Ashes 2017: How the Second Test was lost on Day Five as Joe Root fell early and Moeen Ali was once again left in a spin
All the key moments and wickets from Adelaide as England failed to chase down the mammoth 354 set by Australia
CHASING a record 354 to win the Second Test in Adelaide, Joe Root’s England collapsed on Day Five to leave Australia with one hand on the Ashes urn.
Going into a crucial first session, the tourists resumed on 176-4 but had Chris Woakes removed in the first over – before Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc blew the rest away before tea.
Here’s how the morning unfolded on a dramatic final day.
Chris Woakes – 2pm – 176-5
ENGLAND began the day full of hope and were looking to make it through the first hour unscathed.
That optimism lasted three balls.
Hazlewood hit a lovely length from the start and drew the faintest of edges from Woakes, resulting in a huge appeal and the eventual marching orders from Aleem Dar.
England reviewed and despite the lack of anything on Hot-Spot, a tiny spike on Snicko sent the nightwatchman on his way.
Joe Root – 2.13pm – 177-6
ALL the talk overnight had been that Root was the key to the England innings.
He started nervously, shuffling round the crease and struggling to get anything away off the dangerous Starc and Hazlewood.
And ultimately that did for him as Hazlewood got one to keep low, sending the nick behind to a delirious Tim Paine – with Root dismissed without adding to his overnight score.
The Aussies celebrated hard – the win was within reach just 15 minutes into the day.
Moeen Ali – 2.42pm – 188-7
WITH Jonny Bairstow and Moeen now at the crease, England’s hopes were pinned on them weathering the seamer’s storm.
They held out for around half an hour, but Steve Smith decided to turn to Nathan Lyon – who took just six balls to deceive his opposite number.
All four of Ali’s dismissals in this series have come from the off-spinner, who lobbed up a delicious arm-ball that went straight on.
Moeen missed the sweep and was plum infront, despite the desperate review.
Craig Overton – 3.22pm – 206-8
ENGLAND’s debutant at No9 was the hero of the first innings and arguably got his side back into it with a hard-fought 41*.
But the Aussies went after Overton here and Cummins in particular proved just too quick – hammering him in the heart area with a vicious bouncer that left him on the deck.
After nearly 40 minutes of plucky resistance with Bairstow, the new ball came available and Starc was given the first over.
It took just one delivery – flying in at the pads and trapping him plumb LBW.
Stuart Broad – 3.38pm – 224-9
AS is now customary Down Under, Broad was welcomed to the middle by a chorus of boos.
Pantomime villain he may be, but with the bat he’s just hapless against the short stuff – and it felt just like a matter of time as he got further and futher back in his crease.
It was that man again Mitchell Starc who got the wicket, pitching one up and getting Broad pushing tentatively, sending the edge to Paine.
Start the car.
Jonny Bairstow – 3.42pm – 233 all out
WITH all hope lost, Jonny Bairstow knew he’d run out of partners – despite being joined by ‘Burnley Lara’ Jimmy Anderson.
He sent a crashing couple of drives through the covers to give the Barmy Army something to cheer as England held on to a last glimmer of hope.
But Starc was now really motoring and the pace was too much, the Yorkshireman chopping back onto his stumps.
The image of the middle-peg hurtling away and Bairstow’s slumped shoulders summed up a torrid day.
England have just over a week to prepare for the traditionally bouncy pitch at the WACA – where they cannot afford to lose.
Gulp.