Ashes 2023 | Zak Crawley, Joe Root Motor England's Lead On Day 2 After Woakes’ Five-Fer
Joe Root congratulates Zak Crawley on Day 2 (Twitter)
Zak Crawley and Joe Root led England’s batting response against Australia’s first-innings effort with a scintillating 206-run partnership on Day 2 of the Manchester Test. While Root missed out on a well-deserved hundred, the opening batter fell just 11 runs short of his double century.
Earlier in the day, James Anderson and Chris Woakes restricted the Australian tail from wagging, with the latter of the two even completing his fifth five-fer in Tests and his first in an Ashes outing.
Woakes completes five to restrict Australia
England’s senior paceman James Anderson struck off the first ball of the day to remove Australian captain Pat Cummins. A while later, Chris Woakes dismissed Josh Hazlewood to take his fifth wicket of the innings.
Having resumed the day at 299-8, Australia eventually dusted out for a mere 317.
Crawley’s 189 puts England ahead on Day 2
English opener Ben Duckett feathered one off Mitchell Starc’s thunderbolt to visiting keeper Alex Carey early in the innings. However, Duckett’s partner Zak Crawley went on a run-scoring spree during sensational partnerships with Moeen Ali and Joe Root.
The cricketer unfurled 21 boundaries and three sixes and faced just 182 deliveries to hammer 189. Ali struck a majestic 54 while Root was cleaned up by Hazlewood after scoring a 95-ball 84, all during his 206-run stand with Crawley.
Harry Brook and captain Ben Stokes saw off the hosts without further casualty by stumps on Day 2, having reached 67 runs ahead of Australia. The two batters will resume England’s response at 384-4 the following morning at Manchester’s Old Trafford.
Brief Scores
Australia: 317 (90.2)
Mitchell Marsh 51 (60), Marnus Labuschagne 51 (115)
Chris Woakes 5-62 (22.2), Stuart Broad 2-68 (14)
England: 384-4 (72)
Zak Crawley 189 (182), Joe Root 84 (95)
Mitchell Starc 2-74 (15), Cameron Green 1-40 (10)
England lead by 67 runs.
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