Australia’s cricket team showcased a commanding performance on Thursday, taking control of the second Test against England in Adelaide. With temperatures soaring above 40C, the home side’s bowlers, led by Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon, restricted England’s batting lineup, leaving them vulnerable as they aimed to regain momentum in the series.
Cummins claimed three wickets for 54 runs, while Lyon added two to his impressive tally, further solidifying his status as one of Australia’s top bowlers. England’s only notable resistance came from Ben Stokes, who remained unbeaten on 45 runs. The day was marred by more drama surrounding the Decision Review System (DRS), which has been a focal point throughout the series.
The morning began with Mitchell Starc contributing significantly to Australia’s innings by scoring 54 runs, helping the lower order to add crucial runs. England had hoped to seize the initiative after the first day, but their bowling fell short. In stark contrast, Cummins executed a well-planned strategy, consistently challenging England’s batters, especially Zak Crawley and Joe Root. He dismissed Crawley for 9 runs with a delivery that angled in and seamed away, edging to the slips.
Cummins’ wicket of Root marked a significant milestone, as it was the twelfth time he has dismissed England’s star batter, making him the most successful bowler against Root globally. Lyon made his mark early, taking two wickets in quick succession during his opening over. His first victim, Ollie Pope, fell for just 3 runs, caught at midwicket after misplaying a shot.
Lyon’s performance saw him achieve a career total of 564 Test wickets, placing him second on Australia’s all-time bowling list, just ahead of Glenn McGrath and trailing only Shane Warne, who leads with 708 wickets. He continued his dominance by dismissing Ben Duckett, who managed 29 runs before falling to a delivery that turned sharply, hitting the top of off stump.
As England struggled further, Cameron Green claimed the wicket of Harry Brook, who had scored 45 runs. Cummins returned to the attack to remove Jamie Smith, whose dismissal involved another DRS controversy. Initially thought to have been caught at slip, replays indicated the ball had hit Smith’s helmet instead of his glove. Despite the confusion, Smith was eventually dismissed, contributing to England’s deteriorating position.
Reflecting on the conditions, Lyon commented, “That was extremely hot out there, it was hard. I’m extremely proud of, especially the quick bowlers, the efforts that they put in.” He noted that the bowlers consistently maintained the right areas, showcasing a back-to-basics approach that proved effective against England’s lineup.
Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey had an outstanding day, adding five catches to his tally, complementing his century from the previous day. One of his more notable catches was off Will Jacks, as Carey moved up to the stumps to assist Scott Boland in taking the wicket. Boland also managed to bowl Brydon Carse for a duck, sealing a productive day for the Australian bowlers.
Despite Jofra Archer contributing an unbeaten 30 runs towards the end of the day, England concluded day two in a precarious position. The team’s batting coach, Marcus Trescothick, expressed disappointment, stating, “We’re behind the game again… we’re disappointed of course.”
With Australia firmly in control, England faces an uphill battle as they aim to recover and challenge for the urn in the ongoing series.
