England did well in the morning session to first bowl out Australia for 132 to get a 40-run lead in the first innings and despite losing Zak Crawley for a duck, they managed to get to 59/1 in 15 overs to go into Lunch on Day 2 with a 99-run lead. Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope are looking good and Australia need to make further inroads to come back in the Test match. It is advantage England in this Test match.
England bowl Australia out for 132 before Zak Crawley falls to Mitchell Starc again; England make a positive start in 2nd innings
Nathan Lyon and Brendan Doggett resumed for Australia while Mark Wood started things off for England. Wood bowled a decent first over. Gus Atkinson took the ball from the other end. He bowled a decent over as well as Australia tried to eat away at the deficit. Wood continued as Pope dropped a tough catch at forward short leg with Doggett getting a life off Wood. Atkinson bowled another decent over.
Wood bowled another decent over. Atkinson bowled a maiden and bowled probing lines and lengths. Brydon Carse was then introduced into the attack and he got the last wicket to fall removing Lyon for 4 off 21 balls. Carse bowled a good length ball jagging slightly away from outside the off-stump. Lyon fished at that without moving his feet and got an outside edge that flew straight into the hands of Duckett at gully. Doggett remained unbeaten on 7 off 30 balls as Australia folded for 132 in 45.2 overs. 10 extras given by England.
Brydon Carse got the last wicket to fall as he removed Lyon to finish with 3/45 in 10.2 overs. Ben Stokes the captain was the pick of the bowlers with 5/23 in 6 overs. Jofra Archer got a couple of wickets for his 2/11 in 9 overs. It meant England had the first innings lead a crucial one at that of 40 runs.
England came out to bat in their second innings with Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett opening for England while Mitchell Starc had ball in hand for Australia. Crawley bagged a pair as he was dismissed for a duck by Starc yet again. Starc bowled a full length delivery on the middle stump line as Crawley was cramped for room and didn’t move his feet and pushed at it with a straight bat. He was in no control whatsoever at the shot and chipped it back down the pitch. Starc extended his left arm further and dived in his follow through to take a great catch. TV umpire was called in and it was a clean catch. Ollie Pope came out to bat next.
Scott Boland came onto bowl from the other end. Duckett got an outside edge and did not carry to Webster at third slip. Boland bowled a decent over. Starc continued as Duckett played away from the body and got the thick outside edge down to the third man fence for a boundary. Boland continued as Duckett mistimed the slog and sliced it over gully to find the third man fence. Starc continued and bowled a decent over.
Boland continued and bowled a decent over. Starc bowled another probing over. Brendan Doggett came into the attack next. Pope got a triple and then hit a boundary by slashing hard and powerfully found the gap through backward point region. Starc continued and bowled another good over. Doggett continued as overthrows gave away 5 bonus runs to the batting side via a leg bye. England reached 49/1 in 10 overs and were off to a good start in their second innings.
Ben Duckett survived LBW scare as England went into Lunch at 59/1 in 15 overs
Scott Boland changed ends as the 50 came up for England in 10.1 overs and of the partnership between Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope. Boland bowled a decent over. Doggett continued and bowled a decent over. Boland continued and bowled a maiden over and beat the bat of Pope numerous times. Doggett continued and was hit for a boundary by Duckett as he drove him down the ground towards long-off.
Boland continued and hit Duckett in the elbow region as he looked to pull but got cramped for room as he called for the physio. The physio attended to him and then was adjudged LBW to Scott Boland as the umpire gave it OUT. The batter Duckett reviewed and on replays we found that the ball pitched outside the leg stump as the umpire had to reverse his decision to NOT OUT. Duckett survived as England went into Lunch at 59/1 in 15 overs with Duckett on 28* and Pope on 24*. 7 extras given by Australia so far.
3 bowlers used by Australia so far and the wicket-taker was that man again Mitchell Starc who has figures of 1/13 in 5 overs. Scott Boland bowled 6 overs for 18 runs while Brendan Doggett bowled 4 overs for 21 runs. England lead by 99 runs with 9 wickets in hand at Lunch on Day 2. It is advantage England at this stage.
What Lies Ahead in Afternoon Session
England are in the box seat at Lunch on Day 2. They first bowled Australia out for 132 to garner a crucial 40-run first innings lead and despite losing Zak Crawley again for a duck, they have managed to get to 59/1 in 15 overs increase the lead to 99 runs. England will want to drive home the advantage from here, while Australia will have to take wickets in clusters to roar back in the match.
An interesting afternoon session is coming our way and an important one for the Aussies after Lunch. Let’s see how things unfold in the post-lunch session.
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