England staring down the barrel under Gabba lights as Australia dominate
Brisbane, Australia, AFP: Australia are on the brink of grabbing a 2-0 lead in the Ashes series after dominating a feeble England on a pivotal third day of the day-night second Test in Brisbane on Saturday. The hosts batted England out of the game during the day session at the Gabba, then took full advantage of the changed conditions under lights to reduce England to 134-6 at stumps, still trailing by 43 runs.
After losing inside two days in Perth, England are staring down the barrel once again in the match and the series. When Australia resumed the third day on 378-6 with a lead of 44, England would have been hoping to take the last four wickets quickly and not face too large a deficit. But led by unlikely batting hero Mitchell Starc, Australia made 511 and kept England out on the field during the blisteringly hot day session.
England’s captain Ben Stokes (left) reacts as he walks off the ground with Will Jacks at the end of day three of the second Ashes - AFP
At the close, England skipper Ben Stokes and spinner Will Jacks were holding on grimly, both unbeaten on four runs apiece. England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett had got the visitors off to a rapid start to their second innings, taking them to 45-0 at dinner off just six overs.
But once the lights took full effect batting became increasingly difficult with extra movement off the pitch. Duckett was first to go, somewhat unluckily when a ball from Scott Boland kept low and hit the bottom of his bat before smashing into the stumps, leaving England 48-1.
Ollie Pope made a scratchy 26, riding his luck on a number of occasions before trying to drive on the up and hitting a sharp return catch to Michael Neser. England were 90-2, still trailing by 87 runs.
Seven runs later Neser got his second return catch in almost identical fashion when Crawley played the same shot as Pope with the same result. First-innings century-maker Joe Root steadied the ship with Harry Brook, but with the score on 121 Root played at a full and wide ball from Starc and got a big outside edge through to keeper Alex Carey. England lost their fifth in strange circumstances two runs later.
After Brook was given out caught behind off Boland, which was overturned on review, he nicked the very next ball, which was given not out, only for umpire Sharfuddoula to have to reverse his decision after an Australian review. Keeper Jamie Smith got off the dreaded pair but was out soon after for four, caught behind off Starc, as England collapsed in familiar fashion to Perth.
Starc was the tormentor with bat and ball on what turned out to be a crucial day’s play. He frustrated the visitors when they were looking for quick wickets. His 77 was a record score by a number nine batsman at the Gabba before Australia were eventually dismissed about 40 minutes before the break.
Starc, who has taken 18 wickets in the first two Tests so far, enjoyed a 75-run partnership with Boland, who made his highest Test score of 21 not out. The ninth-wicket pair kept England in the field under the blazing sun. The time the Australians used up batting ensured that when England eventually did bat, they faced the new pink ball under the lights.
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