Australia vs England Highlights, 2nd Ashes Test, Day 2: Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne Star As Australia Take 44-Run Lead

Right then, that’s it from this enthralling Day 2 of the 2nd Ashes Test. Australia will be the happier side heading into the 'Moving Day' and will look to stretch their lead as much as possible, while England’s task will be to wrap things up quickly or risk slipping out of the contest altogether. Day 3 begins on Saturday, 6th December, at 4 am GMT, but do join us early for all the build-up. Cheers!

Marnus Labuschagne of Australia is up for a quick chat. He says he’s happy with where Australia sit and stresses the importance of getting to stumps with wickets in hand. He credits Travis Head and Jake Weatherald for setting the tempo early, which allowed the rest of the batting group to stay positive and keep the pressure on England. Speaking about his dismissal, he admits it was frustrating to get out just as the conditions changed and the pace of the pitch picked up. He talks about how challenging catching can be under lights at the Gabba in pink-ball cricket, but adds that Australia have trained specifically for those scenarios. Labuschagne is pleased to have taken a catch himself, saying it’s nice to contribute in the field on what he feels has been a good day overall, and he’s looking forward to pushing on tomorrow.

England failed to capitalise on the opening as Alex Carey and Josh Inglis counter-attacked and began to find the boundary regularly. Ben Stokes bowled a probing spell and created several chances, and finally got his reward with a beauty to dismiss Inglis, with Australia still five runs behind at the time. However, England once again allowed the pressure to slip, dropping as many as four catches in the session. Carey made them pay for those misses, and along with Michael Neser, pushed Australia into a 44-run lead by the end of Day 2.

Australia carried their momentum into the final session as well, with Steve Smith and Cameron Green batting with authority and keeping England at bay. Smith brought up his 44th Test fifty, while Green fell just short, but together they added a crucial 95-run stand that dragged Australia to the brink of wiping out the deficit. England attempted to fight back with sustained short-ball tactics, which leaked runs at first, before the game turned sharply when Brydon Carse struck twice in the same over to remove both set batters and haul the visitors back into the contest, with Smith departing to a stunning catch by Will Jacks. England had a chance to press harder, but that moment slipped midway through the over when Ben Duckett spilled Alex Carey before he had even opened his account.

The second session saw Australia push on, though England finally found a response through Jofra Archer, who bowled unchanged for the first hour after tea and found a much better rhythm. Jake Weatherald, like Marnus Labuschagne later, fell while looking set and both scoring fifties, briefly pulling things back England’s way. However, once Jofra Archer went out of the attack, the pressure eased again. By dinner, Australia had moved to 228 for 3, cutting the deficit to just over a hundred and putting themselves firmly back in the contest after a productive first two sessions of the day.

Australia began Day 2 with positive intent in reply to England’s 334 after the visitors could add only nine runs in the morning before being bowled out. The openers set the tone with early aggression, with Jake Weatherald leading the charge, while England's lack of discipline with the new ball hurt them early. Travis Head looked fluent but fell for 33 after being given a life on 3, and Marnus Labuschagne then walked in and settled quickly. By the first break, the hosts had wiped off a chunk of the deficit and looked in control, batting with confidence against the moving pink ball.

SESSION SUMMARY - 150 runs and 3 wickets in 29 overs! Australia’s day, without doubt. A strong collective batting effort has put them in a commanding position in this Test match, and with 12 of the last 13 Day/Night Tests in Australia having been won by the team holding a first-innings lead, the hosts will be feeling increasingly confident. England had their moments, but inconsistency with the ball and butterfingers in the field mean they now need something special to fight their way back into the contest.

Fuller in length, attacking the stumps, Michael Neser presses forward, gets his bat out in front and blocks it out solidly. That will be STUMPS on Day 2!

Back to over the wicket, angled in at the hips, on a length, Neser turns it behind square on the leg side but does not take the single.

Archer switches to around the wicket and pushes it across the right-hander, on a hard length. Michael Neser lets it be.

Keeps it on a shortish length, over off, Michael sways away and drops his wrists.

Another bumper but a bit too straight, around leg, Michael Neser ducks under it.

Banged in short, around the right shoulder. Alex Carey walks inside the line to get the pull away. Mistimes it to the right of backward square leg for a single.

In the channel, on a back of a length, Alex gets on top of it and taps it to deep point for one.

Drags the length back, on off, Alex Carey stands tall and with a high elbow, punches it to the left of deep point for another couple of runs.

On the fuller side, on off, Alex firms the drive to mid off.

Goes wide on the crease, does Gus, on a length, on off, Carey plays it on the up and angles the bat face to get it wide of point for a couple of runs.

Full and a bit wide on off, Carey throws his hands at it but gets an inside edge onto the pads.

FOUR! Sumptuous! Atkinson lands it full, on off, Carey leans into the drive and extends his hands. Plays it between cover and mid off for a boundary. Australia's lead is now 38.

Goes short once more, over off, Michael Neser sways away quickly.