Scott Boland put on a show with the ball and put on his best show as his 4-wicket haul alongside support from others kept England to 164 in 34.4 overs. The lead is 204 and Australia will need 205 to win the first Test match. This match can go either way.
Scott Boland’s 3-wicket haul pegs England back in the first hour after Lunch
Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope came out to resume for England while Cameron Green came into the attack for Australia. Pope hit Green for a boundary by slapping it through backward point region. Scott Boland came into the attack from the other end and removed Ben Duckett for 28 off 40 balls with 3 fours to his name as he got his 50th wicket in Tests in Australia. Boland bowled back of a length delivery pitching on leg stump and angling across. Duckett looked to fend it from the crease and got an outside edge to Steve Smith at second slip. The captain took a fine low catch. TV umpire was called in and it was a fair catch.
Joe Root came out to bat next and got off the pair with a brace. Green continued as Root hit him by pulling it away to deep square leg for a boundary. Boland was on a roll as he removed Pope for 33 off 57 balls with 2 fours to his name. Boland bowled good length outside off-stump shaping away. Pope went searching for a drive and got an outside edge that was taken by Carey to his right. Harry Brook came in next and got out for a bronze duck.
Boland bowled a good length delivery outside the off-stump that moved away off the surface. Brook went feeling for it well away from his body and got an outside edge and it went to Khawaja at first slip. Ben Stokes came out to bat next. Starc removed Joe Root for 8 off 11 balls with a boundary to his name. Starc bowled fuller length outside the off-stump. Root looked to drive away from his body and got an inside edge that rolled back into the off-stump. Jamie Smith came out to bat next.
Smith was then dropped by Khawaja as Starc was the unlucky bowler and was not happy. Boland continued and bowled a quiet over. Starc bowled a decent over as well. Boland bowled a maiden over. Doggett came back into the attack and bowled a decent over. Starc changed ends. He got rid of Stokes for 2 off 11 balls. Starc completed his 10-wicket haul.
Starc bowled a back of a length delivery in the off-stump channel. Stokes was not moving his feet and pushed at the ball and got an outside edge that is snaffled by Smith at second slip. Gus Atkinson came out to bat next as Starc gave away 4 leg byes to the batting side. Doggett continued and bowled a decent over. England were 95/6 in 26 overs when Drinks was taken in the second session of play.
All-round bowling effort bowls England out for 164 in 34.4 overs
Mitchell Starc continued after the break as Smith got an outside edge that went over the top of Khawaja for a boundary. The 100 came up for England in 26.2 overs. Atkinson played it late and flicking it to deep square leg for a boundary. Doggett then got rid of Smith for 15 off 25 balls with one four to his name under controversial circumstances.
Doggett bowled from over the wicket bowled a hard length on the off-stump angling down. Jamie went for the pull and at first thought missed to the keeper as Carey took the catch to his left. The umpire gave it NOT OUT. The TV umpire was called in and after checking various different angles he chose to give it OUT as there was a spike on Snicko. But it was 50-50 call. Brydon Carse came out to bat next.
Carse took on Doggett and got a top edge over the fine leg fence for the maximum. Starc continued and bowled a decent over. Boland continued as Carse made room on the leg side and stepped down the ground to launch it over the bowler’s head for the maximum. Starc continued as Carse superbly drove on the front foot through the point region for a boundary.
Atkinson smashed Doggett for a boundary through the deep fine leg region. Atkinson took on Starc and hooked the short ball away over the keeper and over the fine leg fence as well for the maximum. Atkinson was not as yet as he took on Starc again by pulling the short ball over deep backward square leg for the maximum into the crowd. The 50-run stand came up between the two players in quick time.
Doggett broke the stand and removed Carse for 20 off 20 balls with one four and two sixes to his name. Doggett from over the wicket bowled short of a length outside the off-stump as Carse shuffled across and looked to play the ramp shot but got it too fine. The ball hit his gloves and Carey took an easy catch. Jofra Archer came out to bat next and got off the mark as well. Archer made room on the leg side and cut it hard through deep point for a boundary. Archer was removed next ball by Doggett for 5 off 3 balls with a boundary to his name.
Doggett banged it in short and outside the off-stump. Archer looked to take it on and went for the pull shot and got a top edge that went high in the air to midwicket. Steve Smith was there and he ran back to take the catch over his shoulders. Mark Wood came out to bat next as he backed away and muscled it away to deep midwicket for a boundary to get off the mark.
Boland came back into the attack and he removed Atkinson for 37 off 32 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes to his name. Boland bowled fuller length outside the off-stump. Atkinson got down on one knee and went for the sweep to get a top edge that flew to Doggett who took the catch. Wood remained unbeaten on 4 off 1 ball with a boundary to his name as England were bowled out for 164 in 34.4 overs. 12 extras given by the Australian bowlers.
Scott Boland was the pick of the bowlers for Australia with figures of 4/33 in 11.4 overs. Mitchell Starc finished with 3/55 in 12 overs and a 10-wicket haul to his name. Brendan Doggett bowled well for his 3/51 in 9 overs. Cameron Green bowled 2 overs for 13 runs. Australia’s target is 205 runs to win the Test match as Tea was taken at this point.
What Lies Ahead in Evening Session
The Test match has progressed like a rate of knots. Australia came back well in the session to bowl England out for 164 with Scott Boland picking up 4 wickets while Mitchell Starc picked up 3 wickets and Brendan Doggett picked up 3 wickets. The target is 205 and Australia will bat in the final session of play. This game can go either way as we get set for an important final session of play.
Let’s see what the evening session has instore for all of us. It could be match defining to say the least.
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