Weatherald, Labuschagne, Smith steer Australia ahead of England

Australia 378 for 6 (Weatherald 72, Labuschagne 65, Smith 61, Carse 3-113) lead England 334 (Root 138*, Starc 6-75) by 44 runs.

After Travis Head had dominated pre-match talk, fellow opener Jake Weatherald emerged from his shadow with a rollicking maiden Test half-century as Australia capitalised on a ragged England bowling and fielding display in the day-night second Ashes Test.

Australia ended day two in command after half-centuries from Weatherald, Steven Smith, and Marnus Labuschagne. It marked the first time in a decade that Australia had put on 50-plus stands for the first four wickets in a Test innings, though no batter has yet converted their starts into a big score.

Just a fortnight ago, England had dismissed Australia for 132 in Perth with hostile pace reminiscent of the West Indies’ peak, but they have been undisciplined in this match, conceding 5.17 runs an over so far.

Weatherald set the tone with 72 off 78 balls, including 59 runs in the first session, helping Australia reach 291 for 3, just 43 runs behind England’s first innings total. Under pressure after their first-Test humiliation, England wilted amid a lacklustre bowling effort until Cameron Green and Smith fell in the same over to a short-ball ploy from Brydon Carse, who had been expensive up to that point.

Josh Inglis was later clean bowled by indefatigable skipper Ben Stokes as England mounted a brief fightback. But sloppy fielding — including five dropped catches — allowed Alex Carey and Michael Neser to post an unbroken 49-run partnership and steady Australia’s innings.

England were dismissed for 334 early on day two, with Joe Root unbeaten on 138. Attention immediately shifted to Head following his extraordinary century in Perth, as he opened in place of the injured Usman Khawaja — a role he had only previously occupied in South Asia.

Head had no trouble negotiating Jofra Archer’s wayward early deliveries, while Weatherald was unruffled, striking a boundary in the fourth over. Weatherald grew in confidence with a trio of boundaries off seamer Gus Atkinson, while Head made a watchful start, scoring his first boundary in the 10th over and a six off Carse to ignite his trademark aggressive style.

Head’s 33 ended with a mid-on catch to Carse, but the momentum remained with Weatherald, who reached his half-century off 45 balls — the fastest at the Gabba in a decade. Stokes briefly turned to spinning all-rounder Will Jacks, whose solitary over went for nine runs. Archer later trapped Weatherald lbw with a full delivery that hit the toe of the bat.

Labuschagne and Smith built a formidable partnership thereafter, both reaching half-centuries in 67 balls. Labuschagne, who became the first batter to reach 1,000 runs in day-night Tests, fell to Stokes while attempting a cut close to his body. Smith combined with Green in another half-century stand before Brydon Carse dismissed Green with a full-length delivery and Smith caught brilliantly at deep backward square by Jacks.

England’s fielding lapses prevented further breakthroughs, leaving Australia in a strong position.

England had begun the day with hope after a last-wicket partnership between Root and Archer, which extended their overnight total of 325 for 9. Root, with his century jinx on Australian soil behind him, played sensibly, taking singles and avoiding risky shots.

Archer, meanwhile, surpassed his previous Test best of 30, cracking a superb drive off Starc to start his maiden half-century bid. But he fell on 38 when Labuschagne took a remarkable one-handed catch at deep backward square, ending England’s 70-run 10th-wicket stand — their highest on an Ashes tour since 1951. (ESPNcricinfo)