Australia ended day 2 of the third Ashes Test well on top as they reduced England to 213/8 in pursuit of 371 to set a first innings lead in Adelaide on Thursday
Some critical lower-order runs in the morning powered Australia to a good total, but England lost wickets in batches and limped to the close of play, with captain Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer providing late resistance.
The day began with Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon at the crease. Starc showed once again how competent he can be with the willow as he brought up his 12th Test 50. England breathed a sigh of relief when Archer went straight through him, then trapped dogged Lyon (9 off 35) in front a frustrating six overs later, leaving the hosts 371 all out. Archer was the pick of the bowlers, getting returns of 5/53 off his 20.2 overs.
Ben Duckett and Zak Crawly enjoyed a bright start, sprinting to 37 of 46 in their opening stand. But Crawley’s wicket would be the start of a worrying trend where England would lose wickets in clumps. Crawley had to play at a straight one from Pat Cummins that just nibbled off the seam and Alex Carey took an easy catch.
Lyon, who was left out of the second Test and let everyone know how he felt about it, had a point to prove. And with the ball in hand in just the ninth over, the legendary spinner made it. The former groundsman drew Ollie Pope into a drive and Josh Inglis caught him at midwicket. Then he produced a beauty to get rid of Duckett (29 from 30), who was at full stretch for the forward defensive, only for the ball to grip and go past his outside edge into the top of off stump. As 37 for none became 42/3, England’s proverbial shoulders began to slump.
Cummins continued his probing line and nicked off the dangerous Joe Root after lunch, bringing Stokes to the crease. Just a few short hours ago, the talisman was charging in from the Cathedral End. He and Harry Brook were stoic in their response as they ground out 56 runs before Brook (45 from 63) tickled one to Carey off Cameron Green.
But again, 159/5 became 168/8. Stokes and Jamie Smith poked and prodded, but Cummins took his third when he got an under-edge from an aggressive shot from Smith (22 off 26). Then two strikes from Scott Boland brought England to their knees. First, Will Jacks got a thick inside edge onto his pads that was snaffled by the unflappable Carey, who was standing up to the stumps. The tactic, which takes advantage of Carey’s incredible glovework, continues to pay off for Australia. In Boland’s next over, a tentative Brydon Carse was clean bowled through the gate, leaving England on the cusp.
With his friends tumbling around him and cramp setting in, Stokes went into his shell. His staunch resistance allowed Archer to free his arms and the Barbados native tapped into his island roots for four pretty boundaries as England frustrated the tiring Australian attack in the final overs. Stokes’ vigil was paused on 45 off 151 balls at the close of play, with England still trailing by 158 first innings runs.
