Marnus Labuschagne has scored a century and Steve Smith finished agonisingly short – but there’s two men who will Aussie fans will be talking about after day two in Adelaide.
After helping the hosts to a huge 9/473 dec. in the first innings with some brilliant power-hitting, Mitchell Starc and Michael Neser sent the fans home happy with two wickets under lights.
To the surprise of absolutely nobody, Starc dismissed Rory Burns for just 4 early in the piece, before Neser claimed his first Test pole with just his second delivery, sending Dawid Malan on his way.
Play was abandoned half an hour early due to thunderstorms in Adelaide, which means a 2.41pm AEDT start on day three (2.11pm local time).
Sporting News had all the latest updates, scores and live commentary throughout day two.
Australia v England – Second Test LIVE updates and scores
Live score – Stumps Day 2
| Team | 1st Innings | 2nd Innings |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 9/473 dec. | |
| England | 2/17 |
Current batters – Stumps Day 2
| Australia 1st innings | Score |
|---|---|
| Dawid Malan | 1* (19) |
| Joe Root (c) | 5* (9) |
Live commentary and updates
STUMPS
If you’re disappointed with the early finish and missing the chance to see some more carnage under lights, take some joy in the fact Kevin Pietersen is having a sook about how well Australia are travelling right now.
Foolish to even think England were going to properly compete in this #ashes with everything else that’s happening off the field.
Much easier for Aus at HOME!
Way harder for ENG with all the nonsense that’s happening here!
— Kevin Pietersen? (@KP24) December 17, 2021
Umpires have decided to abandon play for the rest of the night due to the storms in Adelaide – probably a fair call, but a disappointing one for the Aussies, who was clearly on top. An early wicket for Starc saw Burns dismissed cheaply again, before the moment of the day – Michael Neser claiming his first Test wicket – sent the fans and players home happy. Play will beging earlier on day three given the early finish on Friday night.
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2021
9th over: Thunder and lightning has arrived at Adelaide Oval. Umpires have called a halt to play – Australia will be heartbroken, England will breathe a sigh of relief. 2/17 in the 9th over.
8th over: Finally a run comes off the bowling of Richardson. Great start for Australia here. 2/16 after 8.
7th over: WICKET!!! With just his second ball in Test cricket, Neser gets Hameed to chip the ball to Starc at straight mid-wicket. Absolute scenes at Adelaide Oval right now, all the lads getting around Neser – including his Queensland teammate Usman Khawaja. What a moment for a man who has been 12th man for so long at this level. He catches the edge of England skipper Joe Root later in the over, but it falls short of the slips. Root gets off the mark with a three. 2/15 after 7.
I don’t think I’ve seen the entire Australian team so delighted for one of their own. Michael Neser, what a story. The heartbeat of the team, always the fringe dweller, finally takes centre stage. #Ashes
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) December 17, 2021
Get around him! Michael Neser’s got his first Test wicket! #OhWhatAFeeling #Ashes | @Toyota_Aus pic.twitter.com/cTjNkn0nDJ
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2021
7th over: For the first time in Test cricket, Michael Neser is into the attack. His very first ball, Hameed moves away as Neser entered his bowling stride – would have been very interesting to see what happened if it hit the stumps.
6th over: Another good set from Richardson, who is moving the ball nicely without bowling too quick just yet. No runs off his first three overs. 1/12 after 6.
5th over: Starc bowling a little bit too wide, too often early here. If he gets the ball on the stumps – as he did to Burns – he’s going to get another wicket. Starc gets one that is tighly left by Hameed over the top of the stumps. Maiden over from the left-armer. 1/12 after 5.
4th over: Another maiden from Richardson – welcome back to Test cricket! Lovely bowling from the right-arm swing bowler. 1/12 after 4.
3rd over: WICKET!!! Just as we expected, Starc takes the early pole and Burns departs. The big left-armer takes the edge and Steve Smith claims it in the slips. Hameed picks up another three runs. 1/12 after 3.
— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) December 17, 2021
2nd over: Jhye Richardson opens from the other end and immediately looks the goods, causing Hameed to play and miss a few times. 0/7 after 2.
Brilliant first over back in Test cricket from Jhye Richardson! #Ashes pic.twitter.com/J0XKcnI1PR
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2021
1st over: A couple of wayward deliveries early in the first over from Starc. Burns gets off the mark with a boundary late in the over. 0/7 after 1.
Some quality work from the Aussie tail helps lift them to a bigger total than we perhaps anticipated at tea. Neser and Starc were slogging the last few overs, and that’s not going to do much to help England’s confidence before they go in for their innings. Starting under lights with a new pink ball and Mitchell Starc steaming in isn’t going to help either. This is going to be a mighty interesting night session in Adelaide.
151st over: Jhye Richardson strolls out to the crease and tries to launch one first ball, but it plugs in the outfield. HOOORRNNN!!! Richardson goes again, slogging one over cow-corner for a beautiful six. The tail well and truly wagged for the hosts since the tea break. Richardson departs the next ball, edging to Buttler as Steve Smith calls them in and declares the innings at 9/473 in the 151st over.
150th over: WICKET!!! Neser’s exciting cameo comes to an end, skying one off the bowling of Stokes and Broad catches it out deep. Starc continues to swing and adds two more boundaries to his total. This is party time for the Aussies right now. 8/463 after 150.
149th over: Half-chance missed in the outfield off Starc. Wild over with a wide and some rogue shots attempted. 7/448 after 149.
148th over: Neser takes down Stokes now, hitting another boundary. 7/440 after 148.
147th over: Woakes back on now. Shorter ball is top-edged over the keeper for a boundary from Neser – the message has clearly come out to the batters to start swinging. England have attempted an extraordinary review, despite nobody really appealing for it. Neser goes over the top of mid-on this time for another boundary. He goes again and this time it’s gone all the way!!! Slaps it over cover for six more runs. He is flying now, taking the captain’s advice. 7/433 after 147.
England out of reviews. Not out #Ashes pic.twitter.com/kU5GpS3wkt
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2021
146th over: Stokes returning to the attack now. Australia will be looking to up the ante in the next few overs, particularly with some potentially threatening weather looming around Adelaide. Just a few singles off the over. 7/417 after 146.
145th over: Starc goes over the top for a couple more off Anderson, but he certainly didn’t get all of it. 7/414 after 145.
144th over: Starc has a huge swing and a top-edge lands safely, adding a couple more runs to the tally. Neser pulls Broad away for a boundary off the final ball of the over. 7/411 after 144.
143rd over: Anderson attempts to show off his soccer skills but it backfires, ricocheting off his foot for a single. Neser guides another two runs through the cordon. 7/403 after 143.
142nd over: Broad back on after the 20-minute break. Michael Neser getting his first proper taste of Test cricket out in the middle now – he will be doing his best work with the ball tonight though you’d have to think. Starc flicks one through the on-side and it goes straight through the hands of Anderson for a boundary. Nesers gets off the mark with an edge through the slips. 7/399 after 142.
TEA BREAK
Hard-fought session by Australia, with Smith and Carey looking rather settled for the majority. The former departing just seven runs short of a century put a dampener on things, but the keeper earning a half-century in his second Test was a nice moment. Anderson earned a couple of quick wickets just before the break after toiling away, while Robinson continues to bowl dot balls at will. Australia will likely come out all-guns blazing after tea and get themselves to around 420-430 before sending England in to bat under lights.
141st over: WICKET!!! Anderson continuing to toil away after earning a well-deserved wicket and grabs another one. Carey chips one straight to Haseeb Hameed at short cover, departing immediately after bring up his fifty. That wicket will take us to the tea break. 7/390 after 140.
