Australians cruise to 2-0 series lead behind dominant day-night display

Australia have jumped out to a dominant 2-0 series lead against England thanks to a 275-run victory at the Adelaide Oval last night. The Australians maintained their perfect day-night Test record, with the hosts winning all nine of their encounters since the fixture’s inception in 2015.

Australian number-three Marnus Labuschagne took home Player of the Match honours after hitting triple-figures in the first innings and a fifty in the second. The second Test match of the series posited more questions for the visitors than it answered – Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed have proved uninspiring at the top of the order with neither men having reached 35 so far this series, wicket-keeper Jos Buttler has showed some signs of life with the bat but has botched multiple chances behind the stumps, and none of their specialist bowlers have managed to truly trouble the Australian batsmen for extended periods.

From the moment stand-in skipper Steve Smith won the toss and elected to bat, England appeared to have their backs against the wall. Marcus Harris again fell cheaply before Labuschagne and David Warner piled on a 172-run partnership with little resistance from the English bowlers. Warner was again dismissed in the nineties before Labuschagne endured a pain-staking period in the nineties himself, surviving the dangerous pink ball under lights and a howler of a dropped catch. It was then Smith who was unable to come out the other side of the nervous nineties before local hero Alex Carey brought up his maiden Test half-century.

In their first innings, England found themselves at 1-for-7 and then 2-for-12 due to some brilliant night-time bowling courtesy of Mitchell Starc and debutant Michael Neser. Dawid Malan and skipper Joe Root were again left to steady the ship before a Cameron Green breakthrough sent Root packing for 62, as the visitors lost their final eight wickets for just 86 runs. Smith had the choice to send England back in but declined.

Australia’s second innings did not go to plan, sitting at 4-for-55 after 29 overs, but some middle order stability in the form of Labuschagne (51) and first Test hero Travis Head (51) saw the hosts lay on a total of 230 before declaring. Considering four of England’s nine wickets came via part-time spinners Root and Malan, there was hardly reason for celebration in the English sheds.

England faced a simple yet daunting proposition heading into the fourth and final innings of the game. Requiring 468 for victory, a win was never on the table but some brave batting early on could have potentially startled an undermanned Australian attack as the final day approached. However, a Hameed duck followed by a trio of big scalps under lights left the visitors well and truly reeling. Their innings ending up lasting longer than it should have thanks to a resolute, 207-ball knock from Buttler and a handy 44 from all-rounder Chris Woakes. England’s hopes of a miracle draw, however, were dashed when Buttler stepped back onto his stumps in a bizarre “hit-wicket” dismissal that epitomised England’s play. Jhye Richardson enjoyed the first five-wicket haul of his Test career, whilst Starc’s six wickets for the match assisted in silencing some of his boisterous critics.

Heading into the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, both sides will have big selections calls to make. Australian skipper Pat Cummins is expected to return to the side, whilst opener Harris may be running out of chances. For England, bowlers Mark Wood and Jack Leach may return into calculations for selectors whilst several of their batsmen are surely under pressure following consecutive poor outings.