Australia vs England, Ashes 2017, 2nd Test Day 3: Australia 53/4 at stumps, lead by 268 runs

Australia vs England Ashes 2017: James Anderson had Australia in trouble in the final session. (Source: Reuters)

What a turnaround in this Test in the final session. Australia looked to be cruising and in complete control of the second Test having decided not to enforce the follow on and give the bowlers some time to rest. And that may prove to be the difference maker by the end of it all. James Anderson and Chris Woakes got the ball to move and finally got their lengths right to pick four wickets before close of play. Australia are certainly in a tricky position with Steve Smith, David Warner in the hut but centurion from first innings Shaun Marsh is still there and Australia have a decent lead of 268 runs. Under lights and the surface getting quicker, any target from now on won’t be easy but England are fighting still.

Australia vs England Ashes 2017 2nd Test Day 3:

1630 hrs IST: STUMPS! What a session of cricket. The Test match, appears to be, back alive. Australia are 53/4 at stumps and lead by 268 runs

1617 hrs IST: GONE! SCENES! Steve Smith has been given out leg before once again. This time off Chris Woakes. Good length delivery and it leaves the right hander. Hits the right pad and it is going on to clip the off stump. Umpire’s call, Australia retain their review but lose yet another wicket. The Test match is still alive!

1605 hrs IST: Something to ponder about…

1600 hrs IST: Anderson breathing fire here. Bowling his 11th over and he almost has Smith leg before. No bat involved. Aleem Dar has given it out. Australia go for the review. And it has pitched outside leg. The angle from round the wicket has troubled Smith and almost gets him for a duck this time.

1558 hrs IST: Two wickets in two overs for England. Chris Woakes joins the party and he’s got the biggie. Woakes angles this length delivery across Warner and the leftie tried to play it on the on-side, squares up Warner who gets a thick edge that flies straight to second slip

1550 hrs IST: GONE! Anderson, bowling his tenth over in a row, produces an unplayable delivery for Khawaja. It pitches on middle and off, moves away a touch and hits the pad after moving away late. Australia opt for the review after being given out by Aleem Dar. Bowling around the stumps, Anderson has clipped outside of the off stump and that’s OUT!

1530 hrs IST: Players take a breather and a sip after a strenuous session of play. Warner letting the balls go and taking a cautious approach to things. As is Khawaja at the other end

1440 hrs IST: GONE! James Anderson gives England a dream start. A ball after Bancroft survives a caught behind, this time he hands it to Bairstow. Gets an edge off the length delivery, ball moves away a shade and plucks a thin edge which carries comfortably into Bairstow’s gloves. Picks a gentle nick and England celebrate. 

1435 hrs IST: Odd choice to review there from Joe Root. He reckons Warner has edged a full outswinger to the keeper. There is absolutely nothing on the review. Nothing on the infrared or the snickometer. The only spike is after the ball has passed the bat. England squander the review.

1430 hrs IST: Australia get things underway in Adelaide. Anderson and Broad share the new ball. Warner and Bancroft open. Interesting to see how Australia approach this. There are 29 overs left in the day

1422 hrs IST: Australia are not enforcing the follow on. Australia take a 215 run lead. David Warner and Cameron Bancroft rush off the field to get ready for the restart. Chance for England to do something here with lights out and Australia fielding for a day now.

1415 hrs IST: ALL OUT! Anderson becomes the last wicket to fall and Lyon becomes the highest wicket taker in 2017. The left-hander goes for a big slog sweep and ends up missing it completely. England review. It is pitched in line, no edge and three reds come on. England are bowled out for 227 and trail Australia by 215 runs.

1410 hrs IST: GONE! Lyon becomes the joint highest wicket taker in 2017 – alongside Kagiso Rabada. Drags the length back and gets the ball to turn and bounce. Broad looked to play it on the on-side and edges it behind to Paine. 

