England’s batting woes proceed as Australia inches nearer to the urn

England’s batting flopped once more as they slumped to 128 for six on day one of many Boxing Day Check, leaving Australia with one hand on the urn.

The vacationers have but to achieve 300 within the sequence and the acquainted frailty of their high seven reared its head once more as Australia bossed proceedings in entrance of greater than 51,000 followers on the MCG.

Captain Joe Root was livid with himself for giving his wicket away on 50, his ninth unconverted half-century Down Below, however he was nonetheless the highest scorer in a gaggle that appears incapable of asserting any type of authority.

Twice England misplaced a wicket within the final act of the session, Dawid Malan simply earlier than lunch and Jos Buttler on the stroke of tea. At 2-0 down, something however victory will imply England can not reclaim the urn and that appears a substantial ask from right here.

Australia skipper Pat Cummins returning to the XI after Covid protocols saved him out in Adelaide, was the star performer as he took three wickets within the morning session to put the foundations for his aspect.

Having chosen to bowl first Cummins determined to share new-ball duties with Mitchell Starc and gave his aspect an ideal begin to get the stadium rocking.

Haseeb Hameed had left each ball of Starc’s opening over however had no such luxurious towards Cummins, who was instantly asking the type of questions round off stump that demand affirmative solutions.

His first two balls to Hameed zipped in off the pitch however the third held its line, grazing the sting of a pushy defensive stroke. Alex Carey swallowed the catch and England reached the undesirable landmark of a fiftieth Check duck in 2021.

Malan has been serving as a de facto opener because the begin of the sequence, pressured into service by the persistent failures above him, and took 18 deliveries to get off the mark as he started cautiously.

Zak Crawley, however, was desperate to get going having changed the dropped Rory Burns. There have been a few good connections, together with a straight drive to get off the mark, but in addition an early swish at recent air and a crazy vanguard that would have gone wherever.

He was Cummins’ second sufferer for 12, squared up by one which kicked up and took the shoulder of the bat. Cameron Inexperienced did the remaining at gully, bringing Root to the crease within the eighth over.

The England captain was instantly busy, dashing a single off his first ball and flicking debutant Scott Boland off his legs for 4 off his second. Most significantly he survived the remainder of Cummins’ preliminary burst.

Issues started to look extra simple as quickly as he was shuffled out of the assault and Australia’s hopes that Nathan Lyon’s spin would discomfort Malan didn’t materialise.

A way of stability had emerged till Cummins elbowed his approach again into the highlight, slanting one throughout Malan with three balls of the session to go and snaring the sting. Malan was gone for a battling 14, leaving Root to hold the burden once more.

He breezed in direction of his half-century in simply 76 balls, one other unhurried, calm knock from a participant within the type of his life. He went third on the all-time listing for runs in a calendar yr, leapfrogging South Africa’s Graeme Smith, however there was one other statistic he wished: a primary century in Australia.

However, for the ninth time, he couldn’t flip his fifty right into a ton. He didn’t get shut, momentarily dropping his focus and flashing at a Starc ball that ought to not have threatened. David Warner was clapping earlier than the ball settled in Carey’s gloves whereas Root was seen punching his bat in fury.

It was the primary of three regrettable pictures from skilled gamers within the afternoon. Ben Stokes was subsequent, combating his strategy to 25 earlier than cramping himself for room attempting to manufacture a dangerous uppercut towards Cameron Inexperienced. He might solely carve a catch to backward level.

Buttler was much more culpable deciding he would give Lyon the cost just a few moments previous to the interval. It went horribly, with a delicate mis-hit crusing straight down the throat of Boland at deep-midwicket.

That left Jonny Bairstow because the final batter standing, with a flimsy tail to comply with.