Ashes: England face tough challenge to save Adelaide Test

England face yet another defeat against Australia in the second Test after conceding a big lead of 237 against an inexperienced Australian attack which missed Pat Cummins and Josh Hazelwood — but Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon with the support of Cameron Green ensured Australia bowled England out cheaply once again.

Joe Root and Dawid Malan had a partnership of 138 and went unscathed in the first session but once they fell in the second session, it was normal proceedings as always as the likes of Ollie Pope and Jos Buttler could not support Ben Stokes, who batted for 98 balls for his 38. Englands top five batters in Haeeb Hameed, Rory Burns, Stokes, Pope and Buttler managed a total of 148 runs in three innings with none able to even reach a half-century and England seems to follow the same trend as it has been in their last two Ashes series in Australia where they had lost nine out of the 10 Test matches and are set for going down 2-0 in the first two matches barring a rearguard from their batsman to save this match.

Joe Root had mentioned after the first test loss at Brisbane inside four days that they are here for a fight but the Australians have completely shut off any such plans by out playing them in all departments. Joe Root has not got an Ashes hundred in Australia and if he has to save England he needs to score a double hundred to save another defeat at the hands of their rivals.