Australia vs England, Day 2 of Ashes Boxing Day Test from MCG
Alastair Cook has capped off a remarkable day for England, claiming a much-needed century as Stuart Broad does the damage with the ball.
Welcome to The Australian’s coverage of the second day of the 2017 Boxing Day Test, with England hitting form to trail by 135 runs at stumps. Read on below to see how it all unfolded.
Adrian McMurray 6.02pm: Stumps on day two
That’s stumps on the second day of the Boxing Day Test. It was all the way of England, with their fading stars showing they’ve got still something to offer. Broad did the damage with the ball, taking 4-51, while Cook — who didn’t look like troubling the scoreboard earlier in the series — produced a much-need ton (his first Ashes century in almost seven years), Root agonisingly close to a half-century of his own. England finish the day 2-192, trailing by 135 runs. How will Australia respond? Join us tomorrow morning as they continue to try and dismantle this rock-solid partnership.
Adrian McMurray 5.57pm: Cook reaches his century
How about this for a throwback? Smith bowls the last over of the day, but it doesn’t exactly work out as planned, with two boundaries and 11 runs in total seeing Cook through to his century. He doesn’t look so much elated, more relieved, as he goes some way to silencing his critics.
Adrian McMurray 5.46pm: Where has this been?
Yet another four from Cook, who drives down past long on. Warner does his best to deny the former England skipper and gets up gingerly after diving around the rope. Cook moves into the 90s.
Adrian McMurray 5.43pm: Root escapes
As I was saying ... Good chance as Root edges to the slips off Lyon, but it doesn’t carry! Smith tries his best but there’s not much else he could’ve done there. Sometimes, luck’s on your side. That’s very much the case this afternoon for England.
Adrian McMurray 5.39pm: Everything’s coming up England
Big shout as Lyon thinks he has Root lbw, but as the England skipper attempts to sweep a big bottom edge races away at fine leg for four runs. Root picks up another boundary off Cummins and a half-century is well within reach. Can these two do no wrong?
Adrian McMurray 5.29pm: Another big turnout in Melbourne
Official attendance for Day 2 is 67,882.
— Melbourne Cricket Ground (@MCG) December 27, 2017
Another healthy crowd packed the MCG on day two, as a Cook cover drive for three sees him to 85, his highest total at the famous ground.
Adrian McMurray 5.22pm: Cook on track for century
Are we about to see Alastair Cook reach triple figures? He punishes a Hazlewood delivery past deep backward point for his 12th boundary of the day, moving to 78 with Root (34) holding down the other end. Two off the final ball of a Lyon over sees England move to 2-151, trailing Australia by 176 runs.
Adrian McMurray 5.10pm: No doubt who the day belongs to
The Cook -Root partnership hits 60, with England fans — and former players — enjoying the day’s play.
This is lovely ... Enjoying today ... #Ashes
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) December 27, 2017
Adrian McMurray 5.01pm: England’s vital partnership
What can Smith do to break this partnership? Lyon and Hazlewood are doing their best at the moment, and while they’ve been suitably tidy (with the exception of a boundary each in the last four overs), Cook and Root don’t look like they’ll be going anywhere any time soon.
Adrian McMurray 4.46pm: Cummins returns
We’ve been on Cummins watch all afternoon, and he’s back out there after drinks. Let’s see if he gets another spell.
Adrian McMurray 4.42pm: England roll on at drinks
Marsh is doing his best but is hardly the most efficient option at Australia’s disposal. Really, they have few other options. He’s leaked 17 from his four overs, with Cook sitting pretty on 67 and Root (21) starting to dig in at drinks.
Adrian McMurray 4.23pm: England’s golden chance
With Cummins off again and Cook and Root at the crease England have a phenomenal chance to pile on the runs. Don’t forget Mitch Starc isn’t there either, so Hazlewood and Bird are going to have to look after the bulk of the overs. Smith introduces Mitch Marsh to give his main quicks a rest, and it almost pays dividends with Cook dropped by the Australian captain in the slips. A nice edge carries but Smith just can’t get hands to it. Relief for Cook.
Adrian McMurray 4.07pm: Cummins off again
Seems like I went off a bit early claiming Cummins was over whatever is troubling him. He’s off again, the Melbourne heat hardly helping matters. Root chips in with a boundary off Hazlewood and that England run rate is looking a bit healthier.
Adrian McMurray 4.04pm: Cook’s revival
50 for Cooky!
— England's Barmy Army (@TheBarmyArmy) December 27, 2017
Class is permanent. Keep going mate 👊 #Ashes pic.twitter.com/NwF2ICDY3t
That’s 50 for Cook! It couldn’t have come at a better time, with the former captain disappointing so far this series. He brings up his half-century with a four through square leg, England in a healthy position despite the earlier questionable decision that saw Vince depart.
Adrian McMurray 3.53pm: Runs prove harder to come by
That run rate has slowed up for England, with just four runs in the three overs following Vince’s departure. It’s dropped below 3, Cummins seemingly having shaken off the illness that he was hampered by earlier.
