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Australia Prevailed Over Ben Stokes’ Exceptional Performance To Take A 2-0 Lead

Australia took a 2-0 lead in the Ashes series despite a remarkable batting performance by Ben Stokes.

Stokes scored a brilliant 155 runs almost single-handedly, forming century partnerships with Ben Duckett and Stuart Broad.

However, his dismissal when England was 70 runs away from the target proved to be the turning point of the Test match.

Australia bowled out England for 327, winning the second Test by 43 runs.

Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins provided a challenging bowling attack to Stokes and Duckett, but Stokes managed to score boundaries against them.

Stokes survived an lbw decision after a review showed an inside edge. He and Duckett batted steadily, reducing the target to below 200 runs.

Australia’s short ball strategy paid off as Hazlewood got Duckett out with a top-edge catch taken by Alex Carey.

Australia celebrate over the disputed dismissal of Jonny Bairstow

https://twitter.com/tummey24/status/1675549187067244547?s=46

 

Bairstow hit a couple of boundaries but was controversially stumped at the end of the first session, causing dissatisfaction among England players and the crowd.

Stokes responded to the controversial dismissal with an aggressive counter-attack, hitting three fours in an over and three successive sixes off Cameron Green.

He reached his century off 142 balls and continued to dominate after the lunch break, hitting a straight six off Hazlewood.

Stokes had a few lucky escapes as catches were dropped by Cummins and Carey.

He formed a century partnership mainly with Broad, who contributed only 11 runs. Stokes surpassed 150 runs, bringing the equation down to 75.

However, Australia managed to slow down the scoring rate, and Stokes was eventually dismissed while attempting a slog, edging the ball to Carey.

Following Stokes’s dismissal, England’s batting collapsed quickly, with Cummins taking the wicket of Ollie Robinson and Hazlewood dismissing Broad.

Josh Tongue and James Anderson delayed Australia’s victory by batting for more than seven overs before Starc claimed his third wicket.

The tone for the Test match was set by Steve Smith’s century in Australia’s first innings, along with half-centuries from David Warner and Travis Head, helping them post a total of 416 runs.

England started well in their reply but succumbed to Australia’s short-ball strategy, losing wickets and conceding a 91-run lead.

Despite Stokes’s exceptional innings, England fell short of the challenging target of 371 set by Australia.


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