Ashes 2021: England Batters Falter Yet Again As Dominant Australia End Day 2 With 51-Run Lead

Australia began Day 2 trailing England by 124 runs with nine wickets in hand. Opener Marcus Harris stayed solid scoring his second Test 50 even as he lost partners at regular intervals.

Nightwatchman Nathan Lyon and Player of the Match from the first Test, Marnus Labuschagne were dismissed in quick succession with James Anderson getting rid of Steve Smith to leave the home side at 110-4.

The English bowlers, led by the veteran Anderson struck at regular intervals to deny Australia a stranglehold of the match.

Just as England though they would get a first innings lead, captain Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc hit valuable runs to give the Aussies a valuable lead.

Anderson finished with four wickets with fellow quicks Ollie Robinson and Mark Wood picking two wickets each. Ben Stokes and Jack Leach got a wicket apiece.

Starc struck twice in the fifth over to get rid of Zack Crawley and Dawid Malan but was denied a hat-trick by Joe Root.

Scot Boland joined the party to get rid of Haseeb Hameed and night watchman Jack Leach in the same over to leave England tottering at 31-4.