Adrian McMurray 3.38pm: Drama in Vince dismissal
How big of a moment will this prove to be? ENG 2/80 #Ashes pic.twitter.com/cRzj1a7euH
— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) December 27, 2017
Wicket! That’s more like it from Australia, as Hazlewood bowls Vince lbw for 17. The wicket fell in just the second over after Tea, Hazlewood’s first delivery. But was there a sneaky inside edge? Replays suggest England should’ve reviewed. Joe Root is out there now.
Adrian McMurray 3.34pm: Tea doesn’t stop Cook
The Tea break did nothing to deter England, with Cook picking up where he left off. Perhaps surprisingly Cummins is handed the ball, and the former England captain picks up two boundaries in the one over. He’s five runs shy of a half-century.
Adrian McMurray 3.15pm: Another good session for England
That’s Tea, with just the one wicket in the session for Australia. Cook in particular has been impressive, and we’ll have to keep an eye on Cummins after the break as he struggled in the afternoon heat. This is shaping to be England’s most impressive day in an otherwise disappointing series for the visitors. England 1-72, trailing Australia by 255 runs.
Adrian McMurray 3.02pm: Run rate healthy for England
As it stands, England are in a good position with the run rate sitting at 3.20 at the end of the 20th over of the visitors’ first innings. It’s hardly the emphatic start we saw from Warner yesterday but Cook is looking good, Vince chipping in with a boundary to keep the score ticking over. Cummins still doesn’t look 100 per cent, taking the chance to rest with a wet towel between deliveries. I wouldn’t imagine we’ll see him bowling soon.
Adrian McMurray 2.50pm: Cummins returns
Cummins is unwell with an upset stomach. He is due to return to the field shortly.
— Neroli Meadows (@Neroli_M_FOX) December 27, 2017
Thankfully it’s not injury that kept Cummins off the ground. Fox Sports’ Neroli Meadows reports he’s been struck down through illness. He’s back out there now. Despite this it remains to be seen what involvement he’ll have with the ball this afternoon. Meanwhile, back out in the middle Cook is really starting to hit his stride, a boundary taking him to 31 off 52 balls. If Vince can get going this could be troubling for Australia.
Adrian McMurray 2.35pm: Cummins leaves the field of play
Cummins comes from the ground, it’s not yet clear what’s troubling him. Potentially worrying signs for Australia after he only bowled three overs.
Adrian McMurray 2.27pm: Bowling, Garry!
Another classic catch for the GOAT! #ohwhatafeeling#Ashes @Toyota_Aus pic.twitter.com/GnLr6vkHfG
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) December 27, 2017
Wicket! Lyon pulls off another stunning catch, as Stoneman looks to smash one down the wicket. He’s off for 15. That’s just what Australia needed as the openers were starting to warm to the contest. James Vince walks out to the middle.
Adrian McMurray 2.07pm: England’s steady start
Cook and Stoneman have made a solid start, with a few costly overs from Hazlewood (nine runs) and Bird (five) allowing the pair to settle in. Smith will persist with the pair for now, let’s see what Bird can do in his first Test since Boxing Day last year.
Adrian McMurray 1.40pm: How will Australia respond?
They’ve had a rough day with the bat, but it’s time for the Australians’ pace attack to go to work. Cook and Mark Stoneman are in the middle. The pressure’s on Cook to produce something here. His few mentions in this blog across this series (beside his earlier catch) is perhaps indicative of his impact so far. Let’s see what he can serve up. Josh Hazlewood kicks things off.
Adrian McMurray 1.29pm: Australia all out for 327
Wicket! That’s the end of Australia’s first innings, as Lyon departs for duck lbw off Anderson. Australia review, but the decision stands. Rather alarmingly, Australia were 7-67 following Smith’s dismissal this morning. Who knows what would’ve happened had it not been for Smith, Shaun Marsh and Warner in particular.
Adrian McMurray 1.13pm: Broad strikes again
Wicket! Well, that didn’t take long ... just the second ball after lunch, Cummins edges off Broad to Alastair Cook in the slips who does well to collect. Nathan Lyon’s out there now. Can Broad get five?
Adrian McMurray 12.51pm: Lunch reading
While we wait for play to get underway in the afternoon session, make sure you read Justin Langer’s quotes on his interest in the Australian coaching job.
Adrian McMurray 12.33pm: England’s impressive morning
And that’s lunch, this morning’s session well and truly falling the way of England. They took five wickets for 82 runs in that stretch, Broad with two, Woakes and Anderson chipping in with one each and of course Curran’s first Test wicket, the scalp of Smith. Those chop-ons have been the order of the day, with three wickets falling in almost identical fashion. England will be keen to get back out there and finish this off.
Adrian McMurray 12.25pm: Broad’s hot streak
Wicket! Broad hits Bird flush on the pad. He walks, but they review ... and as expected, the decision stands. That’s No.3 for Broad and England are well and truly on a roll.
