By: Drcricket7 Staff
The Australians have finally come to the party. Atleast on Day 2, they are right on top. You can’t really relate this team to the one, which was bundled out for a mere 60 runs in the first innings of the 4th Test against England, which cost them the Ashes series in Trent Bridge.
So, playing the 5th Test at The Oval was nothing but a dead rubber. But, the Aussies are not short on motivation. The pumped up team is playing this match for more than its pride. They wanted to give a perfect send off to their captain Michael Clarke, who is playing the last Test match of his career.
And, who else is better than Steve Smith to spread this message across. In fact, the future Test captain took it upon himself to tell the world how proud he feels about the Aussie brand of cricket and the legacy which will be left behind by Michael Clarke.
In the end, it was Steve Smith’s knock of 143 that enabled Australia to put up a great show by compiling 481 runs in the first innings. Batsmen like Adam Voges and tailender Mitchell Starc too contributed to that grand total. In fact, they were in mood to pay back England in the same coin.
Ironically, Stuart Broad, the one who scripted the Australian downfall in the 4th Test match, went wicketless. Some of the other bowlers like Ben Stokes, Steven Finn and Moeen Ali were the key wicket-takers for England (three wickets each).
In reply to Australia’s commanding total, England massively lacked ideas and surrendered meekly in front of an attack, which they had dominated in at least three Tests.
When the stumps were drawn, the hosts were 107 at the loss of eight wickets. They were still short by 374 runs with two wickets remaining in the first innings. Incidentally, the highest scorer of the England team was captain Alastair Cook while the rest of his teammates didn’t play like the 2015 Ashes winners.
From here, saving the follow-on is quite impossible for England, and even, saving the ongoing Test match would need a Himalayan task. With some of the Australian bowlers like Peter Siddle and Mitchell Marsh breathing fire, England batsmen will certainly struggle further to find the right answers. The ominous bit is that both Mitchell Johnson and Nathan Lyon too have looked good.
In other words, the Aussies are looking like a team after a gap of two Test matches. Their Lord’s win didn’t help much. But a win here will certainly lift the depressed team. The visitors have already sniffing a victory and they are expected to come harder at England on Day Three, which will make the fifth Test even more interesting!
