Despite losing the Ashes to Australia with two Test matches still to play, England do have something, or someone, to shout about.
England: Most consecutive losses in Tests in Australia8 1920/21 (5) – 1924/25 (3)8 2013/14 (5) – 2017/18 (3)
— Andrew Samson (@AWSStats) December 18, 2017
Yes, England’s eighth consecutive Test defeat Down Under was humiliating stuff for Joe Root’s men, but look to the future now, because it might only just have begun.
There haven't been too many real positives for England during this tour, but Malan's gritty performance is definitely one. #Ashes
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) December 18, 2017
Jonny Bairstow’s century at the WACA aside, Dawid Malan’s performance has just about been the only bright spark in an otherwise damp squib of a tour for England.
1 – Dawid Malan is now the highest England run-scorer in a Test match at the WACA (previously Derek Randall 193, 1982/83). Impressive. #Ashes pic.twitter.com/Xf3Bzadz2O
— OptaJim (@OptaJim) December 18, 2017
With just eight Test matches under his belt, Malan almost inspired an unlikely England resurgence from 2-0 down in the series, his maiden Test century rescuing the touring side from 131-4 to a dominant position.
A moment he'll never forget 🙌
Dawid Malan brings up his maiden Test match century!
What a special innings under pressure! #ItsTheAshes
📺 BT Sport 1 HD pic.twitter.com/sJnmU02aWg
— The Ashes on BT Sport (@btsportcricket) December 14, 2017
Former England players flocked to heap praise upon Malan, and quite right too.
A courageous maiden test century full of quality strokes & when England really needed it- well played Dawid Malan 👏🏼👍
— Mark Ramprakash (@MarkRamprakash) December 14, 2017
Take a bow – @dmalan29! Quite brilliant 100! #Ashes
— KP (@KP24) December 14, 2017
England collapsed to 403 all out and by the time Malan was back at the crease, Australia had made 662 runs of their own, and England were dicing with defeat.
Another Malan fifty in the second innings added a splash of credibility to an otherwise insipid England performance, his efforts merely delaying the delivery of the little urn into Australian hands.
I’m not sure when Malan made the ashes squad & was on the plane to Australia he thought that the little urn & the #Ashes would rest in his hands !!!!!!
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) December 18, 2017
Four years ago, in a grim Ashes defeat at Perth, England could take a little solace from the emergence of Ben Stokes. Now, they can find solace in the coming of age of Dawid Malan
— Tim (@timwig) December 18, 2017
He joins a quite illustrious list as a result – what a career he would have if he could replicate half of what some of these batsmen have achieved.
POSITIVE ENGLAND STAT ALERT:Malan joins this illustrious list of visiting players who have scored a 100 & a 50 in the match in a Test defeat in Australia since 1980:Williamson – Kohli – Sangakkara – Kallis – Tendulkar – Saeed Anwar – Haynes – Gower. Useful players. #Ashes
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) December 18, 2017
Even the Australians praised Malan’s gutsy knock, delighted as they were to remove him.
GOT HIM! GONE! Hazlewood strikes again. Malan edges one down the leg side and Paine does the rest. Gone for a terrific 54, England 7-196.
THREE WICKETS TO GO! #Ashes
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) December 18, 2017
Dawid Malan's stubborn resistance comes to an end.
He gloves a Hazlewood delivery down the leg side.
196-7#ItsTheAshes #Ashes pic.twitter.com/NLJbyL9DXr
— The Ashes on BT Sport (@btsportcricket) December 18, 2017
England might lose 5-0, 3-2 or somewhere in between – whatever happens, this guy is surely one of the first names on the team sheet for their next challenge.
An England centurion @dmalan29! 🏴💯🏏 pic.twitter.com/QRQFptrlgh
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) December 14, 2017