Head Tees Off As England Require 468 To Win

A quickfire 50 from Travis Head helped Australia set England 468 to win on Day 4 of the 2nd Ashes Test in Adelaide.

Morning Session

Resuming on 45/1, the hosts almost lost Michael Neser to the first ball of the day but he returned to his crease before Haseeb Hameed’s direct throw hit the stumps with the night-watchman bowled by James Anderson off the final ball of the second over for 3. Marcus Harris would be next out, caught behind by Jos Buttler off the bowling of Stuart Broad, for 23 before the wicket-keeper would also catch Steve Smith out off Ollie Robinson’s bowling for 6 with Marnus Labuschagne (pictured below) and Travis Head’s 79-run partnership finishing with 31 and 45 off 44 balls respectively.

Afternoon Session

Head (pictured below) would be dismissed in the second over of the session, caught by Ben Stokes in the deep off the bowling of Robinson, for 51 off 54 balls before Labuschagne would be caught by the same fielder to give part-time spinner Dawid Malan his maiden test wicket for the same score. Joe Root would bowl Alex Carey for 6 before Mitchell Starc would be caught on the mid-wicket boundary by Ollie Pope off the same bowler for 19. Jhye Richardson would be the final wicket to fall, caught by Buttler off the bowling of Malan, for 8.

Requiring 468 to win and with 8 overs until the 2nd break of the day, England would lose Haseeb Hameed off the final ball of the second over without scoring, caught behind by Carey off the bowling of Richardson with Rory Burns and Malan ending the session 16 and 4 not out respectively.

Evening Session

Malan would be out LBW to Neser for 20 while Burns (pictured below) would be the next to follow, edging Richardson to Smith, for 34. Joe Root would fall to the final ball of the day, caught by Carey off the bowling of Starc, for 24 with Stokes finishing 3 not out off 40 balls.

AUS 473/9 dec (150.4 overs) & 230/9 dec (61 overs), ENG 236 (84.1 overs) & 82/4 (43.2 overs)