As Australia resumed their innings on 61/1 with Marnus Labuschagne (2*) and Usman Khawaja (26*) at the crease, Day 2 of the fifth Test of the 2023 Ashes was jam-packed with activity. Due to Labuschagne’s considerable caution at the crease, Australia got off to a fairly poor start for the day. Labuschagne’s lengthy stand of 9 off 82 came to an end as a result of Stuart Broad’s strange ploy, who moved the bails before Labuschagne edged the very next ball.
In the second session, Khawaja was defeated by Broad and left the game shortly after scoring 47. As part of his pattern of taking wickets in rapid succession, the seamer edged Travis Head (4) to Jonny Bairstow in the very next over. Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey were taken out by James Anderson and Joe Root, respectively, leaving England in trouble at 170/6. The hosts were then on 185/7 when Wood removed Mitchell Starc, adding to their misery.As he and Pat Cummins kept the innings together, Steven Smith was Australia’s last hope. To help their team come closer to England’s total, the pair collaborated on a key 54-run partnership.
Australia gains a slim lead thanks to Todd Murphy and Pat Cummins.
After getting the upper hand against Chris Woakes, Smith was eventually removed for 71 after being caught by wicketkeeper Bairstow. When Todd Murphy joined captain Cummins, Australia was still 44 runs down. The pair then put up a stunning 49-run partnership off of 68 balls to give Australia a slim lead of 5. As Cummins maintained one end, Murphy blasted 34 off 39 runs in a flash, slamming two fours and three sixes.
With only a few more overs remained in the day, their stand was broken when Woakes trapped Murphy in front of the stumps. Before Cummins (36) was struck out by Root to end the Australian innings, Josh Hazlewood, the final batsman for Australia, strolled in and added six runs to the total. Australia was consequently dismissed for 295 runs, taking a 12-run loss as Day 2’s stumps were called.
Here are some of the Tweets:
What a way to finish the day!
A stunning grab from the captain brings Day 2 to a close
Australia lead by
at the end of the first innings…#EnglandCricket | #Ashes pic.twitter.com/EdsUjrfmk7
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 28, 2023
A ben-tastic milestone
#WhistlePodu #Ashes
pic.twitter.com/AnA5hJpptq
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) July 28, 2023
This angle
— England’s Barmy Army
(@TheBarmyArmy) July 28, 2023
Negativity from the Aussies costing them here … England have bowled beautifully but will also be delighted with the Aussie approach … #Ashes
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) July 28, 2023
What’s with the Ashes and substitute fielders. #ashes2023 #ashes2005 #garypratt #georgeeahlam
Have to applaud Nitin Menon for making the right decision
— Ashwin
(@ashwinravi99) July 28, 2023
India
