Australia have continued the dominance in this on-going Ashes series against England and once again the home side has taken the driver’s seat. Riding on some scintillating batting from Usman Khawaja who was included in the XI in place of Travis Head, Australia posted a big total and then kept the England openers Haseeb Hameed and Zak Crawley on the back foot before the end of day’s play.
The hosts posted 416/8 (D) and England were 13/0 in the first innings when stumps were called on Day 2. Australia could have concluded the day with a wicket of Crawley after he was caught in the slips in the fourth over off Mitchell Starc but survived as the left-arm pacer had overstepped and it was signalled a no-ball.
Australia began the proceedings on Day 2 at 126/3 with Steve Smith and Khawaja at the crease. The two batters further added 106 runs before Stuart Broad removed Smith for 67.
Smith’s departure brought a couple of more wickets at regular intervals and Australia were 285/6 when Khawaja was joined by skipper Pat Cummins and put up a partnership of 46 runs for the seventh wicket. Cummins was sent back to the hut by Broad.
But England’s misery didn’t just end here as Mitchell Starc came in the middle and he along with Khawaja frustrated the visitors with a 67-run stand for the 8th wicket.
Khawaja was eventually dismissed for 137 while Starc remained unbeaten at 34. Apart from him, Nathan Lyon also chipped in with 16* off 7 deliveries during the course. For England, it was Broad who was the pick of the bowlers after he picked up 5 wickets while Anderson, Wood and Joe Root had one each to their names.
England now trail Australia by 403 runs.