England’s first on a demoralising tour with the Ashes relinquished inside 12 days.

Bairstow turned the tide and gave the tourists something to cheer finally with his unbeaten 103 off 140 balls, studded with eight fours and three sixes. There was also some emotion for this Test, which started on the 24th anniversary of his father David’s sudden death.

Spirited knock

Bairstow looked to the heavens as he achieved his goal. “I’m extremely proud, I had to dig deep,” he said. But his spirited knock didn’t come without pain after he suffered a nasty blow on his right thumb from Pat Cummins, which for a time threatened to cut his innings short.

Bairstow was on 60 when Cummins dug one in and it crushed his thumb holding the bat.

Painkillers helped

He needed treatment from the team physio, painkillers and strapping before he bravely continued to defy Australian attempts to get him out.

“It takes quite a bit to get me off the park. Yes, it was sore, but the circumstances of the game, it was one of those where it was a decision I made to stay out there,” he said.

“The medics can give you advice, but you’re playing in an Ashes Test match, New Year’s Day Pink Test match at Sydney in front of a big crowd, it’s going to take a lot to get you away from that.” Bairstow went out to the SCG under pressure to score runs. It was his first Test century in 38 innings since making 110 v Sri Lanka in Colombo in November 2018.

Brief scores
Australia 416-8d v England 258-7 (J Bairstow 103*, B Stokes 66, M Wood 39; S Boland 2-25, P Cummins 2-68)

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