(ESPNCRICINFO) – After Travis Head had hogged the attention in the build-up, fellow opener Jake Weatherald emerged from his shadow with a rollicking maiden Test half-century as Australia capitalised on a ragged England bowling and fielding effort in the day-night second Ashes Test.
Australia ended day two well on top after half-centuries from Weatherald, Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. It was the first time in a decade that Australia put on 50-plus stands for the first four wickets in a Test innings but no batter has yet been able to kick on for a big score.
Just a fortnight ago, England hustled Australia for 132 in Perth with hostile pace bowling that evoked peak West Indies but they have been undisciplined since and conceded 5.17 runs an over so far in this innings.
On the back of Weatherald setting the tone with 72 off 78 balls, including 59 in the first session, Australia moved into a powerful position at 291 for 3 and just 43 runs behind England’s first innings.
Under major pressure after their first-Test humiliation, England appeared to be wilting amid a totally lacklustre bowling effort until Cameron Green and Smith succumbed in the same over to a short-ball ploy from Brydon Carse, who had been very expensive to that point.
Leeds-born Josh Inglis was later clean bowled by indefatigable skipper Ben Stokes as England mounted an unexpected fightback after a totally underwhelming day. But Alex Carey and Michael Neser benefited from sloppy fielding – amid five dropped catches by England so far in the innings – as they finished with an unbroken 49-run partnership to steady Australia.
After England were dismissed for 334 in their first innings early on day two, with Joe Root finishing unbeaten on 138, the focus immediately turned to Head following his extraordinary century in Perth as a makeshift opener.
With veteran Usman Khawaja ruled out due to a back injury, Head is playing this match as a specialist opener – a role he had only occupied previously in South Asia.
There was intrigue over how he would approach the situation on a ground where he bagged a king pair in the day-night Test against West Indies in January 2024.
Head had no troubles negotiating the first delivery, with Jofra Archer spraying down the leg side in a sign of things to come for England’s attack. Archer could not find the right length but Head and Weatherald were circumspect as the innings started with three maidens.
