Australia v England cricket day 2 scores, results, wickets, teams, time, schedule, how to watch
Brendon McCullum’s Bazballers can smell the fear in Australia’s dressing room after their five-prong pace cartel inflicted physical and psychological trauma on the hosts on a frenetic first day of the Ashes.
Twelve years after Mitchell Johnson terrorised an ageing England team, Australia’s band of veterans are facing a similarly frightful ordeal against one of the fastest pace battalions the old enemy has sent to these shores in decades.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan even called for Australia to send Mitchell Marsh an Ashes SOS after the home side crumbled under a fierce onslaught.
Ben Stokes bagged five wickets, capitalising on the brutality of Jofra Archer, who, along with Mark Wood, broke through the 150 km/h barrier. England’s average speed of 141 km/h is the highest they have managed in a Test since records began in 2006, according to data analysts CricViz. It is a speed rarely sighted among Sheffield Shield ranks.
England’s Brydon Carse celebrates a key wicket with skipper Ben Stokes.Credit: AP
Steve Smith’s men went from a position of control midway during the day, to being left shell-shocked and on their knees after a scarcely believable 19 wickets fell on a spicy Optus Stadium deck. Not since 1909 in Manchester has there been this many wickets tumble on the first day of an Ashes Test.
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Brydon Carse, on Ashes debut, can sense the unease among the Australians.
“I thought we were quite relentless as a group of seamers,” Carse said. “I think we bounce off each other. I think when you have Mark Wood and Jofra in your line-up, that’s always nice bowlers to have. There was pace and bounce throughout the wicket and the day.
“I don’t think we really even realised it. It obviously was probably more unsettling for the Aussies.”
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