Ashes 2017/18 - Adelaide Day 5 - Australia Go 2-0 Up, Another English False Dawn

With just the second delivery of the day, England would have been filled with the all too familiar feeling of impending defeat. Chris Woakes got the faintest of edges that on review was upheld as, despite no evidence on Hot-Spot, the tiniest spike on Snicko proved Aleem Dar right. In Hazlewood's second over, Joe Root was also removed without adding to his overnight 67, and even the most optimistic of English fans knew the death knell had tolled.

A new ball just 20 overs away, perhaps it was a surprise that Hazlewood was asked to bowl straight away, rather than give Cummins and Lyon first attempt and wait for a fresh Hazlewood and Starc to take the new ball. Smith's decision reaped immediate reward, further enhanced by Moeen Ali swiping across the line to Lyon and departing lbw for just 2.

Jonny Bairstow and Craig Overton were to be England's final hope but Overton fell to the first delivery from the new ball, pinned lbw by Mitchell Starc. Stuart Broad was never going to hang around long, and expecting James Anderson to face up to and score freely against this attack would be like expecting Piers Morgan to have a balanced opinion. The margin of victory was 120 runs, suddenly Smith's decision to not enforce the follow-on is forgotten but Root's decision to bowl first is a tale that will be heard for decades next to Hussain at the Gabba, or Ponting at Edgbaston. At least Ponting can have the satisfaction of getting within 3 runs of winning the game and ultimately one of the greatest Test matches of all time.

Effectively, the series is over. Mathematically, it is still possible for England to win the series, although not even coming away with an Ashes-retaining draw is likely. Infuriatingly, had England shown the same fight first time with the ball as they did second time around then they would have been strong favourites for the game and possibly then the series, such is the confidence and momentum they would have had. Momentum and confidence is almost exclusively in the Australian camp and once again a mediocre Australian side could whitewash this equally mediocre England side.

The series needed an England victory in Adelaide to still be considered a contest. It now needs England to win in Perth and Melbourne to provide an "all-or-nothing" finalé in Sydney. England haven't won at the WACA for 39 years and you cannot see that changing in the final Ashes test to be played at the venue, in fact I'd go so far as to say Australia will win there inside 3 days. My prediction before the series was that England would win 2-1. Firstly, I cannot now see how any game will end as a draw without 2 days rain. Secondly, Australia have now won two games, and finally where is an England victory going to come from? Adelaide was the best chance to get on a roll. Melbourne is possible, but the pace of Perth will favour the home side as it did in Brisbane, and Sydney traditionally is good for spin. Nathan Lyon is proving far superior to Moeen Ali.

Australia will win the Ashes, that is now all over bar the shouting. 5-0? Maybe so. From this point in, you can't see better than a 4-1 loss for England. Back to the drawing board once again, it'll take meticulous planning to even dream of a win over here in four years time.

Ashes 2017/18 - Adelaide Day 4 - England Fighting, But Surely Too Late?

What a day's cricket. If ever there was a day to prove what a great spectacle Test cricket can be, Day 4 in Adelaide was that day. The game is still very much in Australia's favour but England have finally shown the fight that the Barmy Army and all supporters have been asking for. In typically British fashion, the feeling of elation at England's fightback is only matched by the infuriating knowledge that they have this ability but don't seem to use it to get on top in the first place.

Knowing that they needed to bowl Australia out cheaply to stand any chance of getting a result, James Anderson in particular came out firing and picked up where he left off the previous evening. Sideways movement through the air or off the pitch will challenge the greatest of batsmen and so it proved. With just the third ball of the day, England thought they had Peter Handscomb caught at slip. Aleem Dar gave him out, and he correctly reviewed, the ball flying off his shoulder. Shortly after, Stuart Broad showed England's own intent with a very well directed short-ball which Nathan Lyon wore flush on the grille. As much as there has been a lot of niggle in this series between the sides, it was good to see Stuart Broad immediately go to check on Lyon's well-being.

