Marnus Labuschagne has scored a century and Steve Smith finished agonisingly short – but there’s two men who will Aussie fans will be talking about after day two in Adelaide.
After helping the hosts to a huge 9/473 dec. in the first innings with some brilliant power-hitting, Mitchell Starc and Michael Neser sent the fans home happy with two wickets under lights.
To the surprise of absolutely nobody, Starc dismissed Rory Burns for just 4 early in the piece, before Neser claimed his first Test pole with just his second delivery, sending Dawid Malan on his way.
Play was abandoned half an hour early due to thunderstorms in Adelaide, which means a 2.41pm AEDT start on day three (2.11pm local time).
Sporting News has all the latest updates, scores and live commentary day three.
Australia v England – Second Test LIVE updates and scores
Live score – Stumps Day 2
| Team | 1st Innings | 2nd Innings |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 9/473 dec. | |
| England | 2/17 |
Current batters – Stumps Day 2
| Australia 1st innings | Score |
|---|---|
| Dawid Malan | 1* (19) |
| Joe Root (c) | 5* (9) |
Live commentary and updates
12.30pm: Play will commence at 2.41pm AEDT (2.11pm local time) to make up for last night’s early finish due to weather.
Welcome to Sporting News’ live blog for day three of the second Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval.
Australia v England – Second Test scorecard
First innings batting – Australia
| Batter | Status | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Warner | c: Broad b: Stokes | 95 | 167 | 11 | 0 |
| Marcus Harris | c: Buttler b: Broad | 3 | 28 | 0 | 0 |
| Marnus Labuschagne | lbw. Robinson | 103 | 305 | 8 | 0 |
| Steve Smith (c) | lbw. Anderson | 93 | 201 | 12 | 1 |
| Travis Head | b. Root | 18 | 36 | 3 | 0 |
| Cameron Green | b. Stokes | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Carey | c. Hameed b. Anderson | 51 | 107 | 5 | 0 |
| Mitchell Starc | Not out | 38 | 38 | 5 | 0 |
| Michael Neser | c. Broad b. Stokes | 35 | 24 | 5 | 1 |
| Jhye Richardson | c. Buttler b. Woakes | 9 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Nathan Lyon | dnb | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 9/473 dec. |
First innings bowling – England
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Anderson | 29 | 10 | 58 | 2 |
| Stuart Broad | 26 | 6 | 73 | 1 |
| Chris Woakes | 23.4 | 6 | 103 | 1 |
| Ollie Robinson | 27 | 13 | 45 | 1 |
| Ben Stokes | 25 | 2 | 113 | 3 |
| Joe Root | 20 | 2 | 72 | 1 |
First innings batting – England
| Batter | Status | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haseeb Hameed | c. Starc b. Neser | 6 | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| Rory Burns | c. Smith b. Starc | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Dawid Malan | Not out | 1 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Joe Root (c) | Not out | 5 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Ben Stokes | Yet to bat | – | – | – | – |
| Ollie Pope | Yet to bat | – | – | – | – |
| Jos Buttler | Yet to bat | – | – | – | – |
| Chris Woakes | Yet to bat | – | – | – | – |
| Ollie Robinson | Yet to bat | – | – | – | – |
| Stuart Broad | Yet to bat | – | – | – | – |
| James Anderson | Yet to bat | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 2/17 |
First innings bowling – Australia
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell Starc | 3 | 1 | 11 | 1 |
| Jhye Richardson | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Michael Neser | 1.4 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
MICHAEL NESER: GOD OF THUNDER – NO LONGER AUSTRALIA’S FRINGE DWELLER
It’s Christmas Day at the MCG.
Australia have taken a one-nil lead in their series over India in the most destructive manner possible; a perfect Adelaide storm of lightning fast bowlers hurling pink-ball thunderbolts that shattered India’s batting line up for 36 paltry runs.
It was Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc – the holy trinity of Australian pace – who had caused havoc on the third day at Adelaide Oval; now, on the eve of the Boxing Day Test, they are strutting their stuff in the MCG nets.
Michael Neser is there, too. But there is no strut, no puffed out chest; just the perennial fringe dweller of the Australian squad quietly going about his business of being whatever his teammates need him to be.
READ THE FULL STORY FROM MELINDA FARRELL HERE.
ENGLAND LOSE THE WAITING GAME
The twilight had given way to inky skies, the floodlights were glaring and the pink ball glowed against the lush green grass of Adelaide Oval.
This night session was what England had seemingly been waiting for.
The selection of an all seam attack at the expense of Jack Leach, the omission of Mark Wood’s express skiddy pace in favour of England’s swing and seam kings, even the sense from after the dinner break that we were in some kind of holding pattern waiting for the signal to land; all of it pointed to a night session in which England would unleash their best swing bowlers with the new ball and rip through Australia’s line up.
But when the moment finally arrived England had tripped up over their own slow over rate once more; at the Gabba it cost them their match fees and five World Test Championship points but in Adelaide it left them running out of time to bowl the 80 overs required to take the second new ball.
To see Ben Stokes, with all the skills in his considerable armour, banging the ball in short and being carted to the boundary, or to watch Root bowling spin at the most hopeful time of the night for swing, was enough to leave heads sore from scratching.
READ THE FULL STORY FROM MELINDA FARRELL HERE.
WARNER REACTS TO GRUELING FIRST INNINGS
David Warner wasn’t letting the disappointment of falling short of an Ashes ton for the second time in as many innings in this series take away from what was a brave effort from he and Labuschagne.
The pair were forced to play with some uncharacteristic patience in a testing first session, which saw Warner take 20 balls and nine overs to get off the mark and 53 deliveries to hit double figures – the Aussie opener’s slowest-ever start to a Test match on both counts – meanwhile his first boundary came after 38 balls.
Labuschagne was equally as measured in his approach. His first 10 runs came after nine balls, but the next 84 balls rendered just 11 runs before he began to open up on the way to his unbeaten 95.
But Warner said it was all part of the plan as he and Labuschagne tried to navigate through some tight bowling from the opposition.
“I felt like I was in the right zone, playing my areas and trying to create a bit of length to cut and pull.
“And that’s what we spoke about out there because we were getting nothing.
“It’s one of those hard grinding days. I think there’s a big tick for us.”
READ WARNER’S FULL REACTION TO THE PLAY FROM DAY ONE HERE.
Who is in Australia and England’s Ashes XI?
Australia: David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Michael Neser, Mitch Starc, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Lyon
England: Rory Burns, Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan, Joe Root (c), Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler, Chris Woakes, Ollie Robinson, Stuart Broad, James Anderson
How to watch the Ashes in Australia?
Kayo Sports, Foxtel, and Channel 7 will all be broadcasting the five Tests between Australia and England, with an exciting summer of cricket expected.
Fans can sign up for Kayo, purchase the sports pack on Foxtel, or watch Channel 7’s free-to-air broadcast.
SPECIAL KAYO OFFER FOR NEW CUSTOMERS: Get two months of Kayo Basic for just $5
Kayo will be simulcasting Fox Cricket’s broadcast of the action, and Channel 7 will have their own coverage.
ABC Radio will also be covering the commentary for listeners of the game.