Ashes 2017-18, 2nd Test Day 3 - 5 Talking Points

Australia began the day on the upper hand, as England had already lost their first wicket on Day 2. England started the day on 29/1 after in-form opener Mark Stoneman was sent to the dressing room by a swinging delivery from Mitchell Starc.

However, it took the home side only four overs to strike first, as an outswinger from Josh Hazlewood found the outside edge of Mark Vince to leave the away side reeling at 31/2. The damage nevertheless did not end there as the feisty spell from Pat Cummins saw the back of the English skipper Joe Root.

The major attraction of the day was not the first two wickets that fell; it started when off-spinner Nathan Lyon dismissed the English opener Alastair Cook for 37 with England at 80/4. Cummins struck back with the wicket of Dawid Malan to leave the visitors in all sorts of trouble at 102/5. The double-strike gave the Aussies a real sniff at victory.

Lyon followed it up with a brilliant caught and bowled dismissal to remove the fellow-offie Moeen Ali. The dismissal was an example of perfect fielding, as Lyon never looked like missing the return catch. A series of caught and bowled followed as Starc struck back-to-back before Lyon wrapped it up with twin dismissal of his own. Australia, in reply, lost four of their ten wickets with only 53 runs on board.

Here are the talking points of Day 3 of the second Ashes Test

1) Nathan Lyon’s spell

Arguably one of Australia’s best spinner in the last decade, Nathan Lyon proved his worth once again at Adelaide. The offie picked up the wicket of Alastair Cook when the left-handed batsman was well settled at 37. Lyon’s second wicket was probably the pick of the lot, as the offie dived high to his left to pluck the returning shot from Moeen Ali.

This photographic dismissal was arguably one the most talked about points on Day 3 of the Ashes Test. However, the offie ensured that he would pick up a couple of more wickets before the closure of the English innings, with a spell of 60/4 in his 24 overs.

2) Woakes and Overton saved England from the blues

At 142/7, it looked like the game would come to a close pretty soon as the debutant Craig Overton walked to the pitch. However, a partnership between the two bowlers ensured that England does not go down with a fight, as the bowlers stitched a 66-run partnership for the eight wickets.

While Woakes got out for a well-made 36 runs from 62 deliveries in an innings which consisted of four boundaries, Overton scored 41 runs with five boundaries to the give the visitors a slim hope at victory.

3) Caught and bowled dismissals take centre stage

Never in Test cricket, have we witnessed caught and bowled dismissals taking the limelight. It has always been the bowled’s, caught behind and the lbw’s which have taken centre stage.

However, in the second Ashes Test, it was the caught and bowled which saw the light. First, it was the offie Nathan Lyon who grabbed a heck of catch after Moeen Ali expected the ball to evade the bowler. Following that, the left-handed Starc held on to two back-to-back caught and bowled to put the dismissal on an elite platform.

4) James Anderson to England’s rescue

Following England’s dismal batting performance, Australia walked out to bat in the second innings of the Test to set up a good total for the visitors. However, the home side did not get off to the best of starts, as Anderson dismissed Cameron Bancroft in the third over of the innings at 5/1.

Anderson later followed it up with the wicket of the left-handed Usman Khawaja who showed signs of promise on a tough wicket under the lights. The two wickets ensured that Australia does not get off to a good start, while the lead remains minimal for the visitors.

5) Chris Woakes strikes twice to leave Australia reeling

While Anderson swung the ball haywire from one end, it was Chris Woakes who was causing all sorts of damage to Australia’s top batsmen. The right-handed bowler’s deliveries constantly went past the outside edge of Australia’s skipper and deputy. David Warner was the first to get dismissed to Woakes, as he edged on to the English skipper Joe Root.

The big scalp of Smith was a priceless one for the away side, as Woakes landed the ball on a good spot to catch the Australian skipper hobbling for room. The ball thwarted the pads of the right-handed Smith, and the umpire was left to make an easy decision to leave Australia in all sorts of trouble at 53/4.