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Test Cricket News, Joe Root & Dawid Malan partnership lifted England earlier on a Day 3 in the 2021-22 Ashes but it’s Australia who rejuvenated afterwards with a healthy lead

by Sports Benches

Nice seeing Joe Root & Dawid Malan pick up the pieces for England where they made up some lost time as this partnership continued to work like the previous test at the Gabba last week during the opening session, however, they weren’t unable to hold on that momentum after the dinner break even though it’s a long way away to chase that run trail down with England lost four wickets for 57 towards tea (197-6) before they were all out for 236 (237 runs behind Australia).

Australia on the other hand fought back after a slow start earlier in the afternoon (140-2 at dinner) as they still maintain a healthy run lead ahead of the change of innings with the option of enforcing the follow-on, but they instead not to do so & batted once again where Australia will resume at 45-1 alongside a 282 run lead on Day 4 tomorrow.

Credit from stand-in skipper Steve Smith, who picked up two catches off the dangerous Root & Malan pair, while Mitchell Starc continued to shine with four wickets on hand after a brilliant quickfire batting spell last night including some support from Cameron Green (2 wickets) & Nathan Lyon made England regret not bringing a dedicated spinner in this test.

With the bat during such a short time tonight, Marcus Harris would be disappointed when he didn’t communicate well that ran David Warner out but he’s fine right now at 21* with more to come & Michael Neser hopes to secure a debut Test 50 having been jettisoned to the crease as the nightwatchman before Australia can declare within 100-150 runs more so their bowlers are rested up to finish the job.

Going to back to England now apart from Root & Malan, it’s great to see Ben Stokes & Chris Woakes pick up handy runs as they can while Stuart Broad added just a few against a tiring Australian bowling attack plus a six off an unlucky mis-catch from Mitchell Starc before he was spot on the field via direct hit to Warner. There’s nothing else to say at this stage when England still need to try and limit Australia’s 2nd innings spell ASAP before going all-in for whatever run total they require with two days left at Adelaide Oval.

#AUSvENG #Ashes #Australia #England #TestCricket #Cricket #AdelaideOval

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Test Cricket News, Australia continues their red hot start in Day 2 of the 2nd 2021-22 Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval

by Sports Benches

Australia continued to pile up more runs on Day 2 where they’ve set up a good batting total in the first innings of 473-9 via declaration not long after tea before they finished their hard day’s of work a bit early due to lightning & rain with the ball at 17-2.

Plenty of good moments that began from Marnus Labuschagne who secured his sixth Test 100 after he was fortunate to escape Jos Buttler’s sloppy catch of his gloves & cashed into runs, although Travis Head & Cameron Green were clean bowled for low scores but it doesn’t mean Australia regressed when Steve Smith batted superbly as stand-in skipper even though he was gutted not to escape the nervous 90s on 93 & we also saw Alex Carey score his 50 on his 2nd Test match.

We also cannot forget Michael Neser & Mitchell Starc, who not only scored quick fire spells in the mid 30s run mark, but they also shared two early wickets with the ball that gave another advantage going into Day 3 tomorrow for Australia & make more damage on England’s best remaining batting card as Neser is settling really well at Test level after waiting his debut for a very long time even though he’s 31 now.

England on the other hand may have caught up with a few wickets on hand with great areas around the stumps including an excellent late spell from James Anderson (2 wickets) not long before tea, however, they continued to leak runs when the fielding continued to flop such as Ollie Pope at the back & Jos Buttler with the hit and miss catches behind the keeping gloves.

But the one player who disappointed everyone so far this Ashes series is Rory Burns having miscommunicated that overthrow for four as well as still being vulnerable to the Australian quicks & not delivering these numbers as required at Test level, nothing to say right now as if he continues that poor start later in this game then it’s time to go by the Melbourne Boxing Day Test.

England need Dawid Malan & Joe Root to rekindle that spark tomorrow which worked so well in their 2nd innings run last week as it’s going to take a lot of time.

#AUSvENG #Ashes #Cricket #MarnusLabuschagne #SteveSmith #AlexCarey #MichaelNeser #MitchellStarc #JamesAnderson #Australia #England

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Test Cricket News, Day 1 of the 2nd Test 2021-22 Ashes Series Match Report as Australia off to a brilliant start at Adelaide Oval

by Sports Benches

Australia on a roll after Day 1 of the 2nd Test at Adelaide Oval under the day/night setting at 221/2, it’s nice to see David Warner & Marnus Labuschagne form a bigger partnership by using a mixture of defensive blocks off good balls & vary a couple of strike selections that made England tough to handle.

Although Warner may be unlucky not to escape the nervous 90s on 95 through that catch from Stuart Broad off Ben Stokes, there’s still some question marks though such as Marcus Harris’s batting which didn’t work out well once again in the afternoon session but we’ll wait and see how Michael Neser steps up on his debut Test match after Pat Cummins got in contact with someone who has COVID and was forced to isolate for a week.

For now, let Labuschagne (95) get his 100 tomorrow afternoon when play resumes as well as help stand-in skipper Steve Smith (18) form another big partnership for another 100-150 runs before declaring it & bring out these bowlers with a slightly changed line-up of Mitchell Starc, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson & Nathan Lyon.

England had the early advantage off Marcus Harris thanks to the returning Stuart Broad who later captured another victim in Warner with his catch a while ago after he was dropped during the opening test which gave some relief, but they were helpless for the majority with no way to make Warner & Labuschagne feel vulnerable of their spin & speed plus there’s little support from the field either including that dropped catch from keeper Jos Buttler twice on Labuschagne at 21 & 95*

The away team will have much-needed sleep now for the night & hopefully they wake up refreshed with ideas at least to knock down the remaining Australian batting card first as early as possible, then the pressure is on for their openers to step up in order to help the top & middle order pile the maximum runs they need to help England stay in contention.

#Ashes #Australia #England #Cricket #TestCricket #DavidWarner #MarnusLabuschagne #StuartBroad #InternationalCricket #Adelaide Oval

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Test Cricket News, Day 2 of the 1st Test in the 2021-22 Ashes Match Report

by Sports Benches

That partnership with David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne was one of Australia’s best moments earlier on Day 2, who both remained calm and collective in the middle before they flied plenty of decent shots out of the park that sealed their half-tons. 

Warner & Labuschagne may not have converted into a century going into tea when Australia just overtook England for the lead but Travis Head kept them alive in the middle at No.5 when he proved doubters wrong about his inconsistency & earned his way to a nice ton himself which is a wonderful way Australia’s end Day 2 progress in style.

They lead by 196 runs at 343-7 so Australia should stay at the crease for a little longer with Head still out there & Mitchell Starc can bat a handy amount of runs before we bring out their bowling strikeforce & try to finish that 1st Test with a win.

Meanwhile, England took an early advantage off the inexperienced Marcus Harris thanks to Ollie Robinson, who also blocked Warner towards escaping his nervous 90s on 94 before he launched a free run & clean bowled Cameron Green for a duck.

Although England were unlucky to dismiss Warner earlier on through that no ball from Ben Stokes, who just overstepped the line on his front foot but England looked very lost during the 1st half of today while wiping Steve Smith for 12 &  Australia’s middle-order card wasn’t enough to reserve their slump thanks to the last man standing in Travis Head.

What England has to do now is wrap up this bowling spell ASAP in the AM session tomorrow before they can use most of Day 3 through lunch & tea to catch up with the bat, then they can use Day 4 to set Australia a difficult run total to chase but only if one or two of their decent batsmen can survive long enough.

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