Tea Australia 2 for 88 (Smith 24*, Khawaja 14*) trail England 403 (Malan 140, Bairstow 119, Stoneman 56, Starc 4-91, Hazlewood 3-92) by 315 runs
Craig Overton removed both of Australia's openers during an
impressive spell of bowling after England's lower order collapsed rapidly on
the 2nd day at the WACA. During the opening session, Jonny Bairstow scored
his first Test century in 18 months and with Dawid Malan compiled England's
all-time highest Ashes fifth-wicket partnership, before England lost their last
six wickets for 35 runs to be all out for 403. By tea, Australia was 2 for 88,
with Steven Smith on 24 and Usman Khawaja on 14.
Cracks in the WACA pitch were contributing to some inconsistent bounce, but it was simply fine bowling from Overton that accounted for David Warner and Cameron Bancroft. On 22, Warner edged behind when Overton angled one in and straightened it just enough, before Bancroft was lbw on review for 25 to leave Australia at 2 for 55.
Overton might have added Khawaja to his wicket tally if he
could have held on to a very difficult diving return chance as well, and Smith
survived a late scare when from the last ball of the session he was struck by a
bouncer that reared off a crack and the ricochet nearly spun back on to his
stumps. Although there were plenty of runs still in the pitch, there were the
beginnings of some demons.
During the morning, Bairstow had brought up his hundred from
his 185th delivery with a single to fine leg, and fittingly celebrated with an
understated headbutt to his own helmet. The innings was Bairstow's first Test
century since he made an unbeaten 167 against Sri Lanka at Lord's in June 2016,
ending a drought of 37 innings without reaching triple-figures. His efforts
certainly justified England's decision to promote Bairstow back up to No.6
ahead of Moeen Ali.
Earlier, Mitchell Starc had finished with 4 for 91 and Josh
Hazlewood picked up 3 for 92 as the WACA's bounce troubled the England lower
order. The last man out was Stuart Broad, who walked across his stumps in an
effort to hook a Starc bouncer - in the previous over he had cleared the
boundary in a similar manner off Hazlewood - and lobbed a catch to Bancroft at
short leg.
Malan and Bairstow continued to frustrate the Australians during the morning, including when Steven Smith called for an ill-advised review when Starc swung one in to strike the pads of Malan, with the ball clearly heading down leg side. Malan and Bairstow broke the 79-year-old England Ashes record for a fifth-wicket partnership, which had been held by Denis Compton and Eddie Paynter, who put on 206 at Trent Bridge in 1938.
The 237-run partnership finally ended when Malan was
brilliantly caught by substitute fieldsman Peter Handscomb off the bowling of
Nathan Lyon for 140. Malan failed to get to the pitch of the ball and in trying
to hit Lyon over the top, succeeded only in spooning an edge up into the off
side, where Handscomb ran briskly from backward point and took the catch while
diving forward at full stretch, the kind of effort that Australia needed to
turn their game around.
Moeen lasted only two deliveries before the extra bounce
from Pat Cummins troubled him and the ball lobbed off his glove to Smith at
slip. Another fine catch, this time from Cummins at long leg, ended Chris
Woakes' innings on 8 off the bowling of Hazlewood, before Starc curled one in
to rattle the stumps of Bairstow, who was bowled for 119.
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