Ashes: Another Dominating Day As Australia Stretch Lead To 282 Runs

Cricket Image for Ashes: Another Dominating Day As Australia Stretch Lead To 282 Runs (Image Source: AFP)

Even though Australia lost David Warner just before the stumps, they ended yet another day dominating the test and pushing England out of the pink ball test here at Adelaide. 

Resuming the day at a tricky position of 17/2, Joe Root and Dawid Malan began the rebuilding process with some deserved luck - edges that didn't carry, inside edges that missed the stumps - and some great batting conditions. 

Malan kept pouncing on everything that was just short and wide while Root was happy to rotate the strike whenever possible. The introduction of Nathan Lyon did bring some close calls but not much that England's best player of spin - Root - couldn't handle.
Malan brought up his fifty in 86 balls and soon Root too got to his 52nd half-century in test cricket. 

However, after the dinner break, Cameron Green gave the much-needed breakthrough to hosts as he broke the 138-run partnership, removing Root for 62. 

Australian bowlers suddenly looked threatening from ends as Malan, on 80, too edged one to the slips to give Starc his second wicket. Marnus Labuschagne grabbed a sharp catch to remove Ollie Pope for five. 

Starc kept bowling from one end and troubled Jos Buttler with the angle. He finally got the edge as Buttler departed for a 15-ball duck. 
Chris Woakes and Ben Stokes tried reviving the innings with their 33 run partnership in 78 balls, but Lyon and Starc didn't let England come back as they wrapped them for 236. 

Australia didn't enforce the follow-on and came out to bat again in the tricky twilight period. Both Marcus Harris and David Warner showed solid defence against the new ball but a misunderstanding meant Warner had to depart for just 13. 

Brief Scorecard: 

Australia - 473/9D & 45/1 
England - 236/10