Australia ended a near-perfect first day after winning the toss
in the second Test against England in the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 at Adelaide Oval.
In the absence of
Pat Cummins, who missed the match due to a COVID-19 scare,
Steve Smith led the Aussies as the hosts capitalised on the brilliant batting conditions in Adelaide. The home team lost the first wicket early
as Jos Buttler plucked a blinder to dismiss Marcus Harris (3) off Stuart Broad’s bowling. However, from thereon, the pair of
David Warner and
Marnus Labuschagne steadied the Aussie ship and didn’t allow the English bowlers to bounce back. The duo went on to form a dominating partnership of 172 runs for the second wicket, which completely demoralised the visitors camp.
Australia’s top Test partnerships by average (min 1000 runs): - 1284 @ 128.40 – Don Bradman-Bill Ponsford
- 1175 @ 106.81 – David Warner-Marnus Labuschagne
- 1044 @ 104.40 – Don Bradman-Arthur Morris
- 1850 @ 84.09 – Don Bradman- Bill Woodfull
- 3451 @ 82.16 – Justin Langer-Ricky Ponting
Warner yet again came close to a three-figure mark before
Ben Stokes sent him back to the pavilion. The ‘pocket dynamite’ who came into the game under an injury cloud with badly bruised ribs scored a brilliant 95 off 167, including 11 boundaries. Notably, Warner was dismissed for 94 in the series opener at the Gabba.
His partner-in-crime in the dominating partnership, Labuschagne, impressed one and all with his brilliant strokeplay. He remained unbeaten on 95 along with stand-in skipper Smith (18 no) to lift Australia to 221/2 at stumps on Day 1.
Although the story could have been slightly different for the tourists had they grabbed the missed chances. Labuschagne was dropped twice by Buttler, including the moment at the later stages of the day when the right-handed batter was on 95.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
This is the tenth time Warner and Labuschagne have batted together in Australia with five of those stands with 100 or more. They average 116 together in partnerships at home.
#Ashes @1116sen https://t.co/5kS3GZPgdQ pic.twitter.com/2kdrKUVrRS — Adam Collins (@collinsadam)
December 16, 2021
David Warner
Ashes 2019: 95 runs (10 innings)
Gabba 2021: 94 runs (1st innings)
Adelaide 2021: 95 runs (1st innings)
— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang)
December 16, 2021
Rarely has a batter walked away after having survived a dropped catch as far as Marnus Labuschagne did after that reprieve off Anderson. At one point had gone beyond the square, shaking his head & prompted Steve Smith to come all the way down to have a chat
#ashes pic.twitter.com/d1xVi9vFc1 — Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07)
December 16, 2021
Buttler was directly facing the big screen for every slo-mo replay of that drop. That one really hurts.
#Ashes — Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell)
December 16, 2021
Australia’s top Test partnerships by average (min 1000 runs):
Bradman-Ponsford | 1284 @ 128.40
MARNUS-WARNER | 1175 @ 106.81
Bradman-Morris | 1044 @ 104.40
Bradman-Woodfull | 1850 @ 84.09
Langer-Ponting | 3451 @ 82.16
#Ashes — Adam Burnett (@AdamBurnett09)
December 16, 2021
Perfect tribute to Spiderman Day…ensured batsman was all the way home!
What a catch! ?
#Ashes pic.twitter.com/Zk2KywcCew — DK (@DineshKarthik)
December 16, 2021
You need a high class spinner as well as quicks to compete in Oz .. How can England have expected to get Jack Leach into a confident state if they didn’t play him once at home during the summer after a very good winter last year !??
#Ashes #OnOn — Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan)
December 16, 2021
Marnus Labuschagne in day-night Tests:
Against India – 0 fifty-plus in 2 innings
Against others – 5 fifty-plus in 5 innings
#Ashes #AUSvENG — Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats)
December 16, 2021
There are only 6 batters in Test history with 2000plus runs and 60plus average. Two of them are batting together right now – Marnus Labuschagne 64.03 and Steve Smith 61.46.
#Ashes — Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad)
December 16, 2021
Well played, David Warner – 94 runs in the first innings in first Test and 95 runs in the first innings in second Test – missed out two hundreds in two tests.
pic.twitter.com/7PuZJVKfxJ — Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns)
December 16, 2021
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