Weatherald and Labuschagne post half centuries to help Australia to 228-3 in 2nd Ashes test

BRISBANE: Jake Weatherald posted his maiden test half-century and Marnus Labuschagne completed back-to-back 50s to help Australia reach 228-3 at the end of the middle session on Day 2 in reply to England’s 334 in the second Ashes test.

The 31-year-old Weatherald, who was out for a duck in his test debut last month, scored 72 from and shared partnerships of 77 with Travis Head (33) and 69 with Labuschagne to get Australia’s chase away to a flier.

Steve Smith was 24 and Cameron Green was on 22 at the short interval before the night session. The Gabba pitch was already starting to produce some uneven bounce, likely making it tricky for the batters facing the pink ball under lights.

Smith has already had treatment after being hit on the elbow by a delivery from Brydon Carse that rose sharply and beat the edge of the bat.

England resumed Day 2 at 325-9 and added nine runs in 14 balls before No. 11 Jofra Archer was dismissed, leaving Joe Root unbeaten on 138.

The No. 1-ranked batter in test cricket posted his maiden hundred in an Ashes match Down Under late on Day 1 and shared a 70-run last-wicket stand with Archer that took England’s innings into a second day.

Only two wickets fell in the first session — Archer for England and Head for Australia — in warm, bright afternoon conditions in the day-night match.

There were two more wickets the middle session as the sun set in Brisbane, but runs continued to flow at a rate of more than 5 per over as Australia cut the first-innings deficit to 106.

Australia’s top order

Head, who was the star of Australia’s series-opening eight-wicket win in Perth, added 30 runs after a getting a reprieve when he was dropped on three by wicketkeeper Jamie Smith in the ninth over off Archer’s bowling.

He ran out of luck when he rushed through his shot to a ball from Carse which caught him by surprise and skied a catch to Gus Atkinson.

Weatherald made the scoring look easy as he raced to 50 from 45 balls, stroking nine boundaries and a six with a series of cut shots and uppercuts. He moved to 72 off 78 balls before he was hit on the foot by a full delivery from Archer that trapped him front.

Weatherald walked back toward the pavilion without having a second look at the umpire, and Australia was 146-2.

Smith’s arrival at the crease was greeted with boos and jeers by the Barmy Army and the stand-in Australia captain had to duck under a 147 kph (91 mph) bouncer from Archer, the fastest delivery of the match.

The third-wicket pair put on 50 and seemed unperturbed until Ben Stokes struck to slow the momentum.

Labuschagne, who top edged an attempted pull off Carse to bring up his 50, was in good touch on 65 until he attempted a pull shot against a stock Stokes delivery and edged behind.

England’s 1st innings

Brendan Doggett picked up the last of the England wickets on the 14th ball of the day for Australia when Archer hooked and Labuschagne took a diving, one-handed catch at backward square. England’s innings lasted 76.2 overs.

Archer’s 38 came off 36 balls, his career-highest test score containing two sixes and two boundaries including a classic square drive in Mitchell Starc’s first over of the day.

Starc returned 6-75 from 20 overs to increase his series haul to 16 wickets.