In the day and night fixture at Adelaide on Monday, England bowlers have staged a strong comeback by picking four wickets of Australia, before the third day’s play came to an end.
Nightwatchman Nathan Lyon is batting on three off ten balls, as middle-order batsman Peter Handscomb faced 17 balls to score three.
Australia took the first innings lead of 215 which has extended to 268 runs with two days to go, in the second Test of the five-match traditional Ashes series.
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At day three stumps, Australia was 53 for four in 26 overs after visitors bowlers did splendid work to open up the game.
Moreover, Kangaroos did not enforce follow, as skipper Steven Smith was the last man-to-go for the day when he was trapped in front of the stumps by Chris Woakes which further saw Chris Gaffaney from New Zealand raising the dreaded finger.
However, for the second time in the space of 15 minutes, Smith asked for a review which revealed the ball had clipped the top off of stump.
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Earlier, Smith was given leg-before-wicket (lbw) by Aleem Dar on nought when Anderson was bowling, but the New South Wales-born batsman went upstairs when the replays suggested ball has pitched outside the leg.
The right-handed batsman Smith managed just six runs in 12 deliveries, as Chris Woakes had the last laugh.
For England, bowling spearhead James Anderson was on song, as he claimed two wickets alongside Woakes, who removed senior campaigners in the form of Warner and Smith.
The right-arm fast bowler Anderson gave away 16 runs in 11 overs, as he further sent down seven maiden overs.
In the third over of Australia’s first innings, fast bowlers James Anderson removed opener, Cameron Bancroft, when hosts score was five.
The right-handed batsman Bancroft was caught by gloveman Bairstow before Anderson returned to trap Usman Khawaja in front of the stumps.
However, Khawaja went upstairs, but the decision of Aleem Dar was upheld when the ball was hitting the stumps.
The left-handed batsman Khawaja scored 49-ball 20, as he struck three boundaries.
However, opening batsman and Smith’s deputy David Warner returned to the pavilion to see Australia reeling at 41 in 19.5 overs.
In the afternoon session of the day and night fixture, England lost the wicket of James Vince after visitors started off the proceeding with the overnight score of 29 for one in 9.1 overs when rain brought to an end to day two.
For England, Craig Overton was the top-scorer, who remained unbeaten on 41 off 79 balls.
Off-spinner Nathan Lyon was the pick of the bowlers, as he claimed four wickets in 24.1 overs.
Following the late resistance, from Overton alongside Woakes, the Three Lions were restricted at 227 in 76.1 overs.
At one stage England was reeling at 142 for seven in 53.1 overs, which saw Woakes and Overton stitching the crucial 66-run partnership for the eighth-wicket.
Here’s the response from Twittersphere for the pink-ball Test between Australia and England in Adelaide:
https://twitter.com/Walshattack/status/937631861148282881
England's resurgent bowling in that last session was a bit like an FA cup tie where the plucky but out-classed non-leaguers grab a consolation goal from a set-piece in injury time and then ping another in from 35 yards to lose 5-2. #AUSvENG #TheAshes2017
— Roger Willis (@rogerhwillis) December 4, 2017
I’m no expert but I have an opinion and I’m tipping England ??????? no hope #AUSvENG
— JJ (@wotanswolf71) December 4, 2017
Australians only want one thing and it’s absolutely not disgusting and it’s to beat England in The Ashes! #BeatEngland #AUSvENG #TheAshes #TheAshes2017 #Adelaide #AdelaideOval #Cricket #BBCCricket #CricketAustralia
— Peter ? (@Peter_Moutz) December 4, 2017
Just say we bowl the Aussies out for 100, are we good enough to score 300 in the 4th innings #ashes17 #AUSvENG
— Scott Newman (@scottynewms) December 4, 2017
#Ashes #AUSvENG
Catch Of The Match????@NathLyon421 #Cricket pic.twitter.com/yteeTROFqi— Nigam soni (@nigs_128) December 4, 2017
Day 3: Stumps – Australia lead by 268 runs
ENG – 227
AUS – 442/8 decl, 53/4
(26.0 Ovs)
CRR: 2.04
Lyon* 3 (10)
Handscomb 3 (17)#AUSvENG— Abdul Rahman Chachar (@Cric_Scors) December 4, 2017
1. Matter is Aussies are favourite for this series and also they are playing at home.
2. Aussies bowlers were tired.
.
.
So summary is that you have asked a non-sence and valueless question.#Ashes #AUSvENG— Barney Stinson (@itsBarney83) December 4, 2017
Bairstow has had a rough life. If all he does is headbutt when drunk, let it go #Ashes #AUSvENG
— Hugh Hamilton (@hugh_h72) December 4, 2017
https://twitter.com/SpiceBoxofEarth/status/937648755821514752
Wonder if Alistair Cook will pull a Graham Swann and retire this #Ashes2017 tour? #Ashes #AUSvENG
— wadesgotit (@wadesgotit) December 4, 2017
We can get as excited as we want but Australia already have enough runs #TheAshes #AUSvENG #Ashes2017
— Won Too Nein (@filthycricketer) December 4, 2017
Still a flicker of hope for #England in the #Ashes #AUSvENG
— David (piratebill) Filmer (@THEpiratebill) December 4, 2017
England gets the big wicket of Steve Smith.#Ashes #Ashes2017 #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/HbJeLXDbl5
— Sportzwiki (@sportzwiki) December 4, 2017
Before Australia’s second innings, I would have said Eng have lost this test and series, but there is now a glimmer of hope, especially if we can get Australia bowled out before Lunch #BarmyArmy #EnglandTillIDie #AUSvENG #Ashes2017 ?
— Adeel Mahmood (@AdeelMahmood19) December 4, 2017