140th over: Carey brings up his maiden half-century. A really good knock from the keeper in just his second Test match. Mitchell Starc arrives at the crease and gets off the mark with a two. 6/388 after 140.
139th over: WICKET!!! Anderson returns to the attack, and just as the crowd was getting restless and a few beach balls were floating around, Smith is trapped in front and given out LBW. The stand-in skipper reviews it, but it remains umpire’s call. Smith misses out on a century, but it was a quality innings nonetheless. 6/385 after 139.
There’s a first time for everything! #Ashes pic.twitter.com/Ds4Klt9pYF
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2021
Upheld! Smith is gone for 93 #Ashes pic.twitter.com/35vql5StpF
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2021
138th over: Robinson returning to the attack for England now – he has looked the most likely to take a wicket and will fancy his chances to get this much-needed breakthrough. Maiden over first-up. 5/383 after 138.
137th over: Australia in no real rush here, just waiting for the loose balls and remaining patient. Stokes bowling short to Carey, but the keeper is holding his own and supporting his captain well. Smith chips over the top of slip for a boundary and moves into the nervous 90s now. 5/383 after 137.
136th over: FOUR OT’S!!! Smith is helped to an extra few runs on his way to a potential century, taking a quick single before Rory Burns launches an errant throw that races away to the boundary. Carey joins the party as well, hooking a shorter delivery from Broad for another four bits. 5/376 after 136.
England’s reaction to those four overthrows… #Ashes pic.twitter.com/9GsM6v7k51
— Nic Savage (@nic_savage1) December 17, 2021
135th over: Clear plan to Smith here, with a leg-slip remaining in place for Stokes as well. He gets himself off strike and Carey sees out the rest of the over. 5/366 after 135.
134th over: Broad bowls one on Smith’s pads and in an attempt to tuck it around the corner, almost gave the man at leg-slip a chance. 5/365 after 134.
133rd over: Carey gets away on the off-side, before picking up an extra run from an overthrow. The keeper makes use of remaining on strike, belting the next one through cover for a boundary. 5/364 after 133.
132nd over: Broad back on now, England really searching for this next wicket. Two singles off the over. 5/358 after 132.
131st over: Stokes returns to the attack. Carey drives through point for two runs, but the next ball he nicks off. Again, the depth of the England slips has come back to haunt them, as the ball falls just short of Root. Not much is going their way in the first couple of Tests so far. 5/356 after 131.
130th over: Carey slashes at a ball from Woakes outside off-stump, and it races away for a boundary down to third-man. HOOORRNNN!!! Smith takes a good length delivery and pulls it for six runs over the square-leg boundary. Think there could be some more of that coming soon from the Aussies. 5/352 after 130.
129th over: Just the single from Robinson’s over. 5/341 after 129.
128th over: A wide, swinging delivery from Woakes is edged by Smith through the slips for a boundary and to add insult to injury, the umpires have called it a no-ball. Smith moves to 73 with a lovely drive through cover off a full delivery from Woakes. 5/340 after 128.
Sumptuous cover drive from SS. #Ashes pic.twitter.com/2aGN9gxNSu
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2021
127th over: Dots aplenty as Robinson bowls out another over. 5/331 after 127.
“If they are good enough to last until tonight, I think they will want to have a bowl,” Shane Warne said on Fox Cricket.
“They’ve got an hour after sunset. If Australia bat for another 25 overs and score at this run-rate, it gets them up around 400.
“Carey has come out more aggressive. If they lose another wicket, I think the bowlers will come in and bat aggressively.”
126th over: Woakes is brought back into the attack now, replacing Anderson. Smith is more than happy to leave multiple balls in the over, leading to a maiden. 5/331 after 126.
125th over: Mark Waugh gets his wish as Robinson is tossed the ball. England will need a wicket out of the big quick in this spell, with Carey looking settled and Smith on his way to a century. Carey has a look at him and sees out a maiden over. 5/331 after 125.