England's aggression bore fruit; Lyon shaken and out soon after, Handscomb trying to make room but guiding to slip, and Tim Paine over-zealous in attempting to pull Woakes out of the ground could only find the very safe hands of Craig Overton, who took a splendid catch running in from Fine Leg. At 90-7, England's foot was beginning to put pressure on Australia's throat. From that position, Australia got to 138 all out, something of a mini-fightback of their own. Somewhat surprisingly, this was James Anderson's first 5-wicket haul on Australian soil and boy, did England need it. Even with that effort, England have to score 354 to level the series which would be a record chase at Adelaide Oval. Records are there to be broken.

Lady luck would need to shine on the tourists for them to have even the slightest chance, and with the score on a single run Hazlewood came around the wicket and crashed one into the pads of Alastair Cook. Incredibly, it wasn't given, even more incredibly Steve Smith chose not to review and Hawk-Eye showed the ball to be uprooting leg stump. Cook's fortune could also be England's glimmer. As the opening stand passed fifty, the former England Captain looked to be finding his old form even though he was only on 16, facing Nathan Lyon he looked to turn one into the leg side, was beaten and hit on the pads again but not given. This time, Smith used his review. This time, Smith got it right. Cook was gone, a few overs later and so was Stoneman; caught low by Khawaja at gully. 

The expected collapse was on the cards as darkness fell across South Australia, James Vince tamely edging to first slip as England fell to 91-3. Joe Root and Dawid Malan showed us there was light in this series with a magnificent partnership deep into the evening as Australia were rattled, wasting both of their reviews and watching the English pair roll the scoreboard over with ease and regularity. Plenty of verbals were apparent, and those who could bear Channel 9's commentary team would have heard Shane Warne (one of the better ones, to be fair) mused that a batting side would be delighted to see a fielding side acting like that as it shows you've got on top of them.

As the game drifted towards the close, only Pat Cummins appeared to have any kind of desire in his eyes rather than trepidation. He produced THE perfect delivery from around the wicket to a left-hander, beating Malan for pace and clattering the top of off stump. 169-4 in the bowler friendly evening conditions, Australia had an opening as Chris Woakes came to the crease. A night-watchman coming out at night, something this new format has brought to the fore. 20 minutes of nerves, determination and quite thrilling theatre to get through. England managed it, finishing the day on 176-4 with a further 178 to get. 

If you are in the Adelaide area, get down to the Adelaide Oval on Day 5. A gold coin donation is all that is required to enter the ground to witness what promises to be a series-defining moment. Either England will break a record to level the series, or Australia will go 2-0 up and all but secure the Ashes.

My gut feeling is that this one is just beyond England. We have seen England fight before and come up short, and with that late wicket of Dawid Malan the tourists only have 6 wickets to protect. For England to come out on top, Joe Root needs to bat through and score 150-plus, Woakes needs to hang around and get 30-40, Ali and Bairstow need to get scores and not rely on Overton or the tail. Australia will take the rest overnight, come out fresh and firing in the morning. Nathan Lyon will be a handful on the final day, as will the pacemen. The longer England can keep them out there and bowling, the better their chances become. Australia should go 2-0 up here, but it would be great for the series and Test cricket if they prove me wrong.

Ashes 2017/18 - Adelaide Day 3 - Australia On Top As England Fight Back

Merely 8 days into the series and some claim the destiny of the urn is almost guaranteed. England's repeated ability to capitulate at pressure moments is un-rivalled and once again they found themselves in that situation at Adelaide Oval. Should Australia finish the job and go 2-0 up the possibility of yet another 5-0 whitewash would be increasingly likely, and if we ignore England's 3-1 victory in 2010/11 the record since 2002/03 is: Played 16, lost 15, won 1. Include that series win and the reading is only marginally improved: Played 21, lost 16, won 4.

When Australia won 5-0 in 2006/07 it was a fitting tribute to the departing Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne and Justin Langer, a result that you couldn't begrudge a team full of legends of the game. Ricky Ponting leading in style, Brett Lee charging in, Andrew Symonds finding his place, Damien Martyn finishing his career mid series, Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist in their final Ashes series, Michael Hussey grabbing his chance. You cannot argue with the quality of any of the Australian players in that series, including Michael Clarke and Stuart Clark. 

