Root is at ease over decision to bowl first

England coach Trevor Bayliss insists Joe Root remains at ease with his decision to bowl first even though Australia’s batsmen have since put the tourists in trouble in the second Ashes Test.

Shaun Marsh’s unbeaten 126 from number six helped Australia to 442 for eight, allowing Steve Smith to declare just when batting was about to become more difficult again under the Adelaide Oval lights on day two.

England were doubtless relieved to see heavy drizzle return and restrict their reply to just 9.1 overs, in which they lost Mark Stoneman out of 29 for one at stumps.

Their position is not yet dire, if hardly promising, and Bayliss spelled out that Root would make the same marginal call again if he had the opportunity to do so.

“He wouldn’t do anything different,” said the Australian.

“It’s well-documented that one of our challenges is taking wickets on flatter pitches, so Joe wanted to give our guys the best opportunity to take 20 wickets.

“It wasn’t an easy decision. It wasn’t taken lightly.

“We bowled pretty well, and didn’t get the results we deserved.”

Bayliss was left wondering if England were suffering payback for the 2015 Trent Bridge Test, in which everything went perfectly as Stuart Broad took a brilliant career-best eight for 15 and Australia were bowled out for 60.

England are lacking a bowler of out-and-out pace in this squad to compare with Australia’s Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, and are hoping Mark Wood may be able to prove his fitness in next week’s tour match in Perth.