×

Ashes 2013-14: Australia lead England by 311 runs at stumps on Day 2; gain control of 5th Test

Australia are at 140 for four at stumps on Day Two of the fifth Ashes 2013-14 Test.

Chris Rogers has scored a sublime half-century in Australia's second innings in the fifth Ashes 2013-14 Test against England at the SCG © Getty Images
Chris Rogers has scored a sublime half-century in Australia’s second innings in the fifth Ashes 2013-14 Test against England at the SCG © Getty Images

By Shrikant Shankar

 

Jan 4, 2014

 

Australia continued their dominance over England as they extended their lead to 311 runs at stumps on Day Two of the fifth Ashes 2013-14 Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on January 4, 2014. In their second innings, Australia are at 140 for four with Chris Rogers batting sublimely at 73 and George Bailey giving him company on 20.

 

England had been bowled out for 155 in their first innings just at the stroke of tea. The post-tea session began with Australia starting their second innings. The Australian openers began in a positive fashion. Rogers cut a short and wide delivery from James Anderson for a four through backward-point.

 

David Warner got off the mark with a pull shot off Stuart Broad for a four. He then inside-edged another pull shot, but the ball evaded the wicketkeeper and reached the boundary. Warner then hit straight and got a four off Anderson. Broad bowled one short and Rogers pulled and got a four.

 

Just as it seemed as the Australians would blaze away, Anderson struck. He came from round the wicket and darted one into Warner. The batsman was beaten for swing and pace as the ball hit the back pad. England players appealed and the umpire raised his finger. Warner was dismissed for 16 off 20 deliveries.

 

Boyd Rankin bowled his first ball wide and high on the leg side and it went for four leg-byes. Anderson bowled on a back of a length and Shane Watson played a late cut to get a four through backward-point.

 

Anderson then bowled a good length delivery and Watson (9) edged behind, where wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow took a stunning right-handed catch in front of first slip. Michael Clarke was the new batsman and he got off the mark with a single on the off-side.

 

Rankin bowled a full and wide delivery outside off-stump and Rogers drove it on the off-side for a four. Anderson bowled straight and Clarke hit it past mid-on for a four. Then a rare incident occurred after Anderson found the outside edge off Rogers’s bat.

 

The ball was pulled back before it reached the boundary at third-man. Ben Stokes threw the ball to Bairstow and in-turn, he threw at the non-striker’s end as the batsmen were running three. There was no one backing up and his shy went to the boundary for four overthrows. So, that was seven runs to Rogers.

 

Broad bowled a short of a length delivery and it bounced a little extra. Clarke had to play at it but he got his right hand off the bat to keep the ball down. The next delivery was short and wide and Clarke (6) played a loose shot, edging the ball to Bairstow.

 

Centurion from the first innings Steven Smith got off the mark with a pull for a four off Stokes. Broad bowled a rank half-volley and Rogers drove wide of mid-off for a four. Broad then had a little slip while beginning his bowling stride and he looked to be in some pain. The place where Broad’s right leg landed looked to be a little uneven. There was a delay as the ground staff sorted the situation.

 

The long delay seemed to have affected Smith as edged a length delivery from Stokes to Alastair Cook at first slip. Rogers hit a full delivery from Broad through cover-point for a four. He then flicked one off the pads and got a single to get to his half-century. It was his sixth half-century in Test cricket.

 

Bailey also got into the act as he drove one from Stokes straight down the ground for a four. Rogers scored more freely as his innings progressed. Stokes strayed onto the pads and Rogers flicked it towards mid-wicket for a four. Stokes offered width and Roger cut it for a four behind square on the leg side. The next delivery was hit straight down the ground for a four by Rogers.

 

Scott Borthwick conceded eight runs from his two overs as the day was coming to a close. Stumps were soon called and Australia were at 140 for four and they led England by 311 runs.

 

Brief scores:

 

Australia 326 (Shane Watson 43, Steven Smith 115, Brad Haddin 75; Ben Stokes 6 for 99) and 140 for 4 (Chris Rogers 73*; James Anderson 2 for 36) lead England 155 (Ben Stokes 47, Stuart Broad 30*; Peter Siddle 3 for 23, Mitchell Johnson 3 for 33, Ryan Harris 3 for 36) by 311 runs.

 

Full Scorecard

 

Photo Gallery

 

(Shrikant Shankar is a writer/reporter at CricketCountry.com. Previously he has done audio commentary for various matches involving India, Indian Premier League and Champions League Twenty20 for ESPNSTAR.com. You can follow him on Twitter @Shrikant_23)

 

trending this week