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Role reversal as English batsmen collapse

England's Joe Root failed to fire at The Oval. (AFP Photo / Saeed Khan)
Roar Pro
21st August, 2015
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Australia continued to dominate the start of this final Ashes Test, leaving England in a vulnerable position by the end of day two.

The start of day two was very similar to day one, with Steve Smith and Adam Voges starting slowly and patiently with the new ball.

Five overs in Voges made his half-century, bringing it up with a well timed cut through to the boundary at backward point.

Voges didn’t get the chance to make a century, getting out lbw by Ben Stokes in the 93rd over, a DRS review failing to save him.

Smith was caught behind by Jos Buttler on 92, though Finn saved the batsmen, a front-foot no ball sparing Smith the long walk back, for now.

Mitch Marsh failed to build a partnership with Smith, getting out for three being caught by Bell in the slips off Finn.

Though he got bogged down in the 90s, Smith finally got his century through a misfield at midwicket, making the milestone in 197 balls.

Pete Nevill and Smith were looking to close out the morning well, however Moeen Ali disrupted their plans it what would be the last over of the session.

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Peter Nevill made a start, but got out in the 106th over, the ball grazing his glove and being taken by Buttler up at the stumps to Ali.

Nevill made 18 from his 27 balls faced.

Johnson only lasted two balls, being bowled by Ali for a duck.

This ended the morning session, with Australia at 7/376 from 106 overs.

Starc and Smith went after the bowlers in the middle session, though it was the bowler, not the incoming captain who took the front seat, blasting a quick half century from 45 balls.

Smith’s innings ended in the 122nd over, when he chopped on a ball from Finn, hitting the base of middle stump.

The incoming captain made 143 from 252 balls, ending his and Starc’s partnership of 91.

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Mitch Starc departed soon after Smith, getting out lbw by Stokes, the original decision being overturned after a DRS challenge from England.

Starc made 58 from 52 balls in his cameo.

Adam Lyth combined with Finn to end the Australian innings in the 125th over, diving to his right to make a good catch and dismiss Siddle for one, ending the first innings at 481.

England got off to a quick start, before Lyon got the breakthrough in the seventh over, bowling out Cook for 22 and ending the middle session with England at 1/30.

The inclusion of Siddle in this match was a surprise to some, though he struck in his first over, Lyth top edging a pull shot and getting caught by Starc at mid-on, out for 19.

Siddle continued to make an impact, combining with the other bowlers to slow the run rate to a crawl, before taking out Bell’s middle stump with a late out-swinger.

This left England in a spot of bother, they were at 3/60 off 24 overs.

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Mitch Marsh took the big wicket of Joe Root the very next over, in an almost identical situation to Michael Clarke in Australia’s first innings.

Originally given not out, Clarke got the decision reviewed, and the decision was overturned, a small sound picked up as the ball passed the bat.

Joe Root made 6 runs from 39 balls.

Johnson was the next to cash in on the wickets, when Bairstow took him on and top-edged a pull shot down to Lyon at deep square leg, out for 13.

Lyon sent Buttler back to the sheds for one run in the very next over, threading the ball right through the gate and hitting the top of middle and leg.

By the end of that over England were in serious trouble, sitting precariously at 6/85 from 30 overs.

Australia’s bowlers continued to apply pressure on Stokes and Ali, Marsh getting rewarded when Stokes top-edged a pull shot high and straight, caught comfortably by Nevill and sending Stokes to the sheds on 15.

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Broad fell in the same over, nicking to a tumbling Voges, out for a duck and giving Marsh his third wicket of the innings.

Marsh would’ve got another wicket in his next over, but in another stroke of déjà vu, a front-foot no-ball cost him his fourth wicket, just as it cost Finn in the first innings.

Marsh finished the days play with a maiden a couple of overs later, with England at 8/102, still trailing by 379 runs.

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