When Australia won 5-0 in 2013/14, it was a decent Australian side but in my opinion none of the players other than Mitchell Johnson should be remembered as legends, and even then if you look at Mitchell Johnson's Ashes career it was only this one series that stands out at all. In all of his other series, he maybe fired for one game. 2013/14 was a mediocre Australian side that all hit their peak at the same time as England fully imploded. Careers were effectively ended as a result of that series, immediately in the case of Graeme Swann and Kevin Pietersen, not long after for Matt Prior, Ian Bell, Tim Bresnan, Chris Tremlett, Jonathan Trott and others who haven't been seen since such as Michael Carberry, Scott Borthwick and Boyd Rankin. No-one can question the quality of Australia's cricket in that series, particularly Johnson, however as good as Australia were, England were at least equally bad if not worse.

Back to this series, this game, and this day. England escaped the most bowler friendly period with last night's rain delay but still contrived to lose James Vince and Joe Root before the first drinks break with Alastair Cook following shortly after having looked fairly assured beforehand with moments of alarm. England's hopes were pinned on Cook and Root, so unless Ali, Bairstow and the newbies could provide some resistance, England were staring at a requirement to pull out what would be considered the greatest of Ashes comebacks.

Moeen Ali couldn't provide that resistance, brilliantly caught and bowled one handed by a diving Nathan Lyon. Avoiding the follow-on now looked a long way away at 132-6, still 310 behind. Johnny Bairstow was unfortunate to be caught and bowled by Mitchell Starc whose flailing hand knocked the ball up in just the right place to grab it at the second attempt. Debutant Craig Overton joined Chris Woakes for a partnership of 66, mixing controlled aggression with watchful batting. Perhaps the Australians underestimated Overton. For Devon League opponents, Craig was the Overton who could bat. So he proved at Adelaide, finishing unbeaten on 41 while everything else around him fell like dominoes to deny him a debut fifty, at this attempt anyway. England all out for 227, a deficit of 215.

Almost expected was Australia's decision not to enforce the follow-on, such is the modern method of grinding your opponent into the dirt and giving them a target they cannot possibly chase. In a day/night Test approaching the twilight and evening session, perhaps the better thing to do would have been to make England bat again and face the barrage from Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins in the bowler friendly conditions. England capitalised, Anderson in particular finally finding the movement he is renowned for in home conditions even if he still bowled too short.

Bancroft departed early to Anderson's skill, in almost identical fashion to the way Broad dismissed him at The Gabba. Broad himself started with a wide and struggled to make Warner or Khawaja play regularly. That said, he produced a few unplayable deliveries while Anderson grew in class and confidence. Coming around the wicket he produced the perfect away swinger to Khawaja to pin him lbw. Next over, Chris Woakes squared up Warner who could only edge to Joe Root at second slip, and England were in the ascendancy. Steve Smith is a huge wicket, discussion on how unorthodox his technique is goes without saying anymore. To England's credit they came up with an unorthodox plan; Anderson staying around the wicket and swinging the ball into him. It worked third ball, as Anderson trapped Smith plumb in front. Smith called for the review and the closest of close calls worked in the Australian captain's favour, the ball pitching less than 2cm outside leg stump to see the decision overturned.

When Smith clipped an almost identical delivery for four shortly after you could have been forgiven for thinking England may have missed their chance. Anderson was all over him, then Chris Woakes from over the wicket nipped the ball just enough to beat the bat; another big appeal, again the finger was raised! Again, Smith reviewed. For once the DRS worked in England's favour and four huge wickets for England mean this Test match may not be over just yet!

Without a doubt, this has been Australia's day but England are fighting, as they must. Ashes cricket isn't a matter of life and death, it is much more than that. A colleague of mine was not happy with Australia's decision not to enforce the follow-on, fearing that Australia could be bowled out for 120. How England will hope that prediction is correct. After all, Australia were dismissed for 60 in the last series, and while that is not likely to happen here England MUST come out firing, a competitive series depends on their ability to do just that. What a massive day we have in store on Day 4.

Ashes 2017/18 - Adelaide Day 1 and 2 - Devon Represented At Test Level Again

Not since Paignton's Chris Read walked from the SCG in 2007 has Devon Cricket been represented for England's Three Lions. With the selection of North Devon CC's Craig Overton in place of Jake Ball for the 2nd Ashes Test at the stunning brand new architecture of the Adelaide Oval, years of predictions from many within the Westcountry about the appearance of one or both of the Overton twins have borne fruit. The overriding opinion is that it is a matter of time before Jamie will do the same as Craig, and represent England.

For the first time as a Day/Night prospect, with a pink ball and overcast conditions, Adelaide was supposed to favour the England pace attack. History suggests that at Adelaide you win the toss and bat. Joe Root did the opposite, and took a huge gamble in doing so. There is method to the perceived madness; of the two previous day/night Test matches at Adelaide it has been the team batting second that has come out on top. Both times, Australia. With moisture around, cloud cover and a Pink Kookaburra that promised pronounced movement perhaps it wasn't such a gamble at all? Unless you take into account that this is an Ashes series, and anything can happen.

England toiled for 180 overs at The Gabba less than a week ago so perhaps it may have been prudent to give them a little bit of extra rest. That we opine as such is with hindsight because England did not bowl at all well to begin with. Even without the BT Sport feed, you can almost hear Geoff Boycott losing his mind on commentary; "You CANNOT bowl short at Headingley on this pitch! My mother could've hit that wi' a stick of rhu-baaaarb!" A shocking piece of calling by David Warner brought England's first wicket, a "Yes! No! Wait! Sorry!" selling Cameron Bancroft down the river as Chris Woakes scored a direct hit. Shades of Jonathan Trott in 2010 with Ponting falling next ball? Not to be.

England were suddenly galvanised by that wicket and began to bowl much, much better. Anderson and Broad threatening without ever getting on top. Chris Woakes was again slightly off colour and Overton was given his chance. Usman Khawaja batted with poise and dignity in the face of much criticism after Brisbane, and looked to take the game to Moeen Ali. It was almost a shock when David Warner nicked behind on 47, and even more of a shock that Khawaja produced a false shot only to be shelled at Long Leg. Fortunately for England he only added 9 more runs, but that allowed him to bring up his 50.

Steve Smith had riled the England camp after Brisbane by laughing at a press conference, which is almost as pathetic as it sounds. But if that's what England need to fire themselves up and get into the series then so be it. Stuart Broad and James Anderson made their feelings known to the Australian Captain, and it appeared to get under his skin. Smith's idiosyncrasies multiplied and he was far more fidgety than normal. He reached 40 and the thought began to develop that England's tactic hadn't worked. Enter Craig Overton. First delivery of a new spell, having just been told by Smith that he was too slow (he had been bowling in the high 120's/low 130's compared with Australia's average of 140kmh at the Gabba) he put one through a little quicker. The ball nipped back off the seam and all Smith could do was inside edge the ball, squeezing onto his pads and back onto the stumps. Overton's first international wicket could hardly have been any bigger.

Reaching the end of Day 1 further unscathed was a great result for Australia; England won the toss and bowled, but only took 4 wickets. Three deliveries into the second day and Stuart Broad removed Handscomb and together with Anderson looked to be turning the screw. They bowled without luck, and the longer that went on the more frustration entered their game. Anderson had an lbw decision against Shaun Marsh overturned, Hawk-Eye suggesting the ball would have gone over the stumps when side-on vision looked like the Umpire's original decision wasn't such a bad one. Shortly after, Anderson successfully appealed for lbw against Paine, however this one was much more clear cut. Paine reviewed, the ball easily going over the top.

From there on in, it was the Shaun Marsh show. In an age of unorthodox batting techniques, Marsh was the classic Test batsmen and completely unruffled in reaching his 5th Test hundred, one more than his father Geoff. It is one thing to come out and play such an innings, but to do it under the spotlight of a nation questioning his selection, talent and right to a spot in the side will have done wonders for his confidence. It will have brought his nation right behind him, not on his back. Once the milestone was reached he and Pat Cummins opened their shoulders, Cummins making a quick-fire 44. With the declaration imminent, Marsh deposited Stuart Broad straight back over his head for 6 with a sublime lofted straight drive. No better feeling for an Australian batsman.

Alastair Cook and Mark Stoneman were to face a very tricky 28 overs under lights with the new pink ball. There is a conspiracy theory that the speed guns are turned up for the Australian bowlers. Incredibly, Mitchell Starc hit 150kmh in his first over but even more incredible was that Josh Hazlewood topped 145 very early on too! The opening pair rolled the scoreboard over nicely but Starc showed just how dangerous he is, trapping Stoneman lbw in front and surely laughing inside at Stoneman's decision to review. England now only have one unsuccessful challenge left for the rest of their innings. Remember, they no longer top up after 80 overs.

That the rain came may have saved England from further damage. They will come out tomorrow in the middle of the day and have to see off the new ball and make inroads to Australia's 442-8dec, before the twilight hours where the ball moves around more. Alastair Cook and Joe Root in particular NEED to stand up if this Ashes series is to remain alive. Bat poorly in this match, and England can kiss goodbye to that precious little prized urn.

Ashes 2017/18 - Gabba Day 5 - Australia Take Ashes Lead

Unbeaten overnight, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft saw Australia safely past the total inside just 16 overs on the final day. The Barmy Army showed up in numbers hoping to see England at least take a few wickets and send out a statement of intent but it wasn't to be, The Gabbatoir forcing England to wait at least another four years for a chance to reverse the one-way form guide in the Queensland capital.

And so the focus shifts to South Australia for the first ever Ashes match to be played as a Day/Night fixture with the Pink Kookaburra Turf ball. Australia have now played a three Test matches under lights and have prevailed, England just once against a very weak West Indies side just a few months ago. The toss will, as ever, be crucial. Logic suggests that the anticipated bowling conditions will suit James Anderson and Stuart Broad, but Hazlewood, Cummins and Starc will doubtless be licking their lips at the prospect.

England have a conundrum; Chris Woakes was strangely off-colour and Jake Ball's inexperience showed at times, but perhaps it's still too early to chop and change. Unless Ben Stokes is Australia-bound imminently the only potential change would be Craig Overton to come in for Jake Ball to give some control and a little aggression. He is an "in-your-face" cricketer and it's that kind of character that the Three Lions need. Botham, Flintoff, Darren Gough, Kevin Pietersen are all of the same ilk as Craig Overton, and an exuberant debutant who won't shy away from a challenge can lift a side. Overton's accuracy in the County Championship and the Ashes warm-ups could, and perhaps should, be rewarded with a chance to shine in Adelaide.

Whether it is an Australian media fabrication or not, unwanted attention has been brought on Jonny Bairstow. Allegedly the England wicket-keeper had a coming together with Cameron Bancroft over in Perth a few weeks ago and the players themselves have already described it as a non-event. However following the Ben Stokes controversy the Australian media will jump on any opportunity to destabilise the visitors and further heap on the mental pressures that these contests apply.

Australia will almost certainly go into Adelaide unchanged, just about everyone other than Khawaja and Handscomb contributed in some way to the hosts comprehensive victory. Having said that, Glenn Maxwell will be in the ears of anyone with selection contacts after slamming a 318-ball 278 for Victoria in the Sheffield Shield, quietly ignoring the second innings 16 in the same game against New South Wales. For all England's failing in this match, it would be unwise to discount them at this stage. Should they fail to win in Adelaide though, questions will need answering with increasing urgency. The one I am tempted to ask is to the British Airways booking office... "Can you please confirm the booking details for a Mr B Stokes?"

Advantage: Kangaroo.

Australia 1-0 England.

Ashes 2017/18 - Gabba Day 3 and 4 - Australian Victory All But Guaranteed

Firstly, please accept my apologies for this amalgamated review of Days 3 and 4. I play cricket on a Saturday which makes it a bit more difficult to get a timely review of the day's play so combining the two days play seems like a better idea.

With the game so evenly poised after Day 2, the pendulum started to take its first prolonged lean late on Day 3. Shaun Marsh passed 50 as expected but departed soon after to a very tame push to mid-off. Still trailing by 127 when Marsh was dismissed England had the chance to really turn the screw. Tim Paine (13) and Mitchell Starc (6) soon followed but the tourists perhaps underestimated Pat Cummins' ability with the bat while Steve Smith continued on his merry way towards yet another hundred.

Australia got themselves a 26 run lead with Smith's sublime unbeaten 141, no obvious weakness in his unorthodox technique. Before England managed to get the scores level Alastair Cook was superbly caught at fine leg, perhaps a little unlucky because it wasn't a mis-timed hook. If anything he got it too well. James Vince also departed before the close of Day 3, England finishing with a lead of 7 with only 8 wickets in hand. Joe Root held the hopes of his country going into Day 4...

Sunday belonged to Australia. Of that, there is no doubt. Stoneman was the first to be dismissed as Nathan Lyon found the edge and Steve Smith held on to a very good slip catch. Dawid Malan went in almost identical fashion, and the relative experience in the English batting line up of Joe Root and Moeen Ali would go on to define England's chances. Root brought up his fifty but was trapped lbw very next ball for the second time in the match, and the familiar feeling of an imminent England collapse began to come to the fore, but with Moeen Ali still at the crease alongside Jonny Bairstow, this really was the last hope for the visitors.

Alas, the Lions were tamed. Root's 51, Ali's 40 and Bairstow's 42 were all eclipsed by Smith's 141 not out the day before, the Australian captain's ability to not only convert the score but go on with it have fundamentally put Australia on the verge of another victory at The Gabbatoir. Chasing a total of just 170, England will know that once again they have fallen short of the standard required to put Australia under pressure on home soil. A target of 220-250 was the goal, had they achieved such it will be forever unknown how this Ashes opener would have evolved, having been so even for the best part of three days.

David Warner (60*) and Cameron Bancroft (51*) have seen Australia safely to the close without even a half chance, on 114 without loss; 56 paltry runs away from a 1-0 lead. There was an interesting passage of play when Bancroft played a ball back to James Anderson, whose attempted throw at the stumps hit Bancroft just to the side of a part of the anatomy that would have made most men crumble just watching, let alone experiencing. Bancroft was unmoved, Anderson only symbolically apologetic. It was this moment that perhaps sums up this match; No matter what England throw Australia's way they will stand up to it without flinching, and stare down any attempt to target any vulnerability.

The manner of the expected Australian victory in Brisbane breeds confidence in the ranks of Baggy Greens, yet this series still appears to be very closely matched. It will be interesting to see which way England will go with selections, Australia's selectors will feel justified in theirs. Come tomorrow, I hope to see England take a few wickets, go down fighting and start afresh in South Australia. Surely Australia can't lose 10 wickets for 50 runs can they...? The weather forecast contains rain, but not enough to lose a whole day's play so an Australian victory is almost as certain as Donald Trump causing a controversy.

Many will wonder about the logic of my series prediction considering England's capitulation on Day 4, and how exactly England will react in Adelaide next week. No team has come from behind to win an Ashes series since 2005 in England, yet I still feel that England can win The Ashes. Adelaide is a day/night game at a ground that will offer sideways movement for two of the worlds leading exponents of such conditions; James Anderson and Stuart Broad. Adelaide and Brisbane are almost chalk and cheese; the pace and bounce of The Gabba hardly likely to transfer to the City of Churches. The Barmy Army are almost certainly already saying their prayers.

Ashes 2017/18 - Gabba Day 2 - We Have A Contest!

Early on in proceedings you could have been forgiven for thinking that Australia had missed a trick by not going straight for an intimidatory tactic of well-directed short-pitched bowling, Moeen Ali and Dawid Malan making a comfortable start to the day without much alarm. It took a few overs but the anticipated tactic arrived and predictably when it comes to England it worked. From relative comfort at 246-4 the tourists found themselves on 250-7 with both set batsmen gone and Chris Woakes misadventure early putting England in a perilous position.

Malan appeared ever comfortable on what seemed early on to be a flaccid Gabba wicket, easily dealing with Starc's timid bouncers but the New South Welshman finally managed to convince Malan into one pull too many, a top edge finding Shaun Marsh at Deep Square Leg. The following over Moeen Ali was trapped in front by Nathan Lyon, an easy decision (and correct one) as modern Umpires don't hesitate to give LBW's on the front foot for spinners anymore. That left two new batsmen at the crease on a pitch offering turn and bounce, Woakes duly succumbing to an ambitious drive outside off stump and getting himself bowled through the gate.

Stuart Broad, a fan favourite in Brisbane, has lost confidence in his ability to play the short ball since suffering a nasty facial injury against India in 2014, when after hooking two successive sixes the third attempt went through the grille of his helmet and left him with two black eyes. That lack of confidence was evident this morning as Starc and in particular Cummins targeted him with a barrage. Equally uncomfortable were Jake Ball and James Anderson, but Ball's willingness to get after Lyon saw England pass 300 which is a minor moral victory.

Anderson and Broad were on the receiving end of some verbals while batting, the stump mic picking up Broad telling Cummins to "Shut up!" after one exchange with Anderson, but whereas 4 years ago the English pair seemed timid against a fired up Mitchell Johnson they had a steely determination in their eyes while facing an attack that has a long way to go before building an aura anything close to previous Australian quicks.

Upon Bancroft and Warner entering the field, Anderson and Broad bowled with intent and while Warner appeared more than adept at farming the strike, Bancroft was dismissed early as Broad found the edge. Usman Khawaja is a conundrum, and it appears Joe Root has done his homework because even on the home soil which Khawaja has played so much state cricket for Queensland he has a deficiency against spin bowling. Root introduced Moeen Ali first change, Khawaja playing and missing his first delivery against Ali, then trapped in front with the second. No need for a review. I would hope that Khawaja left his pads on and took Nathan Lyon to the Gabba nets to have an intensive workover on a flaw that England will look to expose if Khawaja continues to play in this series. Glenn Maxwell's double-hundred for Victoria against New South Wales today will have caught the eye of a selector or two.

Warner going about the business of strike rotation alongside Steve Smith was a crucial part of the game, and again it showed that Root and the England heirachy have done their research. Tucking Warner up and not allowing him to free his arms in the last Ashes series led to Warner playing a strange, angled, chop-pull kind of shot, losing his wicket at least three times in such fashion in the 2015 series. Today, Broad and Anderson used the same tactic and Jake Ball reaped the rewards, Warner caught at mid-wicket playing the same shot for just 26.

Peter Handscomb bats very deep in his crease and James Anderson got just reward for aiming at the stumps although originally Aleem Dar turned down the appeal. An excellent review left Australia teetering on 76-4, and England very much on top but with Smith still in. No team has yet worked out exactly what Smith's weaknesses are, and the Australian Captain has an intelligence and ability to adapt his game which have led to his meteoric rise to become one of, if not the best batsmen in world cricket. He passed his fifty with not much more than a slight acknowledgement of the applause, the body language suggesting he has his sights on a big big hundred tomorrow.

Although much maligned, Shaun Marsh came in and played beautifully alongside Smith, timing cover drives and clips through midwicket with the grace of a Damien Martin or Mark Waugh, and in the face of some good bowling from England saw Australia safely to the close with an unbeaten partnership of 89. Marsh on 44 not out will look to pass fifty and together with Smith take Australia into a healthy lead.

The morning session was undoubtedly Australia's, and although England made four breakthroughs with a lead of over 200, the hosts have fought and fought to be in a position where honours are still very much even. The first session tomorrow will be pivotal in dictating where this Test Match goes, If England come out with a first innings lead of between 30 and 50, they will be delighted, but Australia bat long and themselves will be looking at 400. England's failure to convert one of those fifties into a century could come back to bite them. Australia currently hold an Ace or two but England can dig deep into their pack to produce a Joker. Just two days in, and we're already being treated to quite a game.