Electrical storm ends Australia storm
England 17 for 2 trail Australia 473 for 9 dec (Labuschagne 103, Warner 95, Smith 93) by 456 runs
A huge flash of lightning, just as Michael Neser was entering his delivery stride to Dawid Malan, and off come the players to give England a valuable break from the torrid new-ball examination. They've limped to 17 for 2 in 8.4 overs, with the rookies Neser and Jhye Richardson having served up a combined analysis of 5.4-3-5-1. Who needs Cummins and Hazlewood? (England wouldn't object to borrowing them...) Play will resume 19 minutes early on day three to make up for the lost time.
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Neser time!
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Three deliveries, and one of them doesn't even count, and Michael Neser ends his long, long wait for a Test debut with a first-over wicket! Haseeb Hameed is the man to fall, a flick to short midwicket after blocking out a perfect line-and-length stump-threatener, having belatedly withdrawn from another ideally pitched sighter as Neser ran in for the first time. The rain is starting to fall, about as regularly as England's wickets, as the main man Joe Root is greeted with a first-ball bouncer, before edging his second inches short of slip!
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Burns, baby, Burns... England inferno
It took a few more balls than in the first innings at Brisbane, but Mitchell Starc has his man once more. A fat edge into the cordon, and Rory Burns troops off for 4, from the first ball of Starc's second over this time, as opposed to his first. That solitary scoring stroke came from a firm clip through midwicket off a swinging half-volley - precisely the ball that did for Burns at the Gabba. But it's a more conventional off-stump swinger that does him in here. A sharp leaping take from Steve Smith completes the moment.
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Australia declare
Australia's tail has wagged gleefully, now the declaration comes. Starc made a run-a-ball 39, and Jhye Richardson strolled out at No. 10 in Big Bash mood, launching his first ball towards long-on and then honking his second into the crowd at deep midwicket. His third delivery was nicked through to Buttler, finally giving the luckless Woakes a wicket - at which point Smith called off the dogs. Oh, hang on. No, he's about to unleash the dogs. Looks like England will have around 90 minutes to bat before the close. *Gulp*
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Neser and out
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Fifty stand
44 Number of balls for the half-century partnership between Starc and Neser
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Tail-end tonking
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I mentioned that Michael Neser could bat, and he's set about demonstrating that here. After half an hour at the crease, he has zipped along to 28 from 18 balls, this partnership already hurting England. In the over just gone from Woakes, Neser took the bowler for three boundaries: a top-edged thrash over the keeper, clearing the leg to thump down the ground, then stepping away to his next ball and launching an audacious slap on the up all the way over the cover boundary.
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Hair we go again...
As the game meanders a touch, ahead of the expected trial by pink ball under lights for England's batters, the TV cameras have started to pan around the ground in search of entertainment. Looks like there's a pretty impressive electrical storm taking place in the distance, visible over the back of the stands - not to mention a few eye-catching lids among the patrons. Talk about business at the front, party around the back.
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What's the plan, Batman?
Michael Neser is out after the tea interval for a bat on debut. No sense in Australia declaring just yet, you'd imagine they'll want 420-450 before thinking about trying to take advantage of the fading light and the pink ball. But will Mitchell Starc, up at No. 8 in this line-up, and Neser attempt to wear England's attack down further, or have a thrash in pursuit of quick runs?
Neser has a first-class hundred, by the way. So he'll be looking to get stuck in.
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Wicket... and tea
Australia 7 for 390 (Starc 3*) vs England
England removed Steven Smith and Alex Carey in quick succession before tea, but not before an adept sixth-wicket stand had taken Australia most of the way towards the sanctuary of 400.
England removed Steven Smith and Alex Carey in quick succession before tea, but not before an adept sixth-wicket stand had taken Australia most of the way towards the sanctuary of 400.
Smith, Australia's stand-in captain, had seemed set to record his 12th Ashes hundred, only to be pinned in front of off stump by James Anderson with a delivery that kept a touch low. Anderson, having claimed his first wicket of the series, then bagged another as Carey sliced to cover shortly after recording a maiden Test fifty - at which point the players walked off for the interval.
The Smith-Carey partnership was worth 91, shoring up Australia after they lost three wickets during the morning session, and meaning that England are set to start their reply under the floodlights.
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Half-century for Carey
He's just lost his partner, but Alex Carey, Australia's wicketkeeper-batter playing in his second Test, has a maiden fifty. It's been a textbook knock from No. 7, steadying Australia after they had lost a couple of quick wickets before the dinner break and then expanding in range through the evening session. He outscored Smith during their stand together, which was ultimately worth 91.
