CRICKET
Day 2: Australia all set to win
Steve Smith also missed out on his hundred but Labuschagne managed to complete his first Test Hundred in Ashes.
It was a brilliant day for the debutant Neser as he shone with both bat and ball.
Australia 1st innings 473-9 Dec
Labuschagne 103 Stokes 3-113 Warner 95 Anderson 2-58 Smith 93 Robinson 1-45
England 1st innings 17-2
Hameed 6 Neser 1-4 Root 5* Starc 1-11 Burns 4
Australia is again in a good position to win the match as they declared their 1st innings on a good total of 473 runs.
Labuschagne who was batting on 95 completed his 100 today.
Smith built on his impressive record against England and had another good partnership with Carey for the 6th wicket.
Like Warner, Smith also missed out his hundred and was dismissed on 93.
Australian lower order fires
England was looking to wrap up things quickly when Australia was 7 down on 300 runs but Starc and Neser frustrated England with their outstanding partnership.
They smashed a 58 runs stand off just 53 balls.
The lower order of Australia scored more than 80 runs in the last 10 overs of their innings.
The England openers once again failed to provide a good start to their side as both of them went to the pavilion within the first 7 overs.
Burns was once again dismissed by Mitchell Starc.
On the other hand, the debutant Michael Neser his maiden Test wicket on the 2nd ball of his first over in Test cricket by dismissing Haseeb Hameed on just 6 runs.
However, the stumps were taken off early because of a storm threat in Adelaide.
Labuschagne was dismissed early on in the first session today after completing his first Ashes ton.
After his dismissal, Smith and Head scored a 40 run stand but Root didn’t allow Travis Head to score big runs like the first test and clean bowled him on 18 runs.
Cameron Green also had a very short stay on the crease as he was bowled by Ben Stokes on 2 runs.
Smith stayed calm and patient on the crease and made another solid partnership with Alex Carey.
Their 91 runs stand was broken down by James Anderson.
He dismissed Smith on 93 runs with a brilliant delivery that nipped back from outside off.
Smith was given LBW and he took a review against it but the ball was hitting the stumps clearly.
Alex Carey also scored a crucial half-century to contribute to the 1st innings total.
His partnership with Smith helped his side to put a big total on the board.
Carey was dismissed on 51 runs by Anderson.
Both Smith and Carey were dismissed in quick succession and the English bowlers were looking to dismiss the tail as quickly as possible but Mitchell Starc and Michael Neser smashed a brilliant partnership in the end.
Both of them thrashed the English bowlers for boundaries all over the ground.
Neser was dismissed on 35 runs off just 24 balls including 4 fours and 1 six.
Mitchell Starc remained unbeaten on 39 runs off 39 balls.
All the pressure is again on skipper Joe Root to score big runs as the English openers have failed again.
The Malan and Root partnership will be crucial for England and if Australia somehow manages to dismiss Root early on tomorrow, the match will be totally in Australia’s hands.