Adelaide: Jos Buttler is leading England’s resistance as Australia now need just two wickets to win the second Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval. At tea, England are 180/8 in 108 overs with Buttler (batting 25) and Stuart Broad (yet to get off the mark) at the crease.
Starting from 142/6 at dinner break, Chris Woakes got going with two boundaries through leg-side off Marnus Labuschagne. Woakes, along with Jos Buttler, batted out seven overs of the second new ball as Australia weren’t able to get a breakthrough.
Woakes drove Jhye Richardson through cover but on the next ball, the stand of 61 off 190 balls was brought to an end by the pacer ending the all-rounder’s stubborn stay with a nip-backer sneaking through the gate to hit the top of middle stump.
Buttler showed remarkable application, patience and determination in leading the stubborn resistance by England’s lower order. He shielded Ollie Robinson from facing the pacers and allowed him to face off-spin of Lyon, a tactic which worked for around 11 overs.
Robinson hung around for 39 balls before edging to Smith at first slip off Lyon.
Broad was adjudged lbw off Lyon for nought. But he took the review and got to overturn the on-field decision as replays showed a thick inside edge.
Earlier, Australia struck on the 13th ball of the day as Ollie Pope poked at a length ball angled across from Mitchell Starc, getting a thick edge to Steve Smith at second slip. Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler joined forces for a resistance show.
But Nathan Lyon got one to slide across and trap Stokes lbw in front of middle and leg-stump. Australia took the DRS and got the on-field decision overturned, resulting in Stokes departing after resistance of 77 balls.
Woakes and Buttler then combined to put up a 35 run-stand for the seventh wicket while playing out 104 balls. Woakes was the more aggressive of the two, caressing Michael Neser through the off-side twice while bringing out the sweep against Lyon and getting a thick edge off Jhye Richardson through third man.
With the final session only left in the match, England will be hoping that Buttler, Broad and James Anderson can save the match under lights.
Brief Scores: Australia 473/9 dec in 150.4 overs and 230/9 dec in 61 overs (Travis Head 51, Joe Root 2/27) vs England 236 all out in 84.1 overs and 180/8 in 108 overs (Rory Burns 34, Chris Woakes 28; Jhye Richardson 3/37, Mitchell Starc 2/26). England need 288 runs to win.