Here's the view at the ground from Andrew McGlashan: "Alex Carey has given a glimpse of his batting talent in the last few overs. There was the fierce on-the-up drive through the covers and then a whip-pull against Stuart Broad. It feels like Australia have made the decision to push things on as the second break approaches with Carey becoming more aggressive while Steven Smith continues on his merry way towards another Ashes hundred. Theirs was actually a partnership between two stand-in Australia captains: Carey led Australia in their most recent ODIs, against West Indies earlier this year, when Aaron Finch was injured."
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No hundred for Smith
Smith won't be raising his bat for a hundred on his (temporary) return to the captaincy! Anderson gets him for 93, pinned in front of off stump by one that perhaps kept a fraction low. Smith reviews, looking terribly sad as he does so, but it is umpire's call on impact and clattering into the stumps. First wicket of the series for Anderson, and it keeps England clinging on to Australia's coattails in this game...
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Stokes-ing the fire
Stokes (England's fifth seamer) has just completed his 21st over. He has two of the five wickets to fall, and came closest to breaking the current stand - but Carey's edge bounced an inch or two short of Root at slip.
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Fifty stand
Busy stuff, as you would expect, from this pair. Carey has been watchful but looked to score where possible, while Smith continues to cruise - although even he would admit a slash through the slips off Chris Woakes wasn't quite where he intended the ball to go. A handsome pull into the stands for six off Woakes a couple of overs later was more indicative of the direction this Test appears to be heading.
Here are the thoughts of Anderson, via Spidercam, at the drinks break: "All their guys have dug in and made it hard work for us. I think we've bowled pretty well to be honest, bit unlucky yesterday, couple of chances went down but we stuck at our task pretty well. Our jobs is to put the ball in good areas, challenge both sides of the bat, try and ignore what the guy at the other end is doing. [Smith] and Marnus, the way they leave the ball is a bit different but we try and block that out."
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Pat's cunning plan (but what will Steve do)?
Andrew McGlashan writes: "Let’s do a little bit of maths (which will all be redundant if England can run through the lower order). If Australia bat at three an over for the next 35 overs it will give them around 420 with 20 overs left in the day. If they can lift that towards four an over they’ll pass 450. They will be keen to have a decent stint with the new ball under lights tonight and before the game Pat Cummins said that the day-night scenario may mean a declaration comes with a smaller total that would normally be the case. That decision is now in the hands of Steve Smith."
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England spin latest
So what you're saying, Gnasher, is that England now have two genuine allrounders...?
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Cummins update
News from Cricket Australia - Pat Cummins, the Test skipper who is missing this game due to Covid regs, will be allowed to return home to New South Wales on a specially arranged charter flight, ahead of a planned Boxing Day return to the team. He has so far tested negative for Covid.
Here's the statement: "Pat Cummins has been granted approval by SA Health to return home to NSW. Under the plan approved by SA Health, he will self-drive from isolation and then, with the appropriate PPE and hygiene controls, take a single charter flight. Cricket Australia will continue to consult with SA Health to ensure compliance with the plan. He will continue to observe all isolation requirements in NSW. Cummins produced a negative test result on Thursday."
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The daily grind
Back underway at Adelaide Oval, Australia looking to "hold on" for as long as possible, in the words of centurion Marnus Labuschagne. The batters have been made to work pretty hard, but if they can get up to 400 and then have a crack at England as the sun goes down later in the day, you'd imagine they'll be in a strong position (it certainly worked for them four years ago, second-innings collapse notwithstanding).
Here's Labuschagne speaking to Channel Seven during the interval: “It was nice to get that hundred, obviously got a few chances there but that's how it goes sometimes, you ride your luck. It feels like you have to grind for every run that you’re out there. I think for us it's playing that night session. Seeing how long we can hold on for, we know with the pink ball, we saw last night how tricky it is when those lights come on and the ball seams a lot.”
Root and Anderson bowling, and Carey has already deployed the reverse-sweep (against the spinner) as he looks to make a significant impact in his third Test innings.
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Lunch
Australia 5 for 302 (Smith 55*, Carey 5*) vs England
England more than doubled their tally of wickets on the second afternoon of the Adelaide Test - as well as suffered their latest no-ball woe - but an unbeaten half-century from Australia's stand-in captain, Steven Smith, ensured the hosts maintained a sense of control at the dinner break.
England more than doubled their tally of wickets on the second afternoon of the Adelaide Test - as well as suffered their latest no-ball woe - but an unbeaten half-century from Australia's stand-in captain, Steven Smith, ensured the hosts maintained a sense of control at the dinner break.
