Australia leading towards a winning score with 10 wickets in hand- 2nd Ashes Day 3 Review

Australia leading towards a winning score with 10 wickets in hand- 2nd Ashes Day 3 Review: Australia continues to dominate the second Ashes test with bowlers claiming higher honours on day 3, after dismissing host England for 312 to obtain the all important 254 run lead. Micheal Clarke though declined to enforce follow on and gave batters the opportunity to pile quick runs and set huge target for the host in a hope to square the series 1-1.

At the end of day 3, Australia were seating comfortably at 108 for no loss with openers David Warner (60) and Chris Rogers (44) making good use of the batting conditions. With visitors leading by 362 runs.

Australia continued to muzzle the hosts’ challenge by putting up an impressive performance to dismiss the host for 312. Their bowling was propelled by superlative performances from Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Johnson. If Hazlewood concentrated on bowling with good control and extracting movement off the surface, then Johnson bowled with pace and aggression. The duo shared six wickets between them. Mitchell Marsh, too, made his presence felt by snaring key scalps.

With England dismissed for 312 early in third session, Australia could have gone for the follow-on but Micheal Clarke has other ideas. They opted to bat and made England pay in the last session of the day. Australian openers David Warner and in-form Chris Rogers then piled on the misery with an enterprising stand. To make it worse for England, Adam Lyth dropped a chance off James Anderson’s bowling to give David Warner a reprieve.

David Warner further gone to register his first fifty of the series. He looked rusty at start edging few in between but the more he stayed at the crease the better he got. In meanwhile he showed his aggressive style while producing some blazing stokes. Chris Rogers looked in full control for his unbeaten 44.

Starting the day on 85 for four, England needed a sensational effort from the English batsman to reach closer to the Australian total. Skipper Cook and Ben Stokes started off in a positive note adding important runs for the home side.

Cook looked destined for a hundred after battling hard for 233 deliveries before being brought unstuck on 96, chopping a ball from Marsh back onto the stumps. Stokes was dismissed in virtually identical fashion earlier in the day, bowled by Marsh for 87 just before lunch.

Moeen Ali looked good for well compile 39 off 57 but was left with no support as wicket kept on tangling from the other end. With Jose Buttler and Mark Wood going cheaply. Stuart Broad played a decent cameo but end up giving an easy catch to substitute Shaun Marsh off Johnson to complete England’s inning with 312 on board and giving 254 run lead to Aussies.

Pacers Mitchell Johnson and Hazlewood was the pick of the Australian bowlers with the duo claiming 3 wickets each. Mitchell Marsh picked up the key wickets of opposite number Ben Stokes, who was looking on track for a century before chopping a ball onto his stumps on 87. Followed by the surprise scalp of skipper Alastair Cook (96) which also enabled him to reach his 28th Test Ton.

BREIF SCORES:

Australia: 566/8 decl. & 108/0 (D Warner 60*, C Rogers 44*) lead by 362 runs

England: 312 all out (Alastair Cook 96, Ben Stokes 87, Mitchell Johnson 3-53)