Australia vs England Ashes 2017 2nd Test Day 2 Highlights: England 29/1 at stumps; trail Australia by 413 runs

Australia vs England Ashes 2017: Shaun Marsh struck a fine century on Day 2. (Source: AP)

England would rue not capitalising on the half chances that came their way in the second session. Twice they let go of Shaun Marsh – who went on to score a fifth Test century – and had Pat Cummins under pressure with no run scored in first 37 balls. He then went on to smack 44 in the next 52 balls. Their partnership of 98 took the game well beyond England’s grasp. Australia played four overs after the Dinner break with sole motive of giving England little time between innings. In the final session, England finished at 29/1 following a rain interruption. England would count their lucky stars with Australian seamers bowling at 145-150 kmph speeds. England trail by 413 runs with Alastair Cook and James Vince unbeaten. Earlier Australia declared at 442/8.

Australia vs England Ashes 2017 2nd Test Day 2:

1610 hrs IST: No more play today. Continuous rain has resulted in Day 2’s play being called off early. England are 29/1 at stumps and trail by 413 runs.

1520 hrs IST: Rain stops play. Players go off the field with England 29/1. The visitors won’t really mind that interruption… These are perfect bowling conditions and England had everything to lose if the play continued. Started off as a drizzle but it’s gotten heavier now. Expect some delay. And almost immediately, it has eased up a bit. Aussie weather’s a bit like the English, eh?

1505 hrs IST: WICKET! After a steady start against the Aussie seamers – who are breathing fire – Stoneman becomes the first to fall. Just as Australia needed. A full inswinger at 148.4 kmphs by Starc, the delivery is attacking middle and leg stump and Stoneman is late to get the flick going. It hits the pad very low and going on to hit the leg stump. The review, a bad idea. England 29/1

1419 hrs IST: Smith has just indicated that there would be one more over. One more over before the declaration so expect full throttle attack now as Stuart Broad takes the ball. And Shaun Marsh goes absolutely blazing. FOUR, FOUR and SIX! Meaty, thundering hits and Australia are making the most of this final over. And with that, Australia have declared at 442/8.

1402 hrs IST: Once again, Australia lose a wicket in the first over of a new session. This time Pat Cummins falls for 44 with Overton striking. He banged it short, into the body and had little room to play with as he went for the upper-cut. Hands it to Malan at third man. Australia 410/7

1330 hrs IST: DINNER! Australia in complete control in Adelaide. Beautiful knock from Shaun Marsh is ably supported by a dogged knock from Pat Cummins at the other end. Australia go into the break 409/7

1310 hrs IST: Way to shut your detractors! Shaun Marsh with a superb hundred and gets there with a boundary to also take Australia over the 400-run mark. Woakes tries to bounce him out but not an easy task to to manage against a WACA-bred player. Pulls it for a four and bisects the fielders

1218 hrs IST: Pat Cummins gets on the board after 37 balls. That took a while and the crowd cheers as he picks up a single. At the other end, Shaun Marsh is batting defiantly and seeing things through even with wickets falling at the other end

1128 hrs IST: WICKET! Short delivery from Stuart Broad, Starc fails to control his pull shot and he ends up slicing the ball in the air. Anderson runs to his left from mid-on to hold on to a simple catch. Broad strikes in the first over after Tea as well (he struck in the first over of the day)

1125 hrs IST: Second consecutive fifty for Shaun Marsh. His ninth Test fifty takes 138 balls. Australia start the second session on a positive note

1106 hrs IST: TEA! At Tea, Australia are 306/6 in an extended opening session of play. Lost Peter Handscomb and Tim Paine in that session with Shaun Marsh approaching a fifty and has Mitchell Starc for company.

1030 hrs IST: WICKET! Tim Paine scored his third Test fifty – first in seven years – and now he falls for 57. Pulls it straight into Moeen Ali’s hands and Overton strikes. The short ball does the trick and Australia are 294/6

1015 hrs IST: Having weathered the storm of reviews and lbw appeals, Marsh and Paine batting more confidently now. Appeals have subsided with the wicket slowing down. But, plenty of bounce in it. Interesting to see how Australia bowl later… For now, Australia are 277/5

0927 hrs IST: Paine is caught leg before this time. Anderson is the bowler. It is reviewed. Pitched just outside the off stump. No inside edge. Impact is in line but once again it is going over and missing stumps. Anderson can’t help but smile at that. Had it been a touch fuller, wouldn’t have been going over the top

0920 hrs IST: Shaun Marsh has been given out leg before off Anderson. Squared up as he offered a defensive stroke. Pitches around the leg stump and hits the front pad just above the knee. No inside which is confirmed by snicko and hotspot. Ball tracking, however, says it was going over and only marginally. What a fantastic review by Australia and how close was that! Naked eye and minus DRS, it was a definite out. Yay technology!

0845 hrs IST: GONE! What a start for England on this second day. Just the third delivery of the day and Stuart Broad has struck to dismiss Peter Handscomb. No runs added from his overnight score. A fuller delivery after two short ones, ball seams in and strikes the pad in front of the off stump. Snicks in off the deck and sneaks in close to the side of the bat. That was most definitely plumb. Considered the review for a moment but that’d have been a bad idea. Handscomb departs and great start for England

0840 hrs IST: As expected, players trot down for the second day’s play. No sun out, looks murky, quite dark Stuart Broad to get things underway, Australia are 209/4. Handscomb on 36 and Marsh on 20.

0830 hrs IST: Rain has stopped play and the covers are coming on. But it shouldn’t be long to keep the players away. It isn’t too much and should subside – or that’s what the weather prediction suggests.

0815 hrs IST: Hello and Good Morning from Adelaide on the second day of the second Test between Australia and England. The visitors need to hit the ground running from the onset before the sun starts to settle down and make things difficult for the bowlers. For now, following the showers yesterday and overnight, it is expected to be helpful for the bowlers. Unless Peter Handscomb and Shaun Marsh bat through cautiously.

TEAMS:

England XI: Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Joe Root, Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, Jake Ball, James Anderson.

Australia XI: Steven Smith, David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood