Australia vs England, 2nd Ashes Test Day 3 Highlights
Australia vs England, 2nd Ashes Test Day 3 Highlights: Mitchell Starc has been menacing England with the ball in this Ashes series.
Australia vs England, 2nd Ashes Test Day 3 Highlights: Mitchell Starc has been menacing England with the ball in this Ashes series. Now he's doing damage with the bat, too. At stumps on Day 3 of the second Test, England were teetering on 134-6 in their second innings and still needed to score 43 runs to make Australia bat again. Starc was voted player of the match for his 10-wicket haul in Australia's thumping eight-wicket win in the series opener at Perth last month. Now he's in line for another award in the day-night Test in Brisbane. After taking six wickets in England's first innings of 334 on Days 1 and 2, Starc scored an innings-high 77 as Australia responded with 511 on Saturday afternoon and then took two wickets in the night session. (SCORECARD)
England Cricket Team
Australia Cricket Team
Australia vs England, 2nd Ashes Test Day 3
Welcome back for Australia's run chase. Jake Weatherald and Travis Head walk out to open for the hosts. The English players spread out of the huddle after a long discussion. They take their spots on the field. Head to face the first ball. Jofra Archer will get us underway again. Here we go...
... THE RUN CHASE ...
Credit goes to Steve Smith for his tactical brilliance. He rotated his bowlers smartly, avoiding long spells and keeping them fresh. He was electric in the field and his fabulous catch to dismiss Will Jacks gave Australia the opening they needed to wrap things up quickly. Well then, 10 overs? 12 overs? How much time would Australia take to chase down the skinny target of 65 runs? Remember, Australia have won 12 out of 13 pink ball Tests on home soil and they are well on course for extending that tally. Back in a bit with the chase.
Barring Zak Crawley in the top order, there was hardly any fight from the other batters. Joe Root could not add much and neither could Brook make a strong impact. After being reduced to 128 for 6, England would have been staring at an innings defeat had Stokes and Jacks not stepped up with their 96-run partnership. But against the run of play, Jacks got out and right after scoring his half century, Stokes too, couldn't resist more. After that, the wheels just came off for the Englishmen as they slipped from 224/6 to 241 all out, with a very thin lead at their disposal.
A dry run under the sun for Australia, then a sensational fightback from the hosts. The perfect way to wrap up the innings as Michael Neser holds the ball aloft after completing his five-wicket haul. The experienced Queenslander leads his team towards the dugout. A top-class bowling effort from Australia in the second session. They were a touch too short in the first session but adjusted quickly after failing to get the desired results from that ploy. England will surely be disappointed as after such a great resistance shown by Stokes and Jacks, they could not extend the lead into triple figures.
OUT! TAKEN! FIFER FOR NESER AT THE GABBA. He lands this back of a length and just on off, gets some extra bounce. Brydon Carse stays back and tries to guide it away, but gets a thin outside edge towards first slip, where it is Steve Smith once again, who takes his third catch of this innings. England have been bowled out for 241, and set up a target of 65 for Australia.
Fuller and on off, Brydon Carse blocks it out well.
Hard length and on leg, Jofra Archer pats it down to the leg side.
FOUR! Gets it away! Brendan Doggett bowls this short again, on middle. Jofra Archer gets on top of that and swats it away wide of deep mid-wicket. Jake Weatherald runs to his right and dives but fails to stop the boundary. England lead by 64 runs.
Short and on middle, Jofra Archer pulls it away but straight to mid-wicket.