Ashes 3rd Test: Clinical Australia leave England with two wickets left, massive deficit to overcome (Day 2, Stumps)

Adelaide [Australia], December 18 (ANI): Absolute class bowling spells from spinner Nathan Lyon, skipper Pat Cummins and Scott Boland kept England away from their 'Bazballing' ways and in a realm of trouble, as the visitors ended the second day of the must-win third Ashes Test at Adelaide on Thursday with a huge lead still to overcome but only two wickets left.
England at the end of the play was 213/8, with skipper Ben Stokes (45*) and Jofra Archer (30*) fighting for their side as they trail by 158 runs.
England started the final session at 132/5, with Stokes (19*) and Jamie Smith (5*) unbeaten, and they trailed by 239 runs.
Stokes and Smith started the final session with positivity, taking an attacking route against skipper Pat Cummins and Cameron Green, with Cummins being hit for a four each by the duo in the 42nd over and from there, England reached the 150-run mark in 43.3 overs.
But there was a major controversy as in the same over, Smith appeared to have gloved the ball to Usman Khawaja at slips, and the on-field umpire sent the decision upstairs for review. While glove did move after being in contact with the ball, the snicko once again failed to show that, leading to the conclusion that the ball had deflected off his helmet. Also, with Khawaja being unsure of the catch being clean and TV replays suggesting it was not, Smith was given not out.
However, in Cummins' next over, Smith was caught behind by Alex Carey while attempting to pull a shot ball, but the spike on snicko appeared after the ball had went past his bat. Nonetheless, he was given out for 22 in 26 balls, with three fours and a six. England was 159/6 in 45.1 overs and Jamie continued his poor run.
Skipper Stokes had no choice but to watch helplessly as he saw Will Jacks (6) and Brydon Carse (0) perish to Scott Boland, leaving England at 168/8 in 54.1 overs.
Jofra Archer was next up on the crease and provided some entertainment to the English crowd, collecting some boundaries against Mitchell Starc, including a cut and cover drive befitting a top-order batter. England reached the 200-run mark in 61.4 overs.
Archer and Stokes made sure England escaped the final session without any further loss of wickets.
At the end of the second session, England was 132/5, with Stokes (19*) and Smith (5*) unbeaten. England trailed by 239 runs.
Starting the second session, England was 59/3, with Joe Root (11*) and Harry Brook (6*) unbeaten. They trailed by 312 runs.
Skipper Pat Cummins struck for the Aussies early in the session, producing the big wicket of Joe Root, as he nicked the delivery into the hands of wicketkeeper Alex Carey for a 31-ball 19. Cummins got Root's wicket for the 12th time in Tests, the most by a bowler. With their premier batter out, England saw the first signs of the Ashes slipping away from them at 71/4 in 16.4 overs.
The English skipper Ben Stokes, with his team needing a top-class effort from their miracle man. The duo showed fine restraint, with Stokes getting his first four, an off drive on a Nathan Lyon delivery, which was the 36th ball he faced in the 25th over.
After waiting patiently for an opportunity to go after Aussie bowling, Brook got his second boundary, a massive six over sweeper cover on his 35th ball. England reached the 100-run mark in 28.1 overs.
Another scorching late cut from Brook brought up the 50-run stand between Stokes and Brook, one marked by immense patience and restraint, in 97 balls.
The 56-run stand ended with Brook feathering an edge to Carey on an outside off stump delivery by Cameron Green, ending his knock at 45 in 71 balls, with two fours and a six.
Stokes and Jamie Smith made sure England played out the session without losing another wicket.
At the end of the first session, England was 59/3, with Root (11*) and Brook (6*) unbeaten. They trail by 312 runs.
Australia started day 2 at 326/8, with Nathan Lyon (0) and Mitchell Starc (33*).
Starc started the day on a positive note for the Aussies, smashing two boundaries each against Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse.
He reached his second fifty of the series in 73 balls, with eight fours, continuing a dream run in the series.
However, the partying did not last very long for the Aussies as Jofra Archer trapped Nathan Lyon plumb for a 35-ball 9. Australia was skittled out for 371 in 91.2 overs.
Archer (5/53) was the star for England, while Brydon Carse and Will Jacks chipped in with two wickets. Josh Tongue got one.
England started their first innings on an aggressive note, with Duckett collecting four boundaries in the first four overs against Starc and skipper Pat Cummins.
However, England's fortunes started taking a hit as Zak Crawley (9 in 19 balls) nicked it to Alex Carey, giving skipper Cummins a wicket. England was 37/1 in 7.4 overs.
Nathan Lyon struck twice in the ninth over, getting Ollie Pope caught by Josh Inglis for a 10-ball 3, continuing his flop run in the series and ended the over by trapping Duckett lbw for a 30-ball 29, with five fours. England looked at all sorts of trouble at 42/3 in 10 overs.
Lyon also went past Glenn McGrath to become Australia's second-highest Test wicket-taker behind late spin wizard Shane Warne (708).
England reached their 50-run mark in 12.4 overs as Root and Brook made sure England played out the rest of the session without any losses.
Earlier, Aussies ended the proceedings on day one at 326/8, with Alex Carey (106 in 143 balls, with eight fours and a six) scoring his first Ashes ton after Aussies were down and out at 94/4. Usman Khawaja (82 in 126 balls, with 10 fours) marked a commendable return to the side with a knock consisting of crispy cuts and trademark slog sweeps.
Brief Scores: Australia: 371 (Alex Carey 106, Usman Khawaja 82, Jofra Archer: 5/53) vs England: 213/8 (Ben Stokes 45*, Harry Brook 45, Pat Cummins 3/54). (ANI)