England fighting to keep Australia in check as bowlers toil

England were fighting to keep Australia in check on day two of the second Ashes Test after an uninspired effort from their bowling attack.

Joe Root ensured his first century on Australian soil was an unbeaten one, finishing 138 not out in a total of 334, but the hosts made serious inroads as they feasted on some wayward fare with the pink ball.

At the second break Australia were 228 for three, with 72 from Jake Weatherald and 65 for Marnus Labuschagne taking chunks out of the English lead.

The tourists were all over the place in the first session, coughing up 130 runs in 21 overs despite starting with three maidens.

England’s spirits visibly dipped after a shoddy drop from wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, who fumbled Travis Head on three when Jofra Archer produced a rare danger ball.

Head, whose flamboyant century carried Australia to victory in Perth, added 30 runs in rapid fashion as he and Weatherald piled on an opening stand of 77 at a fraction under six an over.

Commentating on Channel 7, Stuart Broad branded the spell “an absolute disaster” for his former team-mates as they failed to get any value out of the fresh Kookaburra.

Archer’s radar was off in his initial burst as he struggled to make the batters play, Gus Atkinson could not find his top speeds and the change bowlers – Brydon Carse and Ben Stokes – were plundered for 80 in 11 demoralising overs.

Head paid for an excess of aggression when he skied Carse to Atkinson but England were unable to fully recover.

The afternoon session brought an improvement of sorts as they picked up two for 98 – Weatherald rapped in front of middle stump by Archer and Labuschagne cramped for room as he nicked Stokes low into Smith’s gloves – but their room for manoeuvre was diminishing quickly.

The artificial lights began to take hold midway through the evening’s play but Steve Smith, wearing black eye-strips in an attempt to combat the glare, held them off for 24no in harness with Cameron Green.

He wore one nasty blow on the point of the elbow from Carse, but the Durham seamer had plenty of pain of his own as he lost all control over his length to ship 78 from his 11 overs.