124th over: Carey flicks Anderson through the on-side for another couple of runs. 5/331 after 124.
123rd over: Carey goes over the top off Root for a boundary. He has done all the hard work now, getting through the early period of his innings, and should be going on with it now. Later in the over, Smith slaps one through cover for another four runs. 5/328 after 123.
122nd over: Nice cover drive for two from Carey. Tidy but somewhat unthreatening bowling from the veteran Anderson. 5/318 after 122.
“I think Robinson should be bowling,” Mark Waugh said on Fox Cricket.
“Anderson hasn’t really threatened after the break – he hasn’t swung it at all.”
121st over: Carey chips one off Root rather unconvincingly, but it lands safely. Australia are looking to rotate the strike off the spinner’s bowling, forcing him to change his lines to the left-hander and right-hander regularly. 5/316 after 121.
120th over: Carey is looking good early in his innings, in what has proven to be a tough deck to get in on. The keeper manages to add two runs to his tally off Anderson’s over. 5/312 after 120.
Some news just in from Cricket Australia on skipper Pat Cummins, who missed the game after a COVID scare.
“Pat Cummins has been granted approval by SA Health to return home to NSW,” a statement read.
“Under the plan approved by SA Health, he will self-drive from isolation and then, with the appropriate PPE and hygiene controls, take a single charter flight.
“Cricket Australia will continue to consult with SA Health to ensure compliance with the plan. He will continue to observe all isolation requirements in NSW.
“Cummins produced a negative test result on Thursday.”
119th over: Root continues to Smith, who is looking to score off the part-time off-spinner. Australia can only muster two runs off the over. 5/310 after 119.
“He is always looking for the ball to come back in so he can play through leg-side,” Kerry O’Keeffe said on Fox Cricket.
“If he can hold his line and slide one through, you’re a chance of nicking him off.”
118th over: The always-economical Anderson returns to the attack for England now. Zero shock, he bowls a maiden to Carey which included a very tight leave on the final ball of the over. 5/308 after 118.
117th over: Root continuing after the first break. Carey reverse-sweeps for three runs, lovely shot. Grabs a quick single as well, great intent shown straight after the break. 5/308 after 117.
DINNER BREAK
Good session for England, taking three wickets and not allowing the hosts to get too far ahead of the game. Labuschagne eventually ran out of luck after another Test century. Head was looking solid at the crease and got off to a strong start, but ultimately fell to a dipping delivery from the England skipper Root. Green’s dismissal will raise a few question marks over his technique – perhaps fair enough – but it was a pretty good seed from Stokes, who has been bowling well since being brought into the attack. An interesting evening ahead for both sides – if England can get Smith without allowing the skipper to get settled, they could roll through the tail of Australia.
116th over: Stokes takes us to the tea break with a maiden over. 5/302 after 116.
115th over: Tidy over from Root, just one run off it. 5/302 after 115.
114th over: Alex Carey gets off the mark with a pull shot for a boundary off the bowling of Stokes. Still looking to bowl short for the most part, despite his jaffa that dismissed Green. 5/301 after 114.
113th over: A lot of leg-side bowling from Root, just two off the over. 5/296 after 113.
112th over: WICKET!!! Cameron Green arrives at the crease after a golden duck in the first Test and is able to get off the mark with a flick down to fine leg. Unfortunately, Stokes knocks him over the very next ball with a lovely delivery. 5/294 after 112.
“Look how open his stance is…massive back and across movement,” Ricky Ponting said on Channel 7.
“Let’s look where his front foot goes – when he moves forward it doesn’t ever actually get out side the line of his back foot. He has to square up, the right hip is exposed and he is playing across the line of the ball. His bat is going from first slip down towards mid-on coming across the line of the ball.
“It did straighten a fraction but it thumped into his off-stump. And the one thing I never understand with…he start with the open stance, but when you make that back and across movement, that exaggerates how open you actually are.
