Starc’s Counterattack Lifts Australia Past 370
After a brilliant innings by Carey and with the support of Usman Khawaja, Australia resumed the day 2 at 326-8 with Starc on 33 runs and Lyon at the crease. Starc charged Archer just on the second ball of the day. Starc looked in a hurry and cracked some shots through the off side. Starc scored 18 runs in the first two overs of the day and reached his 2 consecutive fifties and 6th half-century against England.
In following over, Slashed Archer for 4 to deep backward point, and Archer had the last laugh as he rattled his leg stump on the very next ball. Starc scored 54 runs. Boland, the last man in, also joined the party. Boland hit Carse first and later Jofra Archer for 2 fours. The last-wicket pair added valuable runs and took the total to 371 runs. It’ll be a challenging task for the English team, especially with Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon back in the side.
England Begin Positively but Cummins Strikes Early
England began their reply trailing by 371 runs. Zak Crawley and Duckett opening the innings. Zak Crawley took time from one end, but Ben Duckett was in no mood to let Aussie bowlers get settled , counterattacking the Australian skipper in his first spell . Duckett also struck Starc for a couple of boundaries. Mitchell Starc was constantly clocking over 140 kmph.
England raced to 37 without loss, mirroring Australia’s start from the first innings. However in the 8th over Cummins roars as gets his absolute trademark wicket—the extra bounce and the ball kisses the outside edge of the English opener Zak Crawley and carries through to Alex Carey. First blow for England. Ollie Pope comes one down. Scott Boland and Nathan were introduced as first and second change 9th and 10th overs respectively.
Nathan Lyon Takes Two in the Over
Lyon struck in the 10th over the innings. His 3rd over in this entire series after being dropped in Brisbane. On the third ball, tossed-up delivery, and Ollie Pope drags it from the outside off stump straight to midwicket, and Inglis, the man there, takes a sharp low catch. Infuriating wicket for the visitors, and Pope has to go. Final ball of the same over, Duckett offered a forward defense the ball landed around middle and off and spun away past the outside edge, and it blatters his off stump. With the wicket of Duckett, Lyon went past Glenn McGrath, and he becomes the second-highest wicket taker for Australia in test cricket, moving to 564 wickets. England collapsed from 37-0 to 42-3. Losing three wickets for five runs in just 14 balls.
Root and Brook added 17 runs to the total before the lunch break. England was 59-3 after 14 overs at the time of lunch.
Cummins Removes Root Soon After the Interval
Just in the third over after lunch, Cummins gets the edge on Joe Root through a good-length delivery outside off. Root tries to defend and gets a thick outside edge, and was safely taken by Alex Carey . Root walks off again after scoring 19 runs. England 71-4 and still trailing by a massive margin of 300 runs.
Stokes and Brook Show Resistance Amid Pressure
Skipper Ben Stokes joined his deputy Brook at the crease. After the wicket of Joe Root, we saw something unusual from both the English batsmen. Played orthodox test cricket by leaving the ball and spending time in the middle. In the 23rd over, Starc pinged Stokes on his helmet at 144.7 kph. But after that, both the batters were in control. Brook briefly stepped out against Boland and lofted him over covers for six the only risk taken during the partnership.
Scorching Adelaide Conditions See Temperatures Top 40°C
The conditions in Adelaide were as brutal as it gets for Test cricket, with temperatures soaring past the 40°C mark and heatwaves gripping the ground throughout the session. The oppressive heat forced officials to introduce two drinks breaks instead of the standard one, allowing players brief respite from the sapping conditions. Pat Cummins and Josh Inglis were temporarily taken off the field at the end of one such break, with Michael Neser and Beau Webster stepping in as substitutes a purely precautionary move to manage the extreme heat. With the mercury continuing to rise, the weather became a significant factor in the contest, testing endurance as much as skill.
Green Breaks the heat as Brook Falls for 45
In the 36th over against Nathan Lyon, Brook was given caught behind by the umpire when he was on 44 and nearing his fifty. Brook took the review, and there was no evidence of him being out; Brook survives. Next over, Cameron Green was called into the attack, and he didn’t disappoint. The first two balls were much shorter, but later he bowled a superb delivery to Harry Brook, and Brook was flabbergasted, and the ball met his edge and flew through to Carey once again.
A partnership of 56 came to an end as Brook departed on 45. Keeper batsman Jamie Smith walks in at 127-5. England agitated and trailing with 244 runs. At the end of the 2nd session, the English team gets the score of 132-5, with Stokes playing a determined innings of 76 balls and 19 not out and Jamie supporting at the other end .
Smith Attacks After Tea as Stokes Stands Tall
Jamie Smith after tea scored some runs . Stokes from the other end stood tall . Smith attacked Cummins and struck him for multiple boundaries . In the 43rd over ,first ball Jamie Smith pulled Cummins over square leg for six and very next ball he edges and Khawaja takes the catch but TV umpire confirms that the ball didn’t carry to the fielder .
Snicko Controversy Ends Smith’s Counterpunch
Next over of Cummins , another controversial decision because of Snicko there . Jamie Smith goes for a pull shot and edged or missed , umpire goes to the TV umpire and it shows a spike when the ball was near the toe end of the bat inspite of having a clear gap between bat and ball . Hard to say if there was anything and Gaffaney is the third umpire and he goes by what he sees on the Snicko and the controversy continues . England lost Jamie Smith , 159-6 .
Will Jacks, the new batter couldn’t contribute much . Scott Boland’s strategy worked , keeping the keeper up . First Jacks had the thick inside edge , goes to left pad and to lobs to Carey on his right and catches it . Next over Brydon Carse was also sent back to pavillion as Boland kept the shine in and Carse got a gap between bat and pad and the ball finds it way to the middle-stump.168-8, England . Trailing by 203 runs .
Jofra Archer came at 10 . Jofra Archer batter really well and used the game sense . Archer is not out on 30 at the end of day. He complimented Stokes well .England not only saved the follow on but also reduced the the trail and survived the day . Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes’ partnership for 9th wicket is unbeaten on 45 and England at the end day is on 213-8 and still trailing by 158 runs.
Summary – DAY 2
At stumps on Day 2, Australia tightened their grip on the 3rd Test in Australia vs England in the Ashes, with England ending the day at 213/8 and still trailing by 158 runs. Australia’s lower order added vital runs in the morning, led by Mitchell Starc’s counterattacking fifty, which lifted the hosts to a competitive 371 despite Jofra Archer’s five-wicket haul. England’s reply promised briefly before unraveling, with Pat Cummins removing Zak Crawley to trigger a collapse. Nathan Lyon struck twice in quick succession to dismiss Ollie Pope and Ben Duckett, while Cummins accounted for Joe Root soon after lunch. Harry Brook showed resistance with a fighting 45 before Cameron Green found his edge, and late strikes from Scott Boland further dented England’s hopes. Ben Stokes, battling cramps in oppressive heat, remained unbeaten alongside Archer, but England face a stiff task on Day 3 as Australia look to wrap up the innings quickly
