The Ashes – Second Test, Brisbane: Day 2 – A ‘catch of the Series’ conundrum

 

 

 

The Ashes — Second Test, Day 2: A ‘catch of the Series’ conundrum

 

On Day 1 of the Test we rode pillion as England Joe motored us along that famed centurion highway ‘Root 66’. By the end of the day’s ride, 135 clicks were on Joe’s clock, but the tarmac was running out.

 

England came into the second day 9 wickets down for 325. Having already added valuable runs to the tally, Root and Archer picked up where they had left off on Day 1. The pair were looking settled when Archer took aim at a short ball from Doggett. The shot hurtled toward the boundary looking to all intents to be going for four. Intervention come in the form of the airborne Marnus Labuschagne with outstretched hand who secured the catch in spectacular style. 

 

England’s road came to an end with a score of 334. Root (not out 138 off 206 balls) and Archer (38 off 36 balls) had combined to add a 70-run partnership for the 10^th wicket. 

 

Under a cloudless blue sky and with light winds keeping the temperature to an expected maximum of 29oC, Australia’s openers Head and Weatherald arrived at the crease. In the pleasant conditions the pair took their time to assess the bowling, the first score coming off the bat of Weatherald in the 4^th over.

 

Weatherald found his groove and Head, perhaps humbled by the giant caricature of his face emblazoned on the image of a red and white upturned bucket to the left of the pitch, slotted into a supporting role after being given a life on 3.

 

All was going spiffingly until Head on 33 had a brain-fade and skied a ball to Atkinson off the bowling of Carse at the start of the 13^th over. Australia were 1 for 77.

 

Still levitating after his ‘catch of the Series’ Marnus Labuschagne joined Weatherald, the latter continuing to take the lead. Australia went to the tea break 1 for 130 off 21 overs.

 

Just four overs into the second session a classic yorker LBW from the blinged-up Jofra Archer finally ended Weatherald’s innings on 72, including 12 fours and a six at a strike rate of 92.31.

 

Up to this point, the batting had been a pleasure to watch. Enter Steve Smith—my signal to switch to the ABC Listen Ap. As accomplished a cricketer as Steve Smith is, his on-field foibles and fidgeting makes for frustrating viewing. And while I’m airing my gripes, unless it is part of the irrigation strategy for the grass, please can players refrain from spitting on the field!

 

At the end of the 37^th over Labuschagne and Smith had steered Australia’s score to 196 but Labuschagne nicked the first ball of the next over which exposed Cameron Green to the bowling of a fired-up Ben Stokes. Unfortunately for England, Green and Smith carried the batting side through to the dinner interval on 3 for 228.

 

Cameron Green came back from the break with a bat-swinging mindset and England’s bowler’s looked like they needed a good rest. Then, in the 57^th over, Green took one swing too many. Stepping back attempting to cut a half volley from Carse, Green’s stumps were zingered. 

 

Carse and England then missed a chance for a double-wicket celebration with Duckett dropping Carey first ball. A reprieve for Duckett and reward for Carse came two balls later when Will Jacks (why hadn’t he been given more than one over to bowl?) took an outrageously excellent catch to dismiss Steve Smith. England were back in the game and the voting panel for ‘catch of the Series’ had a dilemma.

 

Alex Carey and Josh Inglis steadied the situation for the home team to take the total past 300. Inglis played a sound role to attain 23 off 25 balls before Ben Stokes got in on the zinger action by removing Inglis’s bails with a beautiful in-swinger in the 64^th over.

 

With Michael Neser and Carey in to defend Australia’s 7^th wicket partnership, England’s spirits seemed buoyed. But as the overs ticked by, the England bowlers looked ever more frustrated and, quite frankly, stuffed.

 

Stumps came after 73 overs. Australia rounded out the third session on 6 for 378 at a run rate of 5.18 which kept things entertaining. Carey and Neser remain the not out batters on 46 and 15 respectively.

 

For the bowling side, Archer has 1 wicket for 74 from 20 overs; Atkinson 0 for 78 from 18 overs; Brydon Carse has gone for 113 runs but taken 3 wickets from his 17 overs; Stokes has claimed 2 wickets for 93 off 17 overs; and Jacks went for 9 off his single over.

 

All-in-all, with two days down, the Test is pretty evenly poised.

 

 

 

Here is the link to espncricinfo website for the full scorecard.

 

 

Read more from Heather Here.

 

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