1400 hrs IST: Final session of play underway in Adelaide. Someone needs to hold fort with Overton who has played brilliantly in his opening Test

1335 hrs IST: At the Dinner break, England are 219/8 with Craig Overton on 36 and Stuart Broad yet to open his account. England trail by 223 runs and the threat of follow in remains alive. However, looks bleak that Australia will enforce it

1310 hrs IST: GONE! Mitchell Starc with yet another caught and bowled. Third in a row. And that disrupts what looked like a good partnership to get England out of the gutter. Short delivery, harmless, Woakes tries to pull after going back, but only slices it high in the air for a simple catch back. End of the 66-run stand – best for England in this Test

1240 hrs IST: Interesting point from Jimmy Neesham here. England trail by 255 runs and need 55 more to avoid follow on. Should Australia enforce the follow on if chance comes their way?

1215 hrs IST: Great observation from Indian Express reporter Shamik Chakrabarty here. On a surface that is helping the quicks, the difference between the quicks is quite significant.

1150 hrs IST: GONE! Back-to-back caught and bowled for Australia. This time, Starc plucks his right hand out to juggle and then hold on after being hit straight back by Bairstow. A straight batted shot by the England batsman and tries to play it on the rise. Neat take from Starc

Nathan Lyon with a gorgeous dive to dismiss Moeen Ali. (Source: Reuters)

1130 hrs IST: SUPERGOAT! Nathan Lyon takes an absolute stunner to dismiss Moeen Ali. A one-handed take off his own bowling as he flies to the left. Draws a chip back from Moeen after a well flight delivery and he goes airborne immediately to latch on to it. No way back in it for England and Australia have deserved plenty of it – as that catch shows

1105 hrs IST: TEA! England are 128/5 at the Tea break with Moeen Ali on 22 and Jonny Bairstow on 17. Another session that belonged to Australia. England trail by 314 runs and need 114 more to avoid follow on. Four wickets fell in that session and the hosts will be very pleased with how things went in these two and a half hours.

1050 hrs IST: Testing bowling by Cummins and Lyon. Bairstow surviving by thin margin to Cummins and Lyon getting close to Ali. Beaten twice in three balls with length deliveries. Moeen Ali, on the other hand, was almost removed by taking away his off stump

1040 hrs IST: Pat Cummins strikes on the first ball of his new spell. The seamer goes wide of the crease and gets the ball seaming from back of length. It takes Malan’s glove and sneaks through the bat-pad gap through to Paine

0953 hrs IST: First ball to Moeen Ali and Lyon almost gets him too. Very, very close. Ali expects it to turn and move away but it straightens after pitching to miss the off stump by inches.

0950 hrs IST: Game, set and match? May just be as Alastair Cook falls. Lyon strikes to pick up his 50th Test wicket over Australia. Curls away from the round the wicket and the fuller length entices Cook forward to try and jab it away. But he fails to take into consideration the spin and edges it to Smith at first slip

0925 hrs IST: Out and reviewed. Malan is given out leg before off Starc after a very long think from Aleem Dar. Big, big appeal from the Aussie seamer. Malan looked to defend the length ball but beaten for pace. England review and it was going over the stumps. Cheer from the England supporters in the stands

0915 hrs IST: England need Alastair Cook and Dawid Malan to play with a steady head now.

0850 hrs IST: England’s situation worsens as Joe Root walks this time – rather begrudgingly. He’s brought on to drive by Pat Cummins on a length ball, it moves away late and takes an outside edge in its wake which falls kindly into Bancroft’s hands at third slip. Big, big wicket for Australia and that could have been the Test gone? We’ll find out. For now, England are 50/3

0835 hrs IST: And the plan has backfired miserably. Hazlewood with a short length delivery that comes back in with the angle and Vince takes a push at it while playing it with hard hands and gets a thick outside edge. Simple catch for keeper Tim Paine and Australia get one early. Vince departs for 2 and England are 31/2

0830 hrs IST: And we’re off! Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood to share the ball. James Vince and Alastair Cook will try to fend off early onslaught

0820 hrs IST: There is little for spin and Nathan Lyon in the first session if the pitch report is anything to go by. But if there is someone who can get wickets out of nowhere, it is the G.O.A.T.

0815 hrs IST: Hello and Good Morning for our live coverage from the Ashes. Another interesting day in the offing at the Adelaide under the lights. We start half an hour early once again with yet another rain interruption on Day 2. Expect Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins salivating at the chance of going out there and testing the England batsman bright and early.