“I would say if he wants to make that back and across movement, start with a square stance because by the time you have moved then you’ll square your body back up again.
“Everything I’ve seen there with his stance and his footwork pattern is he is so scared and worried about getting LBW.”
111th over: WICKET!!! Head goes over the top for a boundary off Root, but the very next ball the skipper tosses a slow one up that managed to dip on the left-hander and bowl him. 4/287 after 111.
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2021
110th over: Smith top-edges one off a short ball from Stokes for a boundary that flew over the keeper’s head, bringing up his half-century in the process. 3/287 after 110.
“He’s set – he is eyeing off a big one,” Shane Warne said on Fox Cricket.
— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) December 17, 2021
109th over: Smith adds another boundary to his tally with a slap behind point off Root.. 3/280 after 109.
108th over: Stokes into the attack now for England. He gives Smith a short one but it’s far too wide and is chipped over the top of gully for a boundary. Stokes has clearly been instructed to bowl short again today and it’s a strange field setting for a bowler of his calibre, with four men out deeep on the leg side. 3/274 after 108.
“He’s a swing bowler, bowling with no slips,” Kerry O’Keeffe said on Fox Cricket.
“He is almost condemned to bowl this short.”
107th over: Root brings himself into the attack. Head advances down the wicket and misses out, but is able to keep his back foot behind the crease. Tidy maiden over from the captain. 3/268 after 107.
106th over: Smith guides one through gully for a couple. The skipper is able to get three more through mid-wicket, using his wrists well and taking advantage of a slow chase from Broad in the field. A few leg byes to close out the over as well, just to help out the Aussies a bit more. 3/268 after 106.
105th over: Woakes takes the edge of Head, but it falls short of Rory Burns at second slip. They are probably a bit too deep in the cordon considering the lack of pace from the England seamers. Smith is able to tuck one around the corner for a single. Woakes bowls a no-ball off the last ball of the over, and Head scores a boundary from the extra delivery. A real captaincy killer that one. 3/260 after 105.
104th over: So many dots. Another maiden for Robinson. 3/253 after 104.
103rd over: Well-timed punch through the off-side gives Head another couple. 3/253 after 103.
102nd over: Edge from Smith off Robinson lands safely, before a half-shout from the keeper for a caught-behind the next ball. Really promising signs from the big quick since coming on to bowl today. Maiden over and the lads are taking a quick drink. 3/251 after 102.
101st over: Change in the bowling for England, with Woakes returning to the attack. Travis Head gets off the mark, cutting away a loose delivery for a boundary through the off-side. 3/251 after 101.
100th over: Another no-ball from Robinson. No runs off the bat from Smith. 3/247 after 100.
99th over: Smith pounces on a shorter ball from Broad, pulling it away for a boundary. He is looking a lot more calm this innings compared to The Gabba. 3/246 after 99.
98th over: WICKET!!! Robinson gets his man this time as Labuschagne leaves one onto his pads and is given out LBW. The centurion reviews it but it was shown to be cannoning into middle stump. Marnus departs after a gritty and lucky knock. 3/241 after 98.
“Ben Stokes spent a good 20 minutes going through his run up with Chris Silverwood in the Adelaide Oval nets to rectify the no-ball problems that plagued him at the Gabba. There might be a few more remedial sessions in store for England’s bowlers after that Ollie Robinson no-ball to Marnus Labuschagne, even though he didn’t have to wait too long to make amends.” – Melinda Farrell
97th over: Marnus survives AGAIN. After letting him off the hook with a no-ball just moments ago, Robinson puts one down at square leg. Two hands for beginners, champ. 2/241 after 97.
96th over: DRAMA!!! Ollie Robinson comes into the attack and strikes immediately, catching the edge of Labuschagne. Unfortunately for England, the video replay showed it was a no-ball. These blokes need an umpire at training to pull them up, because it hasn’t been an isolated incident this series so far. 2/240 after 96.
Frame it #Ashes pic.twitter.com/XSwccwVJ24
— TAB (@tabcomau) December 17, 2021
95th over: Maiden over from Broad to Smith. England have brought in a leg slip to the skipper and there’s a clear plan in place there, with Broad bowling half the over around that leg-stump line. 2/238 after 95.
94th over: CENTURY!!! Marnus Labuschagne brings up his sixth Test ton, his first against England. He guides one through the cordon for a boundary to bring it up – an incredibly patient innings, coming off 287 rocks. Labuschagne did get a couple of chances courtesy of some poor drops from Jos Buttler, and good players will always make you suffer if given those opportunities. 2/238 after 94.
— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) December 17, 2021
“The good players make you pay and that’s what Marnus Labuschagne has done,” Shane Warne said on Fox Cricket.
“It hasn’t been easy, England have bowled quite well to him at times. It’s another hundred to Marnus Labuschagne.
“It shows you the patience and the quality of England’s bowling too.”
93rd over: Broad overpitches to Smith and he pays the price, a lovely stroke through the covers for another four. 2/232 after 93.
92nd over: Smith takes a single off Anderson. 2/228 after 92.
91st over: Broad starts from the other end. Labuschagne tucks one around the corner for a single as he edges closer to another Test century. England looking to bowl a little bit straighter today after only taking two wickets on the whole of day one. 2/227 after 91.
“It’s the old risk-reward…I would much rather go for a few runs and take wickets,” Shane Warne said on Fox Cricket.
“If you build up dot balls and be relentless with line and length, and the only way to get batsmen out is if they lose patience. There are so many ways to get them out (if you bowl straight).
“You’ve gotta attack the stumps and make the batsmen play.”
90th over: Anderson kicks things off for us on day two. He gives Smith a little bit too much width and the stand-in captain pounces, punching it through the off-side for a boundary. 2/225 after 90.
2.55pm: England could be in for a torrid day in the field if they don’t take early wickets on day 2. To say it’s absolutely roasting in Adelaide is an understatement, with temperatures expected to reach 37 degrees. Not exactly the day you want to be slogging it out with a softening ball and a flattening pitch. The Australian players and match officials will all be wearing black armbands today, to pay respect and show support for the Devonport families involved in yesterday’s tragic events.
2:30pm It’s a warm one today in Adelaide – currently 37 degrees in the air and likely hotter in the middle! Pitch in decent nick.
The deck for day two. #Ashes pic.twitter.com/4tEmyAd5KQ
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 17, 2021
Welcome to Sporting News’ live blog for day two of the second Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval. Play is scheduled to commence at 3pm AEDT.
Australia v England – Second Test scorecard
First innings batting – Australia
| Batter | Status | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Warner | c: Broad b: Stokes | 95 | 167 | 11 | 0 |
| Marcus Harris | c: Buttler b: Broad | 3 | 28 | 0 | 0 |
| Marnus Labuschagne | lbw. Robinson | 103 | 305 | 8 | 0 |
| Steve Smith (c) | lbw. Anderson | 93 | 201 | 12 | 1 |
| Travis Head | b. Root | 18 | 36 | 3 | 0 |
| Cameron Green | b. Stokes | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Carey | c. Hameed b. Anderson | 51 | 107 | 5 | 0 |
| Mitchell Starc | Not out | 38 | 38 | 5 | 0 |
| Michael Neser | c. Broad b. Stokes | 35 | 24 | 5 | 1 |
| Jhye Richardson | c. Buttler b. Woakes | 9 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Nathan Lyon | dnb | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 9/473 dec. |
First innings bowling – England
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Anderson | 29 | 10 | 58 | 2 |
| Stuart Broad | 26 | 6 | 73 | 1 |
| Chris Woakes | 23.4 | 6 | 103 | 1 |
| Ollie Robinson | 27 | 13 | 45 | 1 |
| Ben Stokes | 25 | 2 | 113 | 3 |
| Joe Root | 20 | 2 | 72 | 1 |
First innings batting – England
| Batter | Status | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haseeb Hameed | c. Starc b. Neser | 6 | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| Rory Burns | c. Smith b. Starc | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Dawid Malan | Not out | 1 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Joe Root (c) | Not out | 5 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Ben Stokes | Yet to bat | – | – | – | – |
| Ollie Pope | Yet to bat | – | – | – | – |
| Jos Buttler | Yet to bat | – | – | – | – |
| Chris Woakes | Yet to bat | – | – | – | – |
| Ollie Robinson | Yet to bat | – | – | – | – |
| Stuart Broad | Yet to bat | – | – | – | – |
| James Anderson | Yet to bat | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 2/17 |
First innings bowling – Australia
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell Starc | 3 | 1 | 11 | 1 |
| Jhye Richardson | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Michael Neser | 1.4 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
ENGLAND LOSE THE WAITING GAME
The twilight had given way to inky skies, the floodlights were glaring and the pink ball glowed against the lush green grass of Adelaide Oval.
