Skipper Joe Root led from the front and found more than capable support from Dawid Malan to lead England with a wicketless session early on the third day of the ongoing Day-Night Test in Adelaide. The tourists started the day at 17/2 and the duo took them to 140 while remaining not out till the dinner break.
Malan capitalised on the desperation of Australian bowlers who bowled too full to him in greed of including outside edge of his bat but he was up to the task and motored along to 68.
Root was more circumspect of the two against pacers but employed his usual mode of attack—sweep against Nathan Lyon to keep the scoreboard going in the first session. He remained not out at 57 at dinner break on the third day.
Australia looked like missing the experience and relentless discipline of Josh Hazlewood and their skipper Pat Cummins as the other duo of Jhye Richardson and Michael Neser were guilty of bowler either too full or too short against the batsmen.
It was the partnership between Root and Malan only that carried England towards some sort of respectability in the second innings of the first Test at Gabba as well and England would be delighted to see them going strong with the bat once again.