The Ashes: Australia vs England, 5th Test, Day 2, Sydney – As it happened...

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Zee Media Bureau SCORECARD» | COMMENTARY» | REPORT» ============================================================== 2nd innings, Australia Over 30 || Score 140/4 Stumps Australia lead by 311 runs. The English innings hardly sustained a day! With English wickets falling in quick succession, the Aussies had another dominant day in the fifth Test. White-wash still looms large for England. ============================================================== Over 28 || Score 136/4 The lead is well past 300 and Australia have 6 wickets remaining. Opener Chris Rogers in playing well and steady at 71 with Bailey's support. Newbies Rankin and Borthwick have not been able to cash in their début, with average performances. The English bowling is solely dependent on Broad and Anderson followed by Stokes. ============================================================== Over 22 || Score 99/4 The 21st over brought an end to last innings' centurion Steve Smith, who got dismissed at 7 runs this time. The Ben Stokes' delivery got an outside edge that landed to Cook at the first slip. So, the Aussies lose their fourth wicket, but they still have Brad Haddin, their rescue ranger, they need not worry plus the lead of 270 runs is quite healthy. Bailey now shares the crease with Rogers, who has just completed his half-century. Smith c Cook b Stokes 7 (12b, 1x4) ============================================================== Over 16 || Score 72/3 Captain Clarke who joined Rogers after Shane Watson's departure couldn't last long. In the 16th over, he was dismissed off Stuart Broad's short pitched delivery that got a thin edge and landed straight to the keeper. Australia lead by 243 runs. Clarke c Bairstow b Broad 6 (18b, 1x4) ============================================================== Over 15 || Score 71/2 The 11th over got another wicket for England. Anderson got his second wicket of the day. Watson got a thick edge and keeper Bairstow dived near the first slip dived to take the catch. Watson c Bairstow b Anderson 9 (9b, 2x4) ============================================================== Over 10 || Score 42/1 England have managed their first breakthrough in the first 10 overs. James Anderson did the trick and claimed the first Aussie wicket. Warner was trapped in the front in the seventh over. Shane Watson joined Chris Rogers at the crease. The English team hardly has reasons to celebrate, probably that explains their quiet celebrations on the first wicket. Warner lbw b Anderson 16 (20b, 3x4) ============================================================== Over 5 || Score 26/0 The English bowlers have once again begun their quest. Their day one feats were futile as they did not get any support from the batsmen. James Anderson began the English proceedings while Chris Rogers and David Warner began the Aussie innings. Stuart Broad joined Anderson from the other end. Australia is in a dominant position and the openers have begun well. ============================================================== England, 1st innings: Over 58.5 || Score 155 England trail by 171 runs. Mitchell Johnson was brought into the attack in the 59th over to wrap up the England innings with that one last wicket. He exactly did so! Rankin was clean bowled and with his departure England's first innings' miseries come to a halt. The Aussies have been dominant and now will look forward to take the lead close to 500, for a series white-wash. England would definitely want to forget this outing of theirs. Rankin b Johnson 13 (22b, 2x4) ============================================================== Over 55 || Score 135/9 England trail by 191 runs. England have avoided the follow on. The 52nd over by Nathan Lyon got 12 runs for England courtesy Stuart Broad's shot with the bat. He hit a four and a six, decreasing the follow-on margin by 10 runs. With still two runs to go to avoid the follow-on, Ryan Harris in the 53rd over took his third wicket. Borthwick got a thick outside edge straight to Smith positioned at the third slip. Boyd Rankin joined Broad for the last wicket. Borthwick c Smith b Harris 1 (17b) ============================================================== Over 50 || Score 112/8 England trail by 218 runs. England need 13 runs to avoid follow-on. Oh! England is in deep trouble. The last five overs have seen fall of two more wickets. The 49th over belonged to Peter Siddle who took two wickets. First, it was Bairstow who hit the ball towards silly mid-on where an alert George Bailey took the easy catch. Scott Borthwick, on his Test batting debut joined Stokes, who was nearing his half century. But that was not to be! Stokes was Siddle's next victim. He was clean bowled! Now Stuart Broad and Borthwick have the English reigns. Bairstow c Bailey b Siddle 18 (50b, 1x4) Stokes b Siddle 47 (101b, 4x4) ============================================================== Over 