England have it all to do during the twilight period if they want to stop Australia running away with the second Ashes Test match at the Gabba in Brisbane. Joe Root and Jofra Archer put together an impressive last-wicket stand to give the tourists a respectable total to defend – or at least that’s how it appeared on paper.
The Three Lions were disappointing with the new ball, and Australia were able to chalk up 130 runs for the loss of just one wicket. Former England bowler Stuart Broad pulled no punches with his verdict of the opening session, dubbing it an absolute disaster for the tourists. The Aussies are 204 behind Ben Stokes’ side, who have a mountain to climb heading into the evening sessio. Here, the Express takes a look at the moments you might have missed from the first session.
England’s historic innings and final wicket stand
Joe Root stole the show yesterday with his first century in Australia and put on 138* not out in England’s first innings. He showed his teammates how to bat under pressure and keep the scorecard moving in the right direction.
He was able to get the monkey off his back, and Root’s total is the highest of a visiting batter in a day-night Test in Australia, moving ahead of Pakistan’s Asad Shafiq, who scored 137 in Brisbane in 2016. It’s also the joint-highest score of an English batter in their first innings at the Gabba since Sir Ian Botham in 1986-87.
When Jofra Archer came to the crease, England were 264-9 and contemplated declaring to get a few overs in at Australia under the lights. However, come the end of their first innings, the tail-ender had added 70 runs alongside Joe Root to make it England’s highest tenth wicket stand in Australia since 1951. According to the BBC, Archer’s knock of 38 runs is the highest by a number 11 Down Under since 1903.
New ball struggles
Unlike Mitchell Starc, who managed two quick breakthroughs with the new ball, England struggled to find their line and length. The Australian left-armer is undoubtedly the best pink ball bowler in world cricket, but he didn’t have to work as hard as he may have thought he would.
Upon reflection, the wicket of Ben Duckett was a brilliant delivery, but there were too many gifts from England. Australia were 30-0 while the visitors were two wickets down at the same stage. It was a pretty ominous start to the game from the Aussies, and Jamie Smith missed a golden opportunity to see off Travis Head early.
The new Aussie opener was caught out by the extra bounce from Archer and edged behind to Smith, who got a strong glove to it, but somehow dropped a straightforward catch. It was a huge chance and Australia looked to make them pay.
Jake Weatherald found his groove and played some beautiful shots, lashing the ball to the boundary for four just a few deliveries after that dropped catch. Brydon Carse looked completely out of sorts, and Australia piled on 23 runs in just two overs as England’s attack bowled too short and too wide.
Ben Stokes brought himself into the attack, but he wasn’t able to work his magic as Australia raced to 77-0 after just 13 overs with a run rate of 6.00. The alarm bells were ringing.
“Erratic would be how I’d describe it,” former England bowler Stuart Broad told 7. “Particularly after Jamie Smith’s dropped catch. I can’t remember one good ball going for four. This isn’t a 500-run pitch. They’re gifting some fours out there at the moment.
“There are cracks in this pitch and 127-1 is an absolute disaster.”
Jamie Smith’s nightmare moment
Jamie Smith has made a positive start to his England Test career, but will want to put this morning’s dropped catch well behind him after the tourists were made to pay. The Surrey keeper dopped Head on three after Australia’s star performer in Perth edged behind.
A beautiful delivery from Archer found the extra bounce in the pitch, and former England wicket keeper Matt Prior felt Smith ‘should have taken’ the catch.
Giving his take on TNT Sports, Prior said: “He didn’t do a lot wrong. Just got done by the extra bounce and pace.”
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