AUS vs ENG 3rd Test, Day 2 Highlights: England Trail by 158 Runs. On Day 2 of the Ashes Third Test at the Adelaide Oval, Australia once again firmly took control over England, placing them under heavy pressure. After their first innings total of 371, the Australians were bowling consistently, and at the end of play, England was left reeling at 213/8. England’s batting is still 158 runs short of Australia’s, with only two wickets to go.
Australia kicked off the day, making it very hard for England by adding some useful runs from the lower order to the total and thus giving England a tough target to chase. The English bowlers had some success, with Jofra Archer being the main contributor, taking crucial five wickets and putting up a good performance that restricted scoring during the final session.
Australia Stay on Top as England Struggle
The situation did not improve when the English came out for batting. The openers are unable to establish a partnership. At the same time, the bowlers were taking wickets one after another. The Australian pace attack was quick and strict with the lines. Pat Cummins was in complete control, bowling at the right spots and getting the wickets of the batters. Mitchell Starc uses both his speed and swing with the pink ball, especially when it was lit, which made it hard for England.
The spin also proved to be effective, as Nathan Lyon was the bowler who kept the pressure on from one end and forced the Englishmen to commit errors. The loss of Joe Root was very disadvantageous for the English side, as they lost one of their most reliable players very early in the innings.
The English captain, Ben Stokes, showed a lot of grit at the end of the day. He endured pain, remained calm, and attempted to calm the batting department. Archer gave him good support by contributing crucial runs from the lower order, leading to England’s narrow escape from complete collapse.
Also Read: IND vs SA 4th T20I: Dense Fog Forces Match Abandonment In Lucknow
It is a long way for England yet; therefore, Day 3 will be crucial. Australia will want to quickly wrap up the innings and then take a strong position for the coming push for victory, whereas England will have to put in a huge effort to stay alive in the match and thus the series.