Guerilla Cricket Live Blog
This page will update live with the latest relevant news, no need to refresh the page!
The game is deliciously setup after an exciting opening day where momentum swung back and forth right from the first session. Australia will try and finish things off quickly by taking that last wicket, England though will hope they can push further and lay down a robust platform. The Brisbane deck should quicken up as the day progresses, and that notorious twilight period under lights could once again play a huge role later in the day.
Five dropped catches by England today – the joint second most by a team in a day’s play in Tests in Australia. Jofra Archer is operating from round the wicket with a deep short-leg in, and this might well be the last over of the day. Australia have bossed it, without a doubt. Contributions right through the batting order, facilitated by ideal conditions.
Josh Inglis hit two boundaries in a row off Ben Stokes, who has had to gulp down an energy sachet, also known as pickle juice. Both the boundaries came in the region behind square on the off side, although the latter could’ve been a sharp low regulation catch.
At the end of the last Stokes over, Root went to his skipper and had a chat. The England captain was looking visibly knackered, and he had good reason to be. A lot of effort goes into his bowling, and England might need more of that toil from their talisman as Australia have only yet lost half their side.
Carse came up with a fantastic over to remove Smith and Green in a jiffy, with a dropped catch by Duckett sandwiched between the dismissals. Talking about groundwor, Will Jacks flung to his right to dislodge the Australian behemoth. Alex Carey and Josh Inglis are occupying the crease.
Jofra Archer has sent down 16 overs today. The last time he bowled more overs in a day’s play was back in July 2020. Mind you, he’s had a debilitating tryst with injuries.
Smith and Green are making merry in excellent batting conditions at the Gabba, with the former even clearing the rope twice. He is already past the fifty mark and Green is determined to achieve the feat himself. Carse has bowled a dozen overs and his latest reaped 17 runs. Ominous signs for England.
Two slips and a solitary cover in place, silly mid-off to boot. The last time before today Australia forged 50+ partnerships for each of the first four wickets in an innings was against New Zealand at the same venue in November 2015. The last time it happened for the hosts in an Ashes Test was also at the same venue back in 2006.
Safe to say, Gabba is a happy hunting ground for the Australian top-order, and the current circumstances are no different with Smith and Green picking Archer apart. Both of them are approaching a half-century.
Prior to the ball change, Smith fought fire with fire as Archer dug the ball in short. He arched back to guide a bumper over third man for six after fetching four off a top edge that was a result of an attempted pull. The Australian batters have aced the upper cut throughout the day.
A streaky boundary from the bat of Cameron Green ushers Dinner. Batting has been relatively easier in this pink-ball Test than in the previous editions, with the ball turning so soft that Mitchell Starc likened it to a tennis ball. This was another session squarely dominated by Australia’s batters. Partnerships have rolled on all day, 77 for the first wicket, 69 for the second, and yet another fifty-run stand involving Labuschagne and Smith.
Edged and gone! There was a brief interruption in play as a loose thread on the ball required a cut. A lapse in concentration from Labuschagne perhaps as Stokes strikes on the very next ball.
Short of a length delivery outside off, Labuschagne was a little cramped for room as he employed the cut. Ends up getting an outside edge and the keeper takes it safely. A decent knock nonetheless.
His average in pink-ball cricket was more than 60 before this Test, and Labuschagne has constructed another 60-plus score. Lives up to his expectations.
50.8% of Labuschagne’s runs against pace today came behind square on the leg side, up from 25.1% across his career.
Labuschagne accomplishes his 25th Test fifty with a boundary! Carse bangs the ball in short, the pull is on, but a top edge sails over the keeper. The crowd rises to its feet, giving the dependable batter a warm ovation, and he responds with a wave of the bat to acknowledge the Australian supporters.
1003* runs for Marnus Labuschagne in day-night Tests. The first player to get there!
It’s one thing to see off a probing spell from a top-flight bowler but if you can stun them with a stroke it does have a jarring mental impact. Archer stands his ground in awe. Short delivery down leg, Marnus gets inside the line, senses a scoring opporunity rather than taking the safe route of leaving the ball and helps it over fine leg. Half-a-dozen!
