Ashes 3rd Test: Australia dominate proceedings on Day 2
What's the story
Australia are well on top of England in the 3rd Ashes Test after dominating the proceedings on Day 2 at the Adelaide Oval. The hosts have England reeling at 213/8 at stumps on Day 2. Australia lead the visitors by 158 runs after having managed 371 in the first innings. Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer are at the crease. Here's Day 2 report.
Summary
Summary of Day 2
Australia resumed Day 2 on 326/8 and ended up getting 371. Mitchell Starc was solid as he completed a half-century. Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland made key contributions by hanging around. Thereafter, England were rocked with the bat, losing wickets at key intervals. They were 168/8 at one stage before Stokes and Archer helped the side get past 200. Stokes has batted with purpose.
Starc
Starc makes record while batting at No. 9 or lower
Starc started Day 2 on an unbeaten 33 off 63 balls. He ended up scoring 54 runs from 75 balls (4s: 9) before Jofra Archer dismissed him. Starc became the first cricketer in history to score 10 50-plus scores while batting at No. 9 or lower in Test cricket. He has scored 1,745 Test runs at 24.57 (50s: 10) at number 9 or lower.
Archer
Archer finishes with 5/53
Archer was the pick of the England bowlers. He ended with figures worth 5/53 from 20.2 overs. According to ESPNcricinfo, the English seamer took his maiden Test fifer since 2019. Archer recorded his fourth fifer in Tests. Notably, three of those have come in the Ashes. In 18 Tests (33 innings), he owns 59 wickets at 30.27. In The Ashes, he has 30 scalps.
England
England reduced to 71/5 after openers add 37 runs
England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett added 37 runs in quick time. Pat Cummins dismissed Crawley before Nathan Lyon got Ollie Pope (3) as England were reduced to 41/2. And soon it became 42/3 with Lyon getting Ducket. Joe Root and Harry Brook tried building a stand before the former perished to Cummins for 19 runs. England were 71/5 with Root's dismissal.
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Brook and Stokes put up a fight
Brook and Stokes added a fifty-plus stand for the 6th wicket. England needed Brook to continue batting but the dasher perished for 45. Cameron Green dismissed the batter. Thereafter, Stokes' grit made sure England weren't bowled out. He has faced 151 balls for his 45*.
Lyon
Lyon surpasses McGrath, becomes Australia's second-highest wicket-taker in Tests
Veteran off-spinner Lyon went past the legendary Glenn McGrath to become Australia's second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket. He achieved the mark after dismissing Duckett - his 2nd dismissal. Lyon (564) went past McGrath's tally of 563 Test scalps. The premier spinner bowled 22 overs on Day 2 and clocked 2/51 (4 maidens).
Cummins
Cummins dismisses Root for the 12th time in Tests
Australian captain Cummins has truly made England's batting mainstay Root his bunny in Test cricket. Cummins dismissed Root for the 12th time in the format. According to Cricbuzz, Cummins has dismissed Root the most times in Tests. With 12 dismissals, he surpassed Mitchell Starc and Jasprit Bumrah (11 each). Josh Hazlewood is the only other player to have dismissed Root 10-plus times (10).
Smith
Snicko controversy strikes again as England's Jamie Smith falls
The Decision Review System (DRS) and Snicko technology came under fire. Jamie Smith was controversially given out by a third-umpire call. Smith missed a pull shot off Cummins, leading Australia to appeal for a catch behind. Third-umpire Chris Gaffaney ruled that the catch was taken cleanly by Alex Carey. This is despite Snicko showing a spike only after the ball had passed the bat.
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Summary of the Australian bowlers
Starc went wicketless from 12 overs. He conceded 54 runs. Cummins bowled 14 overs and managed 3/54. Scott Boland worked hard and clocked 2/31 from 12 overs. Meanwhile, Green picked 1/22 from 8 overs.