Australia scored only 54 runs came in the second morning for the loss of one wicket in the fifth Ashes Test at the Oval. However, the game picked up pace on the other side of the break. England retaliated ferociously by picking wickets at regular intervals. Smith held one end but at the other, there was no semblance of order. Broad landed a couple of early blows in the afternoon session by trapping Usman Khawaja leg-before-wicket before finding the outside edge of Travis Head.
Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc didn’t hang around for long as Australia found themselves trailing by 93 runs at Tea. Smith and Cummins though dragged the visitors back into the contest. England’s hopes of acquiring a decent first-innings lead were dashed by Murphy’s cameo, which included three sixes.
Noteworthy contributions from Steve Smith, Pat Cummins and Todd Murphy handed Australia the first-innings lead. The pendulum swung this way and that on Day 2 with the visitors eventually getting rolled over for 295 at the stroke of stumps, thus fetching a slim 12-run lead.
