Equation is simple, Australia need 6 wickets and England need 257 runs to win the 2nd Test of the Ashes on day 5. Firstly English bowlers were strict Aussies who were looking good at the end of Day 3. Australia just added 149 more runs and lost 8 wickets rapidly. Australian bowlers also showed good hands and clinched 4 wickets in a blink but Stokes and Duckett managed to survive at the end of the day 4.
Australia started their day 3 score 130/2 and Khawaja after getting a lifeline where he was dropped but couldn’t survive much longer and got out after scoring 77 runs. Broad takes the credit for his return. Smith who looked great but couldn’t convert his innings into a big one and was the next who got out. Tongue took him with his short delivery. Next was Head who got out cheaply with a score of only 7 runs and Root took a brilliant one hand catch. Broad took him off.
Then Green and Carey try to control the situation and play at a slower pace but Green’s patience gives up and he tries a pull shot of Robinson and Duckett runs and takes it easily. He departed after scoring 18 runs. Carey then got out by scoring 21 runs and Robinson took his wicket. Cummins departed at the score of 11 runs and Broad took his wicket. Hazelwood was the next one with a score of 1 run and Stokes got him. Lastly Lyon came to bat and Broad didn’t waste much time to take his wicket and out on 4 runs. Australia made 279/10 and they got a lead of 370 runs.
Broad the highest wicket taker in Ashes from English side again shows his brilliancy in bowling and took 4 crucial wickets. Tongue and Robinson both took 2 wickets each while Stokes and Anderson settled with 1 each.
English batters struggled in the 2nd innings and Starc and Cummins hurt them the most. Crawley was the first one who departed after scoring 3 runs. Starc and Aussies got their 1 wicket. Pope did not utilize much time in the crease and Starc inswing took away the bails. He made just 3 runs. Cummins took the main batter of England and Root departed after scoring 18 runs only.
Then in the same over Cummins again took the bails of Brook who just made only 4 runs. England were 45/4 at one moment but Stokes and Duckett saved their team and couldn’t drop any more wickets. Duckett dropped in the first over but he utilized his chance well and made 50 runs. Stokes also plays authentic Test cricket and made 29 runs at the end of the day. At the end of the day they made 114/4 in 31 overs.
In between the match Starc took a catch of the delivery of Green and it was seen clearly that the catch was taken clearly but umpire Erasmus called it not out and Starc looks unhappy after the incident.
Well deciding day number 5 will conclude the result that which side will conquer the match.