ASHES TALKING POINTS: David Warner's horror series and Steve Smith's latest record

SAM MORSHEAD: Smith hates sitting in the changing room and watching the game, and with the sun shining and, finally, the crowd seemingly bored of booing, it was the perfect environment in which to operate

All Warn out

How David Warner could do with this Ashes series coming to an end.

Australia’s opening bat has been in horrendous nick since swapping the white ball for red after the World Cup and his wretched run shows no sign of coming to a close any time soon.

Here at The Oval he did at least manage to get off the mark to avoid the Audi, having recorded zeroes in the second innings at Headingley and both innings at Old Trafford, but soon he was back in the hutch.

Jofra Archer served up a wide one, Warner’s eyes lit up but he failed to make a true connection on the cut. England went up for a caught behind, umpire Marais Erasmus was unmoved and Joe Root sent the decision upstairs.

What followed was another utterly confusing visit to DRS. Replays seemed to show daylight between bat and ball - the shadow by Warner’s feet showing this in particular - yet Ultra Edge suggested a snick.

After the bizarre episode at Old Trafford, where TV umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge was unable to fully identify a massive inside edge from Craig Overton, technology’s over-reach struck again.

Warner had to go. It was his seventh single-figure score in eight innings. No opener has returned such a dreadful run in Test history.

With Marcus Harris also departing cheaply, Australia's openers’ combined average for the series dropped to 9.83, the lowest since 1999.

Baby Denly

England’s first delivery of this fifth Ashes Test match came courtesy of Joe Denly’s wife Stacy.

The couple welcomed their second child into the world on Thursday night, a baby girl who has still yet to be named.

Denly missed the morning session before returning to the ground to join his teammates after lunch.

And what better way to crown off such a landmark day for the Denly household than with a trip out to the middle to face the music for the final embers of the day.

An unenviable task at the best of times, though even more so after a day as draining as England’s opening batsman has faced. He survived to the close by the skin of his teeth and by the fallibility of Marcus Harris’ hands.

Steve Smith made his 10th successive score above 50 against England

10 out of 10

Steve Smith was always going to get runs on this Oval track.

It is flat, it is true and the overhead conditions on Friday were optimum for batting long.

Smith hates sitting in the changing room and watching the game, and with the sun shining and, finally, the crowd seemingly bored of booing, it was the perfect environment in which to operate.

Though he looked a little flustered at times early on, misjudging the new left-arm line of Sam Curran on a couple of occasions, he was soon giving England a reminder of his relentless ability at the crease. As if they needed it.

By carting Jack Leach down the ground for six he brought up his 10th successive half-century against the home side in Tests. No one else in history has managed that many in a row against the same opposition.

And on he went, fidgeting and ticking his way towards another ton. Absolutely extraordinary.

When he fell, it was a dismissal that came against the run of just about everything. Curran had bowled beautifully at him, but had found no way past the immovable wall. Thus, when he played across a straight loosener from Chris Woakes at the beginning of a new spell, it came as a shock to all who inhabited The Oval.

Still, a staggering series. Should he fall for a duck in his final innings of the contest – he won’t of course, his average will remain in three figures.

Dummying for Bairstow

With a more ruthless pair of standing umpires, Jonny Bairstow might have found a small corner of history for himself at The Oval on Friday.

Bairstow’s dummy take, moving his gloves towards the wicket as if to receive a throw when the ball was actually heading to the bowler’s end, caused Steve Smith to launch himself into a full-length dive to make his ground.

Under the terms of Law 41.5 - the fake fielding rule - umpires Marais Erasmus and Kumar Dharmasena could feasibly have decided that the keeper was, in fact, trying to “wilfully distract, deceive or obstruct” the Aussie batsman.

As it was, no action was taken, and the worst repercussions Bairstow had to deal with was Smith throwing him a knowing look. And then staying at the crease to punish England for the rest of the day.