Mixed fortunes for Ashes hopefuls
THEY could have been facing England at the Ashes in Adelaide, instead Alex Carey (above) and Matthew Renshaw (below) are tackling the Cairns heat in the Queensland and South Australia Sheffield Shield match at Cazalys. Carey, who was snubbed for the Aussie wicketkeeper role, shone with the bat making 139, while axed Test opener Renshaw’s form slumped further, notching just four runs.
NATHAN Lyon took a stunning return catch to remove Moeen Ali, and Mitchell Starc chimed in with two more caught-andbowled dismissals as England were bowled out for 227 on day three of the day-night Ashes test in Adelaide.
England resumed the day at 29-1 in reply to Australia’s 442-8 declared, and lost four wickets for 99 runs in the first session – skipper Joe Root (9) and Alastair Cook (37) among them.
Lyon struck early in the second session, breaking up the partnership between the last of the recognised batsmen when he dived to his left to catch Ali’s mistimed drive, as England slid to 132-6.
Starc took a reflex catch, on the second grab, to dismiss Jonny Bairstow (21) off his own bowling with the addition of 10 to the England total. The Australian paceman then ended a 66-run eighth-wicket stand by the same mode when Chris Woakes (36) popped up an easy chance just before the dinner break. Lyon returned to snare the final two wickets of Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson to put Australia in a commanding position.
England’s troubles started in the second over yesterday when James Vince (2) was caught behind off paceman Josh Hazlewood.
Root didn’t reach double digits before edging an attempted drive to Pat Cummins with the total at 50.
Cook defended determinedly for 89 balls and helped England to 80 before prodding forward to Lyon and edging to slip, giving the Australian off-spinner his 50th Ashes wicket.
England holds the Ashes after winning at home in 2015 but was swept 5-0 in the last series contested in Australia. FULL COVERAGE P33