THE ASHES LIVE! All the action from Day 2 at the SCG.
MACQUARIE’S SUMMER OF CRICKET LINE-UP: Mike Hussey, Greg Matthews, Ian Chappell, Glenn McGrath, John Emburey, Geoff Lawson, Tim Lane, and Bruce Eva.
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STUMPS
Australia have ended up 2/193 at the end of day 2 with Usman Khawaja producing his best innings of the series ending the day 91 not out. As is the custom this series, Steve Smith is again not out at the end of play, currently on 44, and is once again looking untroubled and on track for another Test Century.
England stuck early, removing Cameron Bancroft for a duck – bowled by Stuart Broad before Jimmy Anderson got David Warner edging the ball to the keeper for 56.
The match is evenly poised with Australia 153 behind the English first innings total of 346.
Pat Cummins was the best bowler for the Aussies – he took 4 wickets, with two each to Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazelwood, while Nathan Lyon chipped in with 1 wicket.
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Catch up on all the Day 2 action from the SCG
- Australia build against England
- Captain Smith takes stunning Ashes catch
- Tail wags but England bowled out for 346 in Sydney
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SMITH PASSES 6000 RUNS
Australian captain Steve Smith has become the equal second fastest cricketer to score 6000 Test runs only behind Sir Donald Bradman. It took Smith 111 matches to score 6000 runs and draws equal with Sir Garfield Sobers.
Smith is again proving a thorn in England’s side as he is on track for another 50 if not 100 as Australia look to post a first innings lead after England scored 346 in the first innings.
Usman Khawaja has joined his captain and has batted beautifully, he currently sits on 76 and may just have resurrected his career on the back of a number of recent failures.
Steve Smith has just passed 6000 Test Match runs – Australia loves you Steve!
That man can certainly bat! Well done Skipper.#Ashes pic.twitter.com/1VjecgqKKO
— Macquarie Cricket (@MRNCricket) January 5, 2018
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Khawaja 50!
Usman Khawaja has put together a timely 50 to keep himself out of the firing line for future Test series, as he looks to salvage his career.
Khawaja has looked very good on Day 2 at the SCG playing free flowing, exciting cricket strokes, that have allowed him to gain some more confidence and prove to everyone he still has something to offer at Test level.
Khawaja has survived a number of LBW calls and has taken on the spin bowlers throughout, bringing up his 50 in style by hitting Moeen Ali over his head for six.
It is a timely score for the Aussie number three with the Australians touring South Africa in March with Khawaja now likely to be brought on that tour as the incumbent number 3 batsman.
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TEA
Australia have lost a key wicket on the cusp of tea, with David Warner dismissed for 56, edging one through to Johny Bairstow behind the stumps.
Usman Khawaja has looked largely untroubled and growing in confidence as he looks to prove to the selectors that he is the right man for the number 3 spot.
Relive the session two highlights here:
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David Warner has gone past 50 again and has looked largely untroubled throughout as he looks to record his 22nd Test Match hundred.
Australia lost an early wicket with Cameron Bancroft being clean bowled by Stuart Broad in the second over of their innings.
Australia are chasing 346 set by England in their first innings.
David Warner has passed 50 again!
He looks very good at the moment!
Australia 1/79 – Trailing by 267 #Ashes
— Macquarie Cricket (@MRNCricket) January 5, 2018
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LUNCH
Australia are in a commanding position at the lunch break, having bowled England out for 346 on Day 2.
Pat Cummins ended the day with 4 wickets – claiming Tom Curran and Moeen Ali before the lunch break.
Australia will now set their sights on chasing England’s total in quick time and building a first innings lead.
It was an action packed first session with wickets falling and nice camoes from Tom Curran and Stuart Broad who copped a barrage of short pitched bowling, but did it very well.
Relive all the highlights below…
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Broad stands tall after short pitch barrage
John Emburey is not happy with the Australian tactics of bowling short to the English tail enders.
Australia put in a short pitched barrage to the English number 9 – who took on the Aussie bowlers hitting two sixes in his entertaining innings.
Up in the commentary box however, John Emburey was not at all amused at what the Australian team was doing.
“This is bodyline bowling – every ball is short. There objective is to hit Stuart Broad. Bowl a yorker, that will get him out. He is doing well.”
Greg Matthews was impressed by Broad also – “He is standing tall here – he is taking them on.”
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Classic Catch!
Steve Smith has taken one of the Summers best catches to remove Dawid Malan early on Day 2. Starc forced Malan to chase a ball outside the off stump and edged the ball wide of second slip where Smith put in an almighty dive and pouched it in his left hand low to the ground.
Malan departs for 62 and Starc claims his second wicket of the match. Australia are in control and have England 6/256 early on morning 2 at the SCG.
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Day 1 recap
Australia have ended Day 1 on a high claiming two huge scalps to put England on the back foot leading into the second day at the SCG.
The visitors were cruising and looked set to end the day with Joe Root and Dawid Malan at the crease, not out and on route to big scores. The Australians were in need of a wicket after Root and Malan had dug in for most of the second session, and when the new ball came along things began to happen for the home side. Root was on 83 with 2 overs to go in the day when he tried to flick Mitchell Starc away behind square leg, only to hit it right into the path of a diving Mitch Marsh – who took the sharp catch and the Captain again failed to capitalise on a strong start.
England made an interesting decision to send wicket keeper Jonny Bairstow to the middle with only an over to go instead of a nightwatchman. Bairstow survived only six deliveries with his seventh bringing his downfall and seeing him edge the ball to Tim Paine on the final ball of the day with Josh Hazelwood picking up the big wicket.
It now leaves Australia in a strong position to bowl the visitors out early on day two and set about posting a lead by the end of proceedings tonight. Josh Hazelwood and Pat Cummins ended the day with two wickets each, while Mitchell Starc ended with one scalp after taking a bit of time to get back in the swing of things.
England will resume Day 2 5/233 – with Dawid Malan not out on 55 – he will be joined by Moeen Ali this morning.
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Catch up on all the action from the SCG on Day 1
- England to bat first as Crane makes Test debut in Sydney
- Khawaja hurts knee on day one in Sydney
- Crane to replace Woakes in fifth Ashes Test
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