45 || Score 101/6 The English side has finally crossed the 100-run mark. Stokes and Bairstow are putting brave fronts in attempt to rescue their side, however, it the Aussie confidence that is proving lethal for them. England would hope this duo save the side like Haddin and Smith did for Australia yesterday, though the chances less likely. ============================================================== Over 40 || Score 90/6 Things have not been easy for the already deflated England side in the post lunch session either. Lyon struck in the 31st over and took the wicket of Ballance. The ball hit Ballance's inside edge and flung straight to the keeper Haddin. Jonny Bairstow joined Stokes at the crease, with hopes to rescue the stumbling visitors. Ballance c Haddin b Lyon 18 (51b, 2x4) ============================================================== Over 30 || Score 61/5 Lunch: Unquestionably Australia's session. Once Ryan Harris picked the wicket of Alastair Cook off the second ball of the day, there was no looking back from the Australian seamers who once again ripped apart England's top order. Mitchell Johnson looked unplayable, and Ballance should consider himself extremely lucky as he is still batting at the crease following that snorter from Johnson. England were 23/5 at one stage and slowly but steadily, Stokes and Ballance have added unbeaten 38 runs for the sixth-wicket partnership. England still have a job up their sleeves as they trail by 265 runs with five wickets in hand. Ben Stokes 23* (47b) Gary Ballance 17* (42b) ============================================================== Over 25 || Score 41/5 Not in the most convincing manner, but Gary Ballance and Ben Stokes are keeping the score board moving. Considering the collapse of the top order batsmen, these two have added precious 23 runs for the sixth-wicket partnership. ============================================================== Over 20 || Score 25/5 It was time for Peter Siddle to join the party as Ian Bell edged one off his delivery to Brad Haddin. It was pitched at perfect length and Bell had to play at it as it took an edge and went into the safe hands of Brad Haddin. Half of the team is back to the pavilion. Ben Stokes – the only English player to have slammed a ton in the series, is the new man in. IR Bell c Haddin b Siddle 2 (32b) ============================================================== Over 15 || Score 22/4 Ryan Harris was rewarded for some excellent bowling when he invited Pietersen for a drive off a short of a length delivery which KP nicked towards the slip cordon and on this occasion, Watson held on to it. Nothing has worked for England todat and it wasn't a very good time for debutant Gary Ballance to walk to the crease. KP Pietersen c Watson b Harris 3 (9b) ============================================================== Over 10 || Score 14/3 James Anderson was hit on the thumb of his left-hand by a bouncer from Mitchell Johnson. Anderson required some medical treatment to get rid of the pain and since then he has been troubled by a barrage of bouncers from the Australian pacers. Anderson's stay didn't last for too long as he edged one to the slip cordon off Johnson where Michael Clarke took a good catch diving to his left. Australia are on top, English players are feeling the heat. JM Anderson c Clarke b Johnson 7 (24b) ============================================================== Over 7 || Score 8/2 Ryan Harris needed just two balls to get Australia their second breakthrough as Alastair Cook didn't offer shot to a delivery that pitched on line and hit him on the pads. Ryan Harris was extremely unlucky as Shane Watson at first slip dropped new batsman Ian Bell off the next ball. It has been an incredible start for the hosts. AN Cook lbw b Harris 7 (19b) ============================================================== When they come to the field on day two of the fifth Test match, England will have an uphill task ahead of them to put a fight in order to avoid a whitewash against the in-form Australian team. Australian middle-order once again showed some teeth when English bowlers had bowled brilliantly and had left the Aussies reeling at 97/5. But from there on, Steve Smith (115) and Brad Haddin (75) stitched a crucial 128-run partnership for the sixth wicket which brought the hosts back in game. Smith went onto score his second ton of the series, as he also received some help lower down the order where Mitchell Johnson (12*) and Ryan Harris (22*) played small, but important knocks. England will resume day two on 8/1 after they lost the wicket of left-hand opener Michael Carberry, who was dismissed by Mitchell Johnson. Carberry was dismissed off a poor delivery from Johnson, which was pitched down the leg side, but he went after it and Lyon dived to his left at short fine leg to take an outstanding catch. England skipper Cook was unbeaten on 7 runs and the team would once again rely on him to play a captain`s knock.