Australia vs England Ashes Live Score: Aussies Take Control on Day 1

Australia vs England Ashes Live Score, 3rd Test Day 1:Veteran Usman Khawaja has missed selection to Australia’s team for the third Ashes Test against England with Travis Head kept at the top of the batting lineup with Jake Weatherald. Just two days away from his 39th birthday, Khawaja was a notable omission Tuesday from Australia’s XI for the Test beginning Wednesday at Adelaide Oval. Australia leads the five-Test series 2-0 and can retain the Ashes with a win or draw in Adelaide. Don’t know how much Brook’s dropped catch would cost England, but Australia’s make-shift number 4 has got a decent start after that lifeline while batting on just 5. He has since added 36 runs to his name. England need a motivational bowling spell from someone and break this partnership. The pitch has slowed down, evidently, and batting is expected to get easier with the sun baking down. And that’s what this Aussie pair will try to exploit. A riveting post-Lunch session awaits. Play resumes at 2.10 am GMT. Stay tuned. All the momentum Australia got was sucked up and nullified for a good period of controlled bowling, bringing the game into balance. The runs dried up as Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne tried to rebuild. Australia could have potentially been three down, had Brook clung to Khawaja’s outside edge deep in the session. However, the partnership blossomed as Khawaja eventually found the fluency and switch flicked, whereas Labuschagne grew in confidence every passing over to coast them safely to Lunch. England looked flat in the first forty minutes or so, as they didn’t target the stumps much. But then came the turning point. Archer bowled a maiden in between, much more with control and backed it up with a breakthrough. Soon after, in the very next over, Head was fished out through a stunning one-handed grab from Crawley off Carse’s bowling. Australia got quickly off the blocks in the first eight overs, but that foundation of 33/0 soon became 33/2 with both openers back in the hut in no time. Trailing by 2-0 in the series, on a good batting pitch, the English front line of attack was excessively irregular. Specifically, Carse, who was way too short in his lengths and fed too many looseners on the lines to the benefit of the two left-handers. Head and Weatherald cashed on the poor deliveries, sending them to the ropes, while Archer tried to keep things tight at the other end. The short ball stuff with the new ball clearly didn’t work in England’s favor due to a lack of execution, as the ones pitched fuller swung early doors. A zig-zagging morning session in this third Ashes Test. But to be very honest, the Australians would be the happier of the two sides, as Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja not only defused the threat of a collapse, but scored a fair clip as well. England showed a lot of character with the ball after sending both openers back, especially Archer, who thoroughly examined the batters. But the rest were far from being consistent with their lines and lengths. And surely, Khawaja’s dropped catch has come back to haunt them. Will Jacks to Usman Khawaja :Looped up, full and on off, Usman Khawaja fends it away. THAT WILL BE LUNCH ON DAY 1! Will Jacks to Usman Khawaja :EDGED BUT DOES NO CARRY! Will Jacks slows it up, full and on off, turns away a bit. Usman Khawaja prods forward and pushes at it with soft hands. Gets a thin outside edge but it drops in front of Harry Brook at first slip, who dives to his left to make a half-stop. England are taking their own sweet time, to ensure that this is the last over before the break. Jacks and Stokes are involved in a detailed chat regarding field placements. Back to resumption. Will Jacks to Usman Khawaja :FOUR! Superb shot! Flatter, fuller, and around middle. Usman Khawaja goes down on one knee and absolutely nails the sweep shot as the ball races to the deep mid-wicket fence for a boundary. Will Jacks to Marnus Labuschagne :Tossed up, full and on middle, Marnus Labuschagne drills it to long on fo a run. Will Jacks to Usman Khawaja :Flighted, full and on middle, Usman Khawaja uses his feet and flicks it towards mid-wicket for a run. Joe Root picks up and throws it at the batter’s end, where it hits Marnus Labuschagne’s back and deflects onto the stumps. That must have hurt a bit. Will Jacks to Marnus Labuschagne :Floated, short and on middle, Marnus Labuschagne stays back and tucks it through mid-wicket for a single. Ben Stokes to Usman Khawaja :Full again and on middle and leg, Usman Khawaja knocks it down the pitch. Ben Stokes to Usman Khawaja :Fuller one and on middle, Usman Khawaja blocks it out. Ben Stokes to Usman Khawaja :FOUR! Nicely played! Bangs this into the pitch, on middle, not enough to trouble the batter. Usman Khawaja gets on top of the bounce and pulls it away to the deep backward square leg for a boundary. Ben Stokes to Marnus Labuschagne :On a length and on middle, Marnus Labuschagne clips it towards square leg for a single. That also brings up the 50-RUN PARTNERSHIP between these two batters. Well, that was a struggle for Jacks. Went for 10 runs in his opening over. Khawaja’s assurance and fluency is visible now, while Labuschagne is growing in confidence gradually as well. Ben Stokes to Marnus Labuschagne :Short of a length and in that channel outside off, nips back in, Marnus Labuschagne leaves it alone. Ben Stokes to Marnus Labuschagne :Back of a length and on off, Marnus Labuschagne gets behind the line of it and blocks it out. Will Jacks to Usman Khawaja :Slows it up, full and on middle, Usman Khawaja knocks it towards mid on. Will Jacks to Usman Khawaja :FOUR! Gets it away! Flatter, full, but down the leg side. Usman Khawaja goes down on one knee and paddles it away to the deep fine leg fence for a boundary. Will Jacks to Usman Khawaja :Drags his length back, on middle, Usman Khawaja nudges it to short mid-wicket. Will Jacks to Marnus Labuschagne :A loopy low full toss around off, Marnus Labuschagne reaches out for it and drives it to the left of mid off. Joe Root chases after it and slides to push it back inside just in time. Three taken. Will Jacks to Usman Khawaja :Flighted, full and on middle, Usman Khawaja drills it to the right of mid on for a single. About 10 minutes remain for Lunch. Time for spin now as Will Jacks replaces Josh Tongue. Will Jacks to Usman Khawaja :Tossed up, full and on leg, Usman Khawaja clips it towards deep mid-wicket for a brace. Ben Stokes to Usman Khawaja :Fuller and on off, Usman Khawaja guides it towards point for one. This partnership is starting to look dangerous for England now. Ben Stokes to Usman Khawaja :Bangs this into the pitch and around off. He falls over on his follow-through as well. Usman Khawaja rides the bounce well and steers it to point. Ben Stokes to Usman Khawaja :Overpitched and on the leg stump line, Usman Khawaja flicks it through mid-wicket for a couple of runs. Ben Stokes to Marnus Labuschagne :On a length and on middle, angling in, Marnus Labuschagne clips it towards square leg for a run.