The pitch is behaving in a congenial manner right now, making England’s total appear a little less daunting as the opposition batters accumulate their runs at a better rate. In case you wish to read about how Labuschagne hit his straps again after a lull, check out the feature below.
The trademark toe-crusher from Archer spells doom for the well-set Weatherald. Intelligent setup from the express quick. Yorker, then a short ball, then back to the pacy yorker. The opener planted his front foot across the line and had nowhere to hide. Plumb in front.
Weatherald can hold his head high though, for he has played an outstanding innings. Gets a rousing applause as he walks off.
Short of a length around middle and leg from Stokes, Labuschagne clips it through the on-side and collects a brace. Both the Australian batters wear a satisfied expression as they head back to the dressing room. Curtains on another lively session of Test cricket wherein Weatherald infused momentum with his upbeat approach, stylishly carving his maiden half-century.
With a single to deep mid-wicket Jake Weatherald has completed his half-century. An extremely well-compiled innings. He’s looked to score from ball one and maintained that attitude throughout in what are environs conducive to batting.
Labushchagne is upping the tempo too at the other end and England seem to be ducking for cover as Carse splurges 17 runs in an over. Two boundaries apiece conceded to Weatherald and Labuschagne.
Marnus Labuschagne is the leading run-getter in D/N Tests:
15 innings
958 runs
Avg 63.87
100s/50s 4/4
HS 163
He was out of the Test side for a while but forced his return to the mix with strong domestic performances. Meanwhile, Stokes and Carse have found their groove. Both look comfortable bowling against the right-hander.
The three-quarter seam has worked like a charm for Brydon Carse as Head’s iffy presence at the crease comes to an end. With two boundaries in the previous over he seemed to be coming out of the shell but an ungainly flick sends him back to the pavilion. He tried to force the issue on that occasion but the away movement was large enough to draw a leading edge.
Short and wide outside off from England captain Ben Stokes, Jake Weatherald frees his arms and slashes the long hop away to wide third man. Runs coming thick and fast since the last few overs, with the conditions suitable for free-flowing strokeplay.
He is a swashbuckling batter and England might pay a heavy price for handing him a reprieve. That was a really poor over from Brydon Carse, leaking 14 runs. All six were hit-me balls and dished out to the liking of an enforcer who was desperate to inject some flow into his innings. A four and a six off consecutive deliveries as Australia attain a positive team fifty.
Jamie Smith has had a poor game so far. He was bowled for nought yesterday and has now put down a regulation catch. An absolute ripper from Archer as he opens Head up, but the keeper has made a meal of the thick edge. Much to England’s annoyance, the ricochet bisected Root and Brook in the slips otherwise there could’ve been the possibility of a tag-team effort.
Archer is crestfallen. He receives pats on the back from the England players.
A couple of handsome drives and an equally sweet flick off the pads. The new recruit is growing is showing everyone why he dons the Baggy Green. He looks technically adept, given the weight transfer into the shots. Classy batsmanship on display at the Gabba as Australia make a bright start to the second day.
The southpaw crouches low in his stance, although he does manage to rise adequately with the ball. Archer is gently slashed past point before a short ball that completely surprised Weatherald took the top edge and flew over the cordon into the fence.
As the Australian openers settle in, pitted against an intense Jofra Archer, we’d advise you to go through our match feature from the opening day in Gabba. It apprises you of the subtle adjustments made by Joe Root and Zac Crawley to achieve the results they were after.
Australia have fielded like panthers all through the innings and the last wicket is also down to a moment of brilliance on the park. A flat pull from Archer. Marnus at deep backward square leg had to shuffle to his right, and dive full length. He went airborne, got two hands to the ball and he managed to pluck it inches off the turf with his right hand.
Doggett finally gets into the wickets column after an expensive outing yesterday. Short delivery on the leg stump, Archer gave it the full monty. It seemed to be dropping short but Marnus converted the half-chance through sheer athleticism.
He was born in Barbados, and it shows. There was West Indian flair written all over that cover drive! The Barmy Army likes it as cheers go around the ground. Promising start to the second day for England who’d hope the tenth wicket pair continues to make merry.
