Ashes 2023: England Fights Back, Keeps Chances Alive

After winning the first test of Ashes 2023, Australia arrived at a dominating position in the second test as well by scoring a big score of 416 runs in the first innings. They attained this feat on the back of Steve Smith’s big hundred and excellent knocks by David Warner and Marnus Labushagne as well. However, England did not allow this to hamper their morale and registered a strong opening partnership. Openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett confidently faced the Aussie pacers and gave England a strong start.

Crawley and Duckett both played blazing innings and put quick runs on the board, but the Australian bowlers eventually struck back by dismissing both of them when they were just short of individual milestones. While spinner Nathan Lyon dismissed Crawley for 48 runs, Duckett fell just two short of a hundred after David Warner caught him off a Josh Hazlewood delivery. While England’s star batsmen Joe Root failed to make big runs, Ollie Pope remained tough and reached 42 runs before being caught by Steve Smith. Harry Brook also put up a respectable 45 runs on the board and was eventually joined by skipper Ben Stokes on the pitch.

They remained not out at the stumps of Day 2 but still have a major task at hand as England trails by 138 runs. While England has avoided chances of a defeat, they will have to cover the run difference with four wickets down if they want to get ahead of Australia in this second crucial test of Ashes 2023.

Image source: AP