England chase historic total
Call leaves door open for visitors
England must break a 115-year record if it is to win the second Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval after bowling out Australia cheaply on day four.
James Anderson (5-43) and Chris Woakes (4-36) ran through the Australian batting line-up yesterday, bowling the hosts out for 138. That left the tourists needing 354 for victory.
The highest successful run chase at the Adelaide Oval was 315 by Australia against England in 1902 – and that was without the difficulty of facing the pink ball under lights.
England was 0-38 after 10 overs, with Alastair Cook (10*) incredibly lucky to save a huge lbw appeal against Josh Hazlewood that was crashing into leg.
It was turned down by umpire Chris Gaffaney and Australian skipper Steve Smith opted not to review it. Mark Stoneman was not out on 28.
England will resume today full of confidence following a strong bowling performance after Smith elected not to enforce the follow-on when England was rolled for 227 in their first innings.
That decision was widely criticised with champion leg-spinner Shane Warne claiming Smith had made a major blunder.
“Say Australia had England 3-50, they still would’ve been 150 ahead,” Warne said.
“I would’ve batted again (ordinarily) but seeing it was under lights with the pink ball, there was an opportunity to bowl again.
“The ball’s always going to swing around.
“I just think Australia’s missed an opportunity to really put the foot on the throat and be ruthless.”
Former Australian captain Mark Taylor also was stunned by the decision.
“I think if Australia had bowled again, England would’ve been in real trouble,” he said.
“At best, from England’s point of view, they would’ve been two down, maybe three or four like Australia and Australia are way in front in the game.”
England made the most of the opportunity, reducing Australia to 4-53 under lights and the bowlers continued the assault yesterday to dismiss Australia before tea.
Australia lost Nathan Lyon (14) and Peter Handscomb (12) early to Anderson before Woakes bounced out Tim Paine (11) and bowled Shaun Marsh (19) to leave the home side in trouble.
Anderson completed his first five-wicket haul on Australian soil when he had Mitchell Starc (20) sky a chance to Moeen Ali before Craig Overton had Josh Hazlewood (3) caught at gully to wrap up the innings.
Pat Cummins finished not out on 11.
While Australia’s second innings scorecard doesn’t make for pretty reading with Usman Khawaja and Mitchell Starc top-scoring with 20, the Ausies’ dominance in the first innings means they remain red-hot favourites to dismiss England and take a 2-0 series lead with two sessions and an entire day’s play still to come.