2nd Ashes Test, Day 1 Review: Day 1 Honours Shared After Impressive Showing By Both Teams

Apr 6, 2019 at 2:07 PM

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2nd Ashes Test, Day 1 Review: Day 1 Honours Shared After Impressive Showing By Both Teams

After Australia’s dominating performance in the opening Test at the Gabba in Brisbane, they started as the overwhelming favourites to win the 2nd Test but at the opening day of the Pink Ball Test in the Adelaide Oval both teams will be happy with the proceedings as the honours were shared after Australia reached 209/4 at the end of the day’s play. The English bowlers were disciplined and pegged away with the wickets and never allowed the hosts to run away with the game.

Not a single batsman could convert their starts into a big one as the top scorer for the Aussies were Usman Khawaja with 52. All of them got starts but just when it looked that Australia would run away with the game England got the wickets at the crucial junctures. Openers Cameron Bancroft and David Warner began cautiously, but an uncharacteristic lapse in concentration brought an end to Bancroft’s innings as he was run out by Chris Woakes.

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – DECEMBER 02: Stuart Broad of England and Steve Smith of Australia exchange words during day one of the Second Test match during the 2017/18 Ashes Series between Australia and England at Adelaide Oval on December 2, 2017, in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

David Warner on the other end played some delightful shots en route to his 47 but just when he was looking good and trying to dominate the English bowlers, Chris Woakes induced an edge of a short of length delivery. It moved just a bit and took the outside edge. It was a much-needed wicket for the visitors.

Captain Steven Smith joined Usman Khawaja in the middle and looked in good touch from the outset. He was involved with several banters especially with two of the leading wicket-takers in English Test history James Anderson and Stuart Broad. The discussion was the reason which brought about Cameron Bancroft’s wicket and later it was Steve Smith who was also dismissed by a peach of a delivery from Craig Overton. He also became the first bowler to castle Smith in Australia since 2013.

Khawaja looked good for his half-century and smashed eight boundaries in the process. The southpaw found the boundaries on a regular basis but soon after completing his fifty, James Anderson induced an edge from the southpaw’s bat which was safely grabbed by James Vince stationed in the slip cordons.

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – DECEMBER 02: James Anderson of England and Steve Smith of Australia exchange words during day one of the Second Test match during the 2017/18 Ashes Series between Australia and England at Adelaide Oval on December 2, 2017, in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Following Smith’s wicket, Australia’s score read 161/4. From there on it was Peter Handscomb and Shaun Marsh who shared an impressive unbeaten partnership and ensured Australia reached stumps without the fall of any further wickets. They crossed the 200 mark when bad light brought an end to day’s play nine overs before the scheduled close. The pink ball did something all through the day but Day 2 is expected to be the perfect day for the batsmen, and Australia will look to cash in on the advantage. The wicket takers for England were Broad, Anderson and Overton while one came in the form of a run-out.

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