England finally hold control of a match in the Ashes, but they need to drive home their advantage against Australia on Day 2 of the third Test at the WACA. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 1:30pm (AEDT).
It was almost like Day 1 saw a role reversal. Across the first two Tests, Australia have nearly always been the team to dominate whenever the going was tight.
The first half of yesterday was exactly that, although the hosts probably were on the front foot in the middle of the day when they had England sitting at 4 for 131 in the 38th over with Joe Root and the struggling Alastair Cook both back in the sheds.
It was then the unlikely combination of Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow who held things down, keeping the Australians at bay and putting on an unbeaten stand of 174 with England getting to stumps at 4 for 305.
Malan brought up his maiden Test century as the Australian bowling gradually dropped off in quality throughout the afternoon while Bairstow sits on 75 not out overnight.
While the pitch has been criticised for being flat, the hosts showed taking wickets is possible. They bowled expertly early in the day, having England on the ropes four down.
Yet, as is so often the case in Perth, once a batsman survives the early part of his innings, scoring is possible at quite a rate.
For the most part, Australia bowled too short during the afternoon with Nathan Lyon also struggling to make any impact. The under-use of all-rounder Mitchell Marsh was baffling, and some of the hosts bowling changes seemed to be poorly timed by Steve Smith.
Put under pressure for the first time in the Ashes, they seemed to implode a little bit, running out of answers to stop Malan and Bairstow who will now look to push ahead tomorrow.
While England don’t neccessarily need a win in Perth to retain the urn, they will want to get on the scoreboard ahead of Melbourne and Sydney and therefore need to keep the game moving today with rain forecast on both Sunday and Monday.
The tourists must also learn from Australia and get their length right when they come out to bowl – if they don’t, David Warner has the potential to eat them alive.
Day 2 prediction
This is going to be a battle for the bowlers. It’s inevitable that Australia will bat at some point today, but England need to keep them in the field for two sessions and rack up 500.
Based on what we have seen throughout the series with their concentration lapses, that’s not going to happen.
It all comes down to how the tourists attack copes with the WACA wicket. I’d expect poorly given how well Australia bowled yesterday for their poor results, so the hosts should be in control of this one by the end of Day 2.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of Day 2 from 1:30pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to get involved by dropping a comment below.
Matt P
Roar Rookie
No outfield catch counts as a sitter. You need to immediately judge whether to move in or not, spot the ball, then deal with how it's moving through the air. Sometimes blokes set themselves, then have to move just as the ball gets to them anyway. Usually you're thinking about where you are in relation to the boundary rope as well. I agree it should've been taken but that applies to basically any catch, and it in no way makes it a sitter. Besides, he may well have taken that 99 times and this one just happened to be the one he didn't. Athletes misjudge and make mistakes all the time.
Jarryd
Guest
His was a sitter though. Fair enough if you have to run and then dive to take a catch ala pat cummins or craig overton but when you move a few steps to your right and set yourself you should be taking that 99 times out of 100.
Matt P
Roar Rookie
Outfield catches are sitters now? I'm obviously fielding in the wrong spot. Bancroft, Paine, Smith, and Lyon have also dropped catches so far. Are they marks against them?
Rob
Guest
There is always excuses for the Marsh boys. How does dropping catches fail to be mentioned at the selection table. Shaun dropped a sitter in the first game and Mitch has dropped a regulation slips catch already.
Sandy
Guest
Thanks Scott, I really enjoy your style. It’s more difficult for me to watch in Namibia, DSTV no longer televise matches played in Australia. I am tuning into BT and Willow. Enjoying the series though.
Guthna grow
Guest
Lets see how England f this up
Doctor Rotcod
Guest
Hopefully! Would you then hope that Maxwell fails so someone else gets in? That is a crass statement and unworthy of the elevated tone that most Roarers display in their comments I'm a Mitch Marsh fan ever since he led the Under 19s to World Cup success but I think that he's back a season too soon. And I think that Handscomb should have kept his spot Marsh's in the side and there to do his bit. His bowling is a bit rusty, which is why I think he's back early, but he's bowled some nice stuff too. As several articles on the Roar have pointed out,Maxwell bowling pies on the WACA, would have been a very tasty treat for those noted pie-eaters, the English
anon
Roar Pro
Shame on the English fans for their hateful, misogynistic vitriol directed at Nathan Lyon's partner. Absolutely disgusting. Surely this abuse comes under scrutiny from our vilification laws. Shaming and vilifying a woman simply for having a current partner and ex-partner who were professional cricketers is no different from shaming someone because of race. It's "slut shaming" pure and simple.
Ben Brown
Guest
One good knock doesn't silence anyone. He would need consecutive hundreds in tough situations to prove to anyone that he's improved. Hopefully he fails in both innings and we see Handscomb or Maxwell back into the team come the boxing day test.
I Worlds Biggest
Guest
Nice fight back from Australia but still plenty of work to do. Can Mitch Marsh silence all the doubters on his home deck which is a great batting deck, can he step up ?!
Doctor Rotcod
Guest
Sounds like you're one of the Brothers Grimm
Granter
Guest
You're such a positive bundle of fun George, whether you're logged in under Curious George or plain old George.
Dan in Devon
Guest
The best I saw by far was one Vivian Richards. He faces better bowlers on tougher wickets and without the bat technology they have today. The man instilled fear into bowlers in a way I have never seen since.
dave
Guest
Runs from Mitch aren't important,We just need him in the 2nd innings to deliver another 9 overs conceding 4.7 runs an over.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thanks for joining me today on The Roar for our live coverage of the 2017-18 Ashes Series. Hopefully you enjoyed the coverage. I'll be back on Day 5 of this Test, but tomorrow it'll be Suneer Chowdhary here to take you through Day 3. Bye for now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
ENGLAND BOWLING SCORECARD
Scott Pryde
Expert
AUSTRALIA BATTING SCORECARD
TOTAL: 3/203 (62)
Ouch
Guest
Yes he was. Did you watch?
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
That's a very good day for Australia, who've managed to get back into this Test, which is now dead even. But England know they're just one wicket away from Mitch Marsh.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Scorecards from the Aussie innings to come in just a moment.