Marnus Labuschagne, dropped twice on the first day and resuming five runs short of a maiden Ashes century, duly got to three figures in the fifth over of the session, angling James Anderson down to third. He was then seemingly caught behind on 102, Jos Buttler this time holding the edge - only for replays to show that Ollie Robinson had overstepped. Robinson did succeed in removing Labuschagne a couple of overs later, some inward movement and low bounce bringing an lbw decision that DRS backed up.
Smith's first half-century of the series followed, a top-edged swipe at Ben Stokes clearing Buttler, but two quick wickets late in the session raised English spirits. Joe Root broke a fourth-wicket stand worth 50 when bowling Travis Head, and Stokes then filleted Cameron Green with one that hit the top of off to leave Australia on 5 for 294.
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Green rubbed out! England go bang-bang
Two in as many overs! Cameron Green doesn't last long, as a peach from Stokes angles in and then nips away to smash the top of off stump. Another failure with the bat for Green, same mode of dismissal as in Brisbane - although he was playing a shot this time. Beaten by a good one.
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Head up-Rooted!
Some flight, dip and spin from the England captain, and Joe Root has hit the pegs! England get their second wicket of the day, Head flummoxed by one tossed up a little slower - he almost yorked himself, stepping out and going hard across the line; both feet were off the ground at one point, and he ended up on his knees! Definitely some turn, with the ball pitching on or even outside leg from round the wicket. Root gives a vein-popping roar in celebration. Head had smacked four over his head the previous ball to raise the fifty stand, so England needed that.
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Fifty for Smiffy
A short ball from Stokes brings a top-edged swipe from Smith... but it clears the leaping Buttler and that will be fifty for Australia's stand-in captain! First of the 2021-22 Ashes, and you know he's just getting started.
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Short fuse
England have brought Ben Stokes into the attack. You know what that means...
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The Don, then The Marnus
Incredible. After finally coaxing an edge (and taking the catch) to dismiss Labuschagne - England have had another one chalked off for overstepping! Ollie Robinson is the culprit this time, with his first delivery of the day. It's tight, but clearly no part of the boot behind the line. Labuschagne had almost reached the boundary, bat raised as the crowd applauded him off, before noticing that Robinson's heel was over the line and quickly turning on his.
England need to get some new material, because we've seen all this stuff before. (Although, to be fair to the audience, Australians will probably lap it up.)
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Labuschagne tons up!
He spent 53 balls in the 90s (and was of course dropped late last night) but Marnus Labuschagne has finally converted his first Ashes hundred. The ball before, from James Anderson, seemed to go through the top of the surface and rapped Labuschagne square on the top hand. But no matter, he reset and steered the next one wide of slip for four to third - celebrating the landmark with a gleeful flourish of the bat before taking off his helmet to hug Smith, his batting soulmate, and soak in the applause. Been a mammoth effort, his slowest Test hundred - 287 balls of sweat and concentration - and it has helped put Australia in the Adelaide pound seats.
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Australia tribute
Australia's players are wearing black armbands today, as a mark of respect for the five children tragically killed in a freak bouncy castle accident in Devonport, Tasmania on Thursday.
"The Australian men’s cricket team pay their pay their respects and show their love and support of the grief-stricken Devonport families who must be in unimaginable pain following yesterday’s tragic events" Cricket Australia said in a statement. "It was deeply saddening for all.
"Today, Australia and the match officials will wear black armbands today to honour those lost."
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'Pitch it up, boys!'
"The length that they bowled here today isn't hitting the stumps." That was David Warner's summary of the tactics employed by England's seamers on the first day. There was certainly a view that the visitors were too defensive, but was that reactive - because of a lack of seam or swing - or a misreading of conditions? Speaking before the start of play this afternoon, Stuart Broad addressed the issue: “When you talk about going fuller, you need the ball to be moving when you go fuller or your economy rate will go through the roof. We saw it was a bit of a weird day, wasn’t it? I didn't feel Australia ever got away from us, economy rate wise... but we definitely didn't get as many wickets as we’d have liked.”
The truth, as ever, is probably somewhere in between (and holding the chances that did come would undoubtedly have made the scorecard look better for England) - but if they don't make a couple stick in the first hour or so, you can be sure Marnus and Steve will be booking in. Could be full English either way.
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Morning Afternoon call
The heat is on in Adelaide. Only one side was feeling in the pink after day one, as Marnus Labuschagne and David Warner raised the temperature on England - and the mercury is only going further north, with an expected peak of 37 degrees today. For England's footsore seamers, who bowled with discipline but not much luck, there is the prospect of more hard yakka, unless they can get the still newish ball to talk them out of a corner. The thousand-yard stares are piling up for the tourists already, and day two at Adelaide Oval could be make or break for the 2021-22 Ashes. Time to find a shady spot and grab some popcorn.
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