Another day, another fascinating contest – and yet when the two sides reflect on its events, it seems certain that Australia will be the happier of the two.
There were moments when England threatened to wrestle the advantage firmly from the opposition but Australia remained resolute, patiently battling to ensure that by the close it was they who held the upper hand.
At the heart of everything for Australia was Usman Khawaja, out on the field from the first ball to the last, the calm head his team needed when his more trumpeted teammates had failed to deliver.
This was an innings of real stature from Khawaja, the man dropped seven different times by Australia determinedly proving every critic wrong, ball by studious ball. By the close he had 126, his 15th Test century and a first in England, celebrated with such emotion that his bat literally flew from his hands.
Without him Australia could have been in real trouble, as it was they finished just 82 runs behind England, over 10 overs put onto the second new ball and five wickets still in hand, a fantastic platform to put some real pressure on England on Day Three.
If holding onto regret and stewing over missed opportunities were not so antithetical to the entire changing room ethos Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes have been fostering, you would imagine that England would rue a few moments on the second day at Edgbaston. Moments when they could really have turned this game decisively in their favour.
Things started with so much promise for England, Stuart Broad first removing David Warner, to his and the majority of the crowd’s vociferous delight, then getting Marnus Labuschagne first ball – the fact that it was with his much talked up ‘new outswinger’ only making it all the sweeter.
There would be no record third Test hat trick for Broad, but there would be an over with the ball for Harry Brook – in total England used seven bowlers in the first session – determined to Bazball to their heart’s content all the way through this Test.
Brook didn’t get Steve Smith but his wicket did fall in somewhat unlikely fashion, Stokes trapping him LBW, not bad for a man who seemingly only started bowling again on Tuesday of this week.
If England had a chance to really get on top of Australia with Smith gone at 67/3, then when Moeen Ali tempted Travis Head into a horror chip to midwicket to reduce the tourists to 148/4 then they really smelled blood.
Two balls later came the moment that for a while at least looked to have had a big impact on this Test, Cameron Green skipping down the track second ball and getting nowhere near one from Moeen, Jonny Bairstow fumbling the stumping chance to give Australia a big let off.
Moeen did eventually get Green, but Australia had recovered somewhat to 220/5, the calming, ever-present Khawaja easing the pressure on his side.
With the second new ball came the second of England’s missed opportunities, Khawaja bowled by the second delivery sent down with it, an absolute beauty that had the crowd roaring and dreaming of an Australian tail skittled with a healthy English lead.
It was a dream that died all too quickly for England fans, Broad had overstepped, Khawaja reprieved, and by stumps he and Alex Carey had steered Australia to 311/5, the deficit below three figures, the hosts looking perhaps a little short of ideas.
Sunday though is a new day, England – not currently a side lacking in self-belief – will reason they are only two wickets away from seeing Nathan Lyon at the crease and with a refreshed bowling attack and a reasonably new ball will fancy their chances of batting again with a helpful if not daunting lead.
Australia though showed that they are a batting side not entirely dependent on Steve Smith, a team willing to battle through tough periods and meet English fire and funk with old fashioned grit and determination – Justin Langer would be proud if he wasn’t still bitter about his ousting from the side.
It leaves the contest once again fascinatingly poised, this was no difficult second album of a day, instead a follow up to yesterday’s smash hit opener that now leaves everyone feverishly expecting the next.
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