This night session was what England had seemingly been waiting for.
The selection of an all seam attack at the expense of Jack Leach, the omission of Mark Wood’s express skiddy pace in favour of England’s swing and seam kings, even the sense from after the dinner break that we were in some kind of holding pattern waiting for the signal to land; all of it pointed to a night session in which England would unleash their best swing bowlers with the new ball and rip through Australia’s line up.
But when the moment finally arrived England had tripped up over their own slow over rate once more; at the Gabba it cost them their match fees and five World Test Championship points but in Adelaide it left them running out of time to bowl the 80 overs required to take the second new ball.
To see Ben Stokes, with all the skills in his considerable armour, banging the ball in short and being carted to the boundary, or to watch Root bowling spin at the most hopeful time of the night for swing, was enough to leave heads sore from scratching.
READ THE FULL STORY FROM MELINDA FARRELL HERE.
WARNER REACTS TO GRUELING FIRST INNINGS
David Warner wasn’t letting the disappointment of falling short of an Ashes ton for the second time in as many innings in this series take away from what was a brave effort from he and Labuschagne.
The pair were forced to play with some uncharacteristic patience in a testing first session, which saw Warner take 20 balls and nine overs to get off the mark and 53 deliveries to hit double figures – the Aussie opener’s slowest-ever start to a Test match on both counts – meanwhile his first boundary came after 38 balls.
Labuschagne was equally as measured in his approach. His first 10 runs came after nine balls, but the next 84 balls rendered just 11 runs before he began to open up on the way to his unbeaten 95.
But Warner said it was all part of the plan as he and Labuschagne tried to navigate through some tight bowling from the opposition.
“I felt like I was in the right zone, playing my areas and trying to create a bit of length to cut and pull.
“And that’s what we spoke about out there because we were getting nothing.
“It’s one of those hard grinding days. I think there’s a big tick for us.”
READ WARNER’S FULL REACTION TO THE PLAY FROM DAY ONE HERE.
Who is in Australia and England’s Ashes XI?
Australia: David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Michael Neser, Mitch Starc, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Lyon
England: Rory Burns, Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan, Joe Root (c), Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler, Chris Woakes, Ollie Robinson, Stuart Broad, James Anderson
How to watch the Ashes in Australia?
Kayo Sports, Foxtel, and Channel 7 will all be broadcasting the five Tests between Australia and England, with an exciting summer of cricket expected.
Fans can sign up for Kayo, purchase the sports pack on Foxtel, or watch Channel 7’s free-to-air broadcast.
SPECIAL KAYO OFFER FOR NEW CUSTOMERS: Get two months of Kayo Basic for just $5
Kayo will be simulcasting Fox Cricket’s broadcast of the action, and Channel 7 will have their own coverage.
ABC Radio will also be covering the commentary for listeners of the game.
