A fighting England bowling pulled the handbrakes on Australia before Steve Smith and Shaun Marsh brought the opening Ashes Test to parity on day two.
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In a game of fluctuating fortunes, it’s difficult to discern who is on top at the moment.
Not that it matters a lot even if one or the other team is ahead after day two because the difference between the two sides isn’t too much anyway.
What would be significant is if either side can make day three count for a lot more than the other but by the looks of it, rain could play spoilsport throughout the day.
If one were to ignore the weather, the two teams would have their strategies marked out and hope they come off well in the end. Because neither side probably can predict how the surface might play going into the final two days of the Test – the crucial, business-end of the game.
Because, rather surprisingly, the Gabba surface, which usually ends up becoming quicker as the Test match progresses, was seen to have gotten slower on day two. That made run-scoring tougher and a run-rate of 2.5 was on display.
The Aussie top-order failed to adapt to the surface as nicely as Smith and Marsh did. There was a phase in their partnership – which is already 89 runs old – they made just 10 runs from 10 overs but they did not let that bog them down and when the scoring opportunities arrived, they did capitalise.
What also could have pushed the Aussies back was the loss of those four early wickets.
Cameron Bancroft had a forgetful first effort at the crease, Usman Khawaja’s issues against spin still need sorting, David Warner got out to that dink pull he often gets into trouble with while Peter Handscomb’s back-foot play proved to be fatal for a change as Australia fell to 4/76 at one stage in reply to England’s 302.
Thereafter it became a battle of attrition and that could well continue into the third day as the two teams look to fight it out for top honours by the time the day ends.
Prediction
Australia will look to bat on and on and tire the opposition bowlers much like how England tried and succeeded to an extent. On such a surface it would behoove them not to lose their patience in search for quick runs, and if they can get through to the tea interval with wickets still in hand, they would be mighty pleased.
England’s primary target will be picking early wickets but in the absence of that, they will continue to aim at choking the run-flow with funky fields and stump to stump bowling. The question then would be, who blinks first.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of Day 3 of the 2017-18 Ashes series from 11am (AEDT) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
Mark Richmond
Roar Guru
I’m actually looking forward to day 4 ? Great blog Suneer...thank you.
Savage
Roar Rookie
Mason crane seems to be very good bowler
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
The excuses are coming thick and fast...
ColinP
Guest
Talk is that both moeen and ball are injured too, Moeen doesn't look fit.....he has always been a big spinner of the ball but been wayward, here he has been accurate but hasn't looked to spin it....he had a side injury in the run up to the test, rumour Ian he's still carrying it....same for balls ankle, looked dodgy in late afternoon spell, way down on speed
ColinP
Guest
Tom helm, George Garton, Ollie stone, Matt fisher all bowl upwards 90mph, two coming back from a whole year out injured all under 22, mark wood, Jamie porter, mason crane better established.....shall I go on, or have we established your knowledge of English cricket doesn't extend far beyond what you have read in ashes build up in the tabloids.....
Adsa
Guest
Thanks Suneer, great day of cricket.
TheCunningLinguistic
Guest
Sorry, you're on your own there, boab.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Magnificent knock Smithy, once again the skipper puts the team on his back. Cummins was a superb foil and deserved a half century. Hazo bowled beautifully to nab two very important wickets. Still a long way to go in this game.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Over: 16.0 Score: 2/33
England have ended the day at 2/33 after having conceded a 26-run lead to the Aussies. A day of fluctuating fortunes yet again but at the end, we might be able to say, for the first time this game that Australia have their noses in front. A lot can happen obviously but with the pitch having become spiteful, it would take something special from Root and co. to get England out of the mire right now. Speaking of special, and it was Steven Smith's unbeaten century. Slow, but steady, rarely looked like he could be dislodged and even rarer was the number of times he got beaten - all of it on a slow surface. It was his knock and his partnerships with the lower-order, notably with Cummins, that helped Australia edge ahead. Hazlewood overcame his first innings nerves to send back two English batsmen and they will leave the ground far happier. Looking forward to the day three? I am. And I will be there with this live blog again. Hope to see you too.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Over: 15.6 Score: 2/33
Root gets off strike with a single off the fourth ball of the Lyon over but there's enough spin there... ..and that exact turn makes it tough for Stoneman. Wants to block it but ends up edging through the slips for a single. Root lets the final ball of the day go through to the keeper to end with a lead of seven.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Over: 15.0 Score: 2/30
Couple of minutes to go and Lyon has the ball. Can they try and sneak in another Cummins over here?
Rellum
Roar Guru
It is good to see batsmen hooing around and having to fight for runs. Proper Test cricket.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Over: 14.6 Score: 2/30
Root and Stoneman are not looking very comfortable in the middle and I might be understating it. There are fielders everywhere catching, including the slips, silly point, leg-slip and deep for the bouncers. Root gets off strike and Stoneman's looking equally apprehensive at the moment. Just a matter of minutes now, can he see through this over? Defends the final ball off with an attempted, straight bat. Phew.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Over: 13.6 Score: 2/30
Lyon has Stoneman in a tizzy. Not sure he has any idea which one's going to turn and which isn't and there are a few which have spun and bounced already. He has to avoid falling in that trap that Usman Khawaja has fallen - play for that turning ball and missing the straigher one.
Ouch
Guest
Aussie bowlers all over these 2 batsmen. Only a matter of time.
JGK
Roar Guru
Now that is an over of fast bowling.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Over: 12.4 Score: 2/29
Ooh, naaaice! Short of length from Cummins and Stoneman, whom I had just praised for his attitude, ends up fending it off to the leg-side. Comes off his bottom glove and pops up for someone to grab. Nowhere close to a fielder. Two balls later, he gets dished out another bouncer! Whoa. He's jumping and bouncing more than the ball itself here, Stoneman.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Over: 11.6 Score: 2/29
An early single for Root gets England level on terms with Australia but Lyon showing there's still enough turn on it. Stoneman gets beaten once but then adjusts and clips a Lyon delivery through mid-wicket for three more. Like Stoneman's positive intent here.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Over: 11.0 Score: 2/25
Nathan Lyon has come on to bowl with about 15 minutes remaining in the day's play.
Simoc
Guest
Gee that was a huge hit. He took his eye off the ball and placed his life in the helmet manufacturers hands.