In a gripping display of cricket, Australia gained the upper hand against England on Day 2 of the Ashes Test at the iconic Kennington Oval
In an enthralling day of cricket, Day 2 of the fifth Ashes Test witnessed some captivating performances as Australia took a 12-run lead over England. The Kennington Oval was the stage for an intense battle, and both teams displayed their determination to gain the upper hand. The first hour of play saw Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja from Australia neutralising the movement generated by the English bowlers. Their resilience frustrated the English attack as they held their ground steadfastly. However, the English bowlers could not find the breakthrough they desperately sought despite repeatedly complaining about the shape of the ball.
After the drinks break in Session 1, Australia had reached a score of 82/1 in 39 overs, with Khawaja on 34 and Labuschagne on 7. But just when it seemed like the Australian duo would establish a strong partnership, Joe Root, standing at first slip, pulled off a sensational catch to dismiss Labuschagne, ending his vigilant innings.
Australia reached the milestone of 100 runs with a magnificent straight drive off the bat of Smith, further consolidating their position. The teams headed to lunch on Day 2 with Australia's score standing at 115/2 after 51 overs, with Khawaja on 47 and Smith on 13.
The second session saw Khawaja's resilience come to an abrupt end when Stuart Broad trapped the left-hander plumb in front, leading to the batter wasting a review. The wicket also marked a significant achievement for Broad, as it was his 150th Test wicket against Australia. He didn't stop there and went on to remove Travis Head, getting his outside edge in quick succession.
Despite some resistance from Mitchell Marsh, who played a delightful lofted straight drive for a six, England's bowlers remained persistent. James Anderson finally got a breakthrough by disturbing the stumps of Marsh, providing England with some relief. At the drinks break in Session 2, Australia's score stood at 153/5 in 63 overs, with Smith on 26 and Carey on 0. England appealed for lbw against Carey and opted for a review, but it went in favour of the batsman. However, Joe Root had the last laugh as he caught Alex Carey, claiming his 100th Test catch.
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Australia managed to reach 186/7 at Tea on Day 2, after 75 overs, with Smith on 40 and Cummins on 1. The partnership between Smith and Cummins frustrated the English bowlers, and Cummins survived an lbw scare via a successful review.
In Session 3, Australia's score stood at 239/8 after 90 overs, with Cummins on 22 and Murphy on 0. Murphy displayed his aggressive intent, smashing three maximums against Mark Wood, bringing the team to 250 and taking the lead.
Australia eventually finished their innings at 295/10 in 103.1 overs, with Smith scoring a crucial 71 and Khawaja contributing 47. Chris Woakes was the standout performer for England with the ball, taking 3/61. With a lead of 12 runs, Australia ended Day 2 in a strong position, setting the stage for an exciting continuation of the match on Day 3.
