A pumped-up Australian bowling unit ripped through England’s fragile batting on Thursday to leave the tourists staring down the barrel of a third successive Test defeat with their Ashes campaign on the brink, barring a miracle.
At stumps on a sweltering Day Two, the visitors had ground to 213-8, trailing by 158 after Australia added 45 to their overnight 326-8, with Mitchell Starc scoring his second fifty on the trot (54).
A gutsy Ben Stokes battled through the day with 45 not out after facing 151 balls. Jofra Archer accompanied him to the dugout at stumps with an unbeaten 30.
Australia skipper Pat Cummins, returning from a lower back injury after missing the first two Tests, made an immediate impact by dismissing England opener Zak Crawley (9) early, before Nathan Lyon — reinstated in the XI after being dropped at the Gabba — picked the wickets of Ollie Pope (3) and Ben Duckett (29) in his first over to leave England tottering.
Lyon’s Test tally swelled to 564, going past the Glenn McGrath’s record in the process, leaving him ‘humbled.’
“I grew up Glenn McGrath. To think of being able to overtake Glenn… it’s pretty humbling to be honest,” said Lyon.
Cummins then dismissed Joe Root (19) cheaply before Harry Brook’s counter-attacking 45 was nipped by Cameron Green.
But then came a moment of controversy, as Jamie Smith (22) was adjudged caught behind with Snicko showing a small spike one frame after the ball passed the bat.
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