Adrian McMurray 12.15pm: Australia in trouble
Top five wicket takers in Test cricket:
— England's Barmy Army (@TheBarmyArmy) December 27, 2017
800 Muralitharan
708 Warne
619 Kumble
563 McGrath
520 Jimmy Anderson
ðŸ‘#Ashes pic.twitter.com/BTP2DtjH1a
Wicket! Paine is sent packing for 24, just 14 deliveries after Marsh’s dismissal. In a copy of the balls that saw Smith and Mitch Marsh go, Paine chops it back onto his leg stump, Anderson bringing up 520 Test wickets, climbing into the top five all-time. Jackson Bird is out there with Cummins now, and it surely won’t be long until we see England batting.
Adrian McMurray 12.06pm: Marsh departs
Stuart Broad gets the big wicket of Shaun Marsh with the help of the @Specsavers DRS #Ashes pic.twitter.com/1mJWApb2y5
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) December 27, 2017
Wicket! Shaun Marsh follows his brother back to the stands. That’s a win for Root, who re-introduced Broad. The wicket comes on the last ball of his first over, a massive appeal waved away. England review, and sure enough it’s out lbw, the length ball hitting Marsh‘s pad. Pat Cummins joins Paine at the crease.
Adrian McMurray 11.53am: Australia hit 300
Despite a few earlier setbacks things are starting to pick up for the Aussies. Paine pulls off a lovely cover drive for another boundary which takes his side over the 300 mark, Marsh continuing to heap misery on Ali with another four to end the over. What’s Root going to do?
Adrian McMurray 11.47am: Australian partnership builds
Woakes bowls a costly over, with both Marsh and Paine collecting boundaries, while Ali proves to be largely ineffective. England need something to stop these two from building something significant, and it looks like Curran will be the one tasked with breaking up this partnership.
Adrian McMurray 11.36am: Marsh’s important half-century
Shaun Marsh brings up 50 with a shot to the covers off Ali, his third half-century of the series and his ninth in his Test career. Mitch didn’t stick around for long but it looks as though his brother will again be crucial to the outcome in this one.
Adrian McMurray 11.23am: Marsh’s day two cameo
Wicket! Joe Root turns to Chris Woakes and in his first over, bowls Mitchell Marsh for 9 with a similar delivery to the ball that dismissed Smith. Marsh too chops it onto his own stumps after he faced just 18 balls. England have this figured out now as Tim Paine joins the proceedings.
Adrian McMurray 11.18am: Marsh brothers go to work
Of course Smith’s dismissal means Mitch Marsh joins his brother in the middle, and the younger Marsh wastes little time, smacking Curran for four in just his second ball of the Test. Shaun Marsh hits another boundary off Curran two overs later as the Marsh brothers go to work in their bid to give Australia a healthy first innings total. Another two off a Moeen Ali over sees the home side through to 4-277 after 100 overs.
Adrian McMurray 11.01am: Curran’s huge debut wicket
Getting the world's best Test batsman as your maiden wicket #ohwhatafeeling#Ashes @Toyota_Aus pic.twitter.com/dXhA7k16qT
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) December 27, 2017
Wicket! Wow. After narrowly missing taking the scalp of David Warner on 99 yesterday, Tom Curran bowls Steve Smith (76) thanks to a bottom edge. That came after Marsh and Smith brought up their century partnership. Huge moment for Curran, who takes his first Test wicket. Apologies for putting the mock on the Australian captain.
Adrian McMurray 10.54am: Smith fires up
Smith now the seventh player in #Ashes history (and first since Boon in '93) to register back-to-back 500-run series
— Adam Burnett (@AdamBurnett09) December 26, 2017
And just as I’d praised Anderson for his good work, Smith hits two fours off the English paceman’s bowling in the one over, the first through mid-wicket followed by another that brings up 500 runs for the series. He’s raced to 76, things looking positive for Australia.
Adrian McMurray 10.50am: England’s desperate search for a wicket
The tourists have made a tidy start to the day, with just six runs scored across the first five overs. But they’re desperate to convert some of this pressure to wickets. Jimmy Anderson has two maiden overs, keeping things tight early on day two.
Adrian McMurray 10.40am: More from Haigh, Atherton, Lalor and Faulkner
Did you miss any of our coverage from day one?
Gideon Haigh: Australia’s punk rock batsman finds his speed
Mike Atherton: Warner steps out from his own shadows
Peter Lalor: Warner defies death for Boxing Day century
Andrew Faulkner: Boxing Day stripped bare by flat deck
Adrian McMurray 10.30am: Play resumes on day two
We’re back underway on day two, with Steve Smith (65) and Shaun Marsh (31) in the middle. The Aussie skipper looks primed for another century, with Stuart Broad handed the first over of the day.
Labuschagne is committed, focused and hopelessly out of touch
For the first time in a long time, Australia has options at the top of the order and it continues Marnus Labuschagne’s run of poor timing.
Smith, Carey tons put Aussies on cusp of Sri Lankan sweep
Steve Smith ensconced his status as Australia’s Asian batting master as the skipper and Alex Carey drove the tourists towards the verge of a rare Test series win in the subcontinent.