Cricket News By TODAYLIVESCORE.INFO - Warner, Labuschagne help Australia vault into the lead. Warner, who was bowled off a no-ball when on 17 in the first session, received two more reprieves in the second session
Warner, who was bowled off a no-ball when on 17 in the first session, received two more reprieves in the second session
David Warner continued to ride his luck but by the end of the post-Lunch session on Day 2 was only six away from his 25th Test hundred as Australia continued to call the shots despite England hitting back with a pair of wickets in the session. At the Tea interval, the hosts were 193 for 3, having vaulted into the lead thanks to the 156-run stand between Warner and Marnus Labuschagne (74).
Warner, who was bowled off a no-ball when on 17 in the first session, received two more reprieves in the second session, one of them in the first over after Lunch when he edged Ollie Robinson to second slip where Rory Burns put down a straightforward offering. Warner completed half-century and then presented another chance to England when he overbalanced after flicking a ball and slipped, losing possession of his bat. But forward short leg fielder Haseeb Hameed couldn't find the stumps from close range to end the opener's innings on 60.
Warner took his chances and worked himself into some sort of rhythm despite playing and missing as many as nine times against Mark Wood and five times against Robinson. By then Australia had comfortably gotten into the lead. With a gingerly-moving Stokes not bowling, Joe Root had to bring back Jack Leach into the attack despite the spinner's first three overs costing 31.
With protection in the deep, Leach produced a relatively better second spell and even got himself a fortuitous wicket after he was slammed for another six by Labuschagne. The Australian No.3 looking to keep attacking the spinner cut a rank half-tracker straight to the point fielder and was dismissed for 74.
Steve Smith was welcomed with Wood returning back to the attack and setting the leg trap popularised last summer by India. A deepish short-leg, backward short-leg and a square leg waited. Smith began in unusually attacking fashion before he was undone just before the Tea break by Wood going wide of the crease and forcing him to edge a ball off the sixth stump.
Brief scores: Australia 193/3 (David Warner 94*, Marnus Labuschagne 74; Ollie Robinson 1-30) lead England 147 by 46 runs
