Hey everyone, it's me again with the Ashes review. An English summer day at Headingley Stadium, Leeds. Both captains came out for the toss, Ben won the toss and chose to field first. The last time when both teams met here, Ben Stokes pulled off an unbelievable chase with Jack Leach on the other end. England is hoping for the same kinda chase and to stay alive in the Ashes.
Mark Wood, Chris Woakes, and Mooen Ali came back into England squad.
Mitchell Marsh, Scott Boland, and Todd Murphy came back to the Australia squad.
What a terrific start for England with the ball, Stuart Broad removed David Warner for a record 16th time in Test Cricket. An inswinging delivery and Warner tried to defend it and got a thick outside edge and catch taken by Crawley at the second slip position. Marnus came to the crease in the very first over.
Mark Wood literally breathes fire on his first spell against Marnus and Khawaja. He was so accurate with his length and line, and his extra pace becomes so dangerous on the hardest pitch of this Ashes. Khawaja couldn't handle his extra-paced delivery, an inswinging delivery at good length with 95mph ball leg stump goes for cartwheeling. Smith comes in for the 100th Test match with not a great reception from English fans. Chris Woakes came and continued spell like Wood from another end, soon he removed Marnus. Woakes bowled wide of the crease and got straightened after pitching to take Marnus's outside edge and Root completed the catch. Travis Head came in.
Bairstow is having a bad day on his keeping duties, He has already handed Steve Smith a reprieve off Ollie Robinson before Labuschange's dismissal and now Travis Head gets a lifeline as well. A few moments before lunch, Broad did magic to remove Smith and Bairstow completes a regulation catch.
After Lunch, Mitchell Marsh came and again he got a lifeline but this time it was Root who missed a regulation slip catch. Mitch maximized his lifeline and started his aggressive batting approach against English bowlers and scored a century in quick time. He smashed English bowlers all over the park and it was such an entertaining Ashes innings from him.
Mitch Marsh has made 3 centuries in Ashes and he has the highest conversation rate from fifty to century. He has 4th highest batting average (52.7) in the Ashes series for an Australian batsman.
On the final ball of the second session, Marsh's outstanding innings come to an end and it's Woakes again. That was length delivery angled in, he tried to push it and got an edge and Crawley at 2nd slip completes the rest.
Alex Carey came for crease with a lot of boos from the English crowd and joined with Head. From here, it was English bowlers who unleashed their beast performance to remove the entire Australian lower middle order. England restricted Australia to 263 from 240/4
For England, Crawley and Duckett started with the bat, and Starc with the ball for Australia. Cummins put up a fight for his team with his bowling accuracy. He removed Ben Duckett with a peach of a delivery and Alex Carey to complete the catch. Harry Brook came at No.3 and played a cameo which eventually ended with Cummins again. Coming in at No.3 Brook fails to grab his chance as he edges a delivery on a good length behind. Smith takes the catch as Australia celebrates.
Root comes in, and Crawley and Root put up a great effort to build a partnership. Cummins used his all-rounder triumph card who had a great day with bat and delivered at the right time with ball. He bowled a length delivery which nibbed back, Crawley edges it and slip the corridor, and completes the catch.
Now, it's all in the hands of local lads Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root to build some partnerships and make England stay in this competition. The wicket has pace and bounce, Australia will try to take advantage of it tomorrow. Let's see what happens !
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