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The Australian bowlers were at their level best in the last session on Day 2 of t♓he ongoing third Ashes Test against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The visitors didn’t get even a second of breathing space as Aussie pacers owned the last hour of the day where they kept asking tough questions from the England batters.
After bundling out Australia for 267, England were 82 runs behind and needed a strong reply from their batters to continue the momentum. However, the Aussies had some other plans as they comple𒐪tely dominated in the last hour of play.
It all started with a double blow affected by pacer Mitchell Starc on consecutive deliveries in the fifth over of England’s second innings. Starc steamed in and removed opener Zak Crawley (5) with a stunning outswinger before getting rid of Dawid Malan on a golden duck. The left-armer almost got to his hat-trick after beating English skipper Joe Root off the outside edge.
The epic Starc’s over was repeated by debutant Scott Boland when he came to bowl the 11th over of the innings. Boland dismissed opener Haseeb Hamid (7) on the third ball of his over, and only one ball later, he removed nightwatchman, Jack Leach by shattering the latter’s stumps to reduce England at 22/4. The tourists added nine more runs to finish the second day at 31/4 in 12 overs, with England still 51 runs behind.
Earlier, James Anderson registered his best-ever figures on Australian soil, picking up four wickets while conceding 33 runs in 23 overs, including 10 maidens. Anderson, who had dismissed David Warner on the first day, got rid of Steve Smith (16), Marcus Harris (76), and Pat Cummins (21) to complete his four-for.
Apart from Anderson, Ollie Robinson (2/64) and Mark Wood (2/71) picked up two wickets each, while Ben Stokes (1/47) and Leach (1/46) bagged one wicket a✱piece.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
England didn't even have a batsman ready.
Absolute comedy capers.
— Tim Michell (@tim_michell)
STARCCCYYYYYYYY 🔥
Th🗹e skills with seam position at 145k𓆉m/h are 🤤 so good.
— Trent Copeland (@copes9)
I know Boland and Starc took the ဣwickets but blimey… Cummins isn’t ever not a threat. Just consistently brilliant.
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell)
They’re on their feet for✨ Scotty Boland as he wanders down to field in front of Bay 13
— Andrew McCormack (@_AMcCormack7)
//twitter.com/benjonescrꦡicket/status/1475361484687302658
Have seen faster, more furious bowling from Australians against England than Pat Cummins but for consistent threat game after game, he's been sensational for three successive series now. Unreal.
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp)
Uff James Anderson fiꦰrst and n✅ow Pat Cummins. It’s felt like being at the Woodstock of fast bowling today at the MCG, without the intoxicants
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07)
Remembe𓂃r how we used to be in those tug-of-war competitions? Once the big fellow at the back started to move, we were gone. England are like that, playing like they have nowhere to go.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha)
Four down at stumps.
Scorecard: | 🇦🇺 🏴
— England Cricket (@englandcricket)
The hometown hero 🙌
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket)
An incredible day of Test cricket, England on top, then Australia ta🐓ke the momentum right back!!
England minus 51-4 at stumps on Day 2
Poor Joe Root, so much on his shoulders
— ThePoppingCrease (@PoppingCreaseSA)
