Ashes, 4th Test, Day 2, Australia vs England Highlights: Australia Declare At 416/8, England Openers Survive Till Stumps
Ashes, 4th Test, Day 2 Highlghts: England openers survived five overs till Stumps after Australia declared their first innings at 416/8 on Day 2 of the 4th Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The Ashes, 4th Test, Day 2 Highlights: England openers survived five overs till Stumps after Australia declared their first innings at 416/8 on Day 2 of the 4th Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Australia rode on Usman Khawaja's brilliant century on return to Test cricket as pacer Stuart Broad kept taking wickets from the other end to complete a terrific five-wicket haul. After a rain-hit opening day, Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja stitched together a frustrating partnership before England got the hosts to six down in the second session. Smith played a majestic knock of 67 runs before Stuart Broad got the breakthrough. Broad continued to torment the home side as Cameron Green was also dismissed cheaply followed by Alex Carey.
Earlier, Australia had ended Day 1 at 126/3 with David Warner, Marcus Harris and Marnus Labuschagne all getting dismissed on the opening day. At the time of stumps, Steven Smith was batting along with Usman Khawaja, who is playing his first match of the ongoing series. Khawaja was added to the Australia squad after middle-order batter Travis Head returned positive for COVID-19 last week. This is also Khawaja's first international match since the 2019 Ashes in England. For the visitors, Stuart Broad, James Anderson and Mark Wood picked one wicket each on Day 1. Australia have already taken a 3-0 lead in the five-match series. (SCORECARD)
Playing XIs
Australia XI: Marcus Harris, David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Usman Khawaja, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland
England XI: Haseeb Hameed, Zak Crawley, Dawid Malan, Joe Root (c), Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wk), Mark Wood, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad, James Anderson
The Ashes 4th Test Day 2, Australia vs England Highlights From The Sydney Cricket Ground
Australia Cricket Team
England Cricket Team
Steven Smith
Usman Khawaja
Stuart Broad
James Anderson
Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Sydney
Ashes, 4th Test, AUS vs ENG Live Updates
Right-o. The Aussie pace attack is in a discussion. Yes, just the pace attack. Who bowls how many overs? They might get 5 overs at best and Shane Warne jokes on air - 'All England can achieve in this 20 minutes is get out', that is if they aim too big. Just keep your shots in the bag, unless the bowling is too loose. Out come the English openers - Haseeb Hameed and Zak Crawley. Pat Cummins to start off to Hameed. Three slips, a gully and a man under the lid at short leg waiting. All the best.
... SECOND INNINGS ...
Forget the score, look at the time. 20 minutes left. Can England have both their openers batting when the first ball is bowled on Friday? They will certainly hope so. Please stay tuned.
Take your caps off for Jimmy, Stewy and Wood. The three seamers bowled their hearts out, with Broad taking a 5-fer and Anderson keeping it tight, while Hood's hostility kept Australia honest. But they could never really get wickets in clusters and that allowed the hosts to get away. Also, the tourists were without Ben Stokes with the ball post Lunch on Day 2, due to a side strain and that affected them too. Tough days.
End of a mighty innings for Australia. Built on small pieces of bricks laid by Warner, Harris and Labuschagne, the foundation was given strength by Usman Khawaja. His 137, which looked to be a struggle at first, but then turned out to be charismatic, pushed England on the back foot. He was given good company by Steven Smith, who made full merry of the loose stuff England bowled this morning, thereby allowing him to get away. And towards the end, as expected, the tail wagged. Now, if you do not like the word tail for Australia in this series, we do not blame you. They were 285/6 when Carey fell - they have finished on 416/8. Amazing.
And the innings ends with a bang! Cummins has played a fine gamble here. First, he made England think that the declaration is around the corner and then, when they felt that Australia will not declare, just surprised them, giving the openers roughly 20 minutes to survive for the day.
SIX! BOOM! That is out of here! Wow, what a shot by the spinner! Length ball, on off. Lyon rocks back, lines himself up and heaves it over the mid-wicket fence. Cummins has a big smile on his face as Australia declare on 416 for 8!
Length ball, on off. Lyon clubs it away past mid-wicket for a couple.
Scratch the previous BBL update. Well, part of it. Rain has stopped in Geelong and Melbourne Renegades have elected to chase against Brisbane Heat. For a start, the Heat have players to play the game.
Oh ho! A mighty heave and a miss! Length ball, around middle. Lyon looks to send the ball sailing in the crowd behind the mid-wicket fence but misses.
FOUR! Nice Gary! A full ball, on off. Lyon clears his front leg and hits it over the bowler's head. The ball trickles as it reaches the fence.
Fuller, around off. Starc pushes it past covers for one.
A short ball, down the leg side. Starc doesn't even have to duck under it to let it sail over his head.
Now there is an indication. Alex Carey has got his keeping gloves on. That is the first sign of declaration. Or. The dressing room does not have enough confidence in Starc and the rest.
FOUR! Classy shot from Nathan Lyon and the 400 is up for Australia. Wood goes short again, around off but thsi one sits up nicely for the batter. Lyon hangs back and fetches it from outside off before pulling it in front of square. The ball races through mid-wicket and Lyon picks up a boundary.
Another short ball, around middle. Nathan Lyon hops and keeps it out on the leg side.
Short again, at the body. Starc goes on the back foot and works it past short fine leg for a single.
Short of a good length, around leg stump. Starc punches it off the back foot towards mid on.
BBL UPDATES - There are supposed to be two games tonight, with Melbourne Renegades taking on Hobart Hurricanes at 12.35 pm IST (0705 GMT), followed by the Perth Scorchers-Sydney Thunder clash at 3.45 pm IST (1015 GMT). However, there is some rain around in Geelong and the start of the first game has been delayed.
A pacy bumper at 144 kph. Mitchell Starc manages to duck under it as the ball flies over his head.