Australia turn the screw

England’s Ashes woes continued at the Adelaide Oval as Australia turned the screw on day two of the second Test. Despite having been thrashed by 381 runs in the first Test in Brisbane, England had high hopes of hitting back in Adelaide.

Saturday, December 07, 2013
Australia's Brad Haddin congratulates Michael Clarke on scoring a century during the second Ashes Test against England, in Adelaide on Friday. Net photo.

England’s Ashes woes continued at the Adelaide Oval as Australia turned the screw on day two of the second Test.Despite having been thrashed by 381 runs in the first Test in Brisbane, England had high hopes of hitting back in Adelaide.However, missed chances came back to haunt them as centuries from Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin helped Australia reach 570-9 declared.And then a woeful dismissal from Alastair Cook left England on the ropes at 35-1 at stumps, still 535 runs behind.Australia captain Clarke’s 148 equalled his predecessor Ricky Ponting’s record of six Test hundreds at the Adelaide Oval, while Haddin hit 118 from 177 deliveries.Their 200-run stand surpassed the 181 they put on against New Zealand in 2008 for Australia’s best sixth-wicket effort at the ground - with both players making the most of the chances presented to them on day one.No-ballClarke was put down by Root and although that was a tough diving chance at midwicket, Carberry was guilty of dropping a regulation chance that would have removed Haddin.Both were also handed lifelines on day two as Haddin edged a no-ball from Ben Stokes behind when on 51, while Clarke was also dropped again on 91, with Ian Bell putting down a tough chance at short leg off Graeme Swann.Clarke, who scored 113 in the second innings of his side’s win at The Gabba in the series opener, completed back-to-back hundreds during a morning session in which little went right for England.On 48 overnight, Clarke miscued the first ball he faced from Monty Panesar (1-157) just out of the reach of Stokes in the covers to complete his half-century.He used his feet to the spinners at every opportunity and was also strong on the cut when the seamers dropped short, picking off Stokes for a couple into the leg side to move through to a 175-ball hundred, his 26th in Tests, before lunch.Haddin took a more brutal approach and launched four leg-side sixes off England’s spinners, taking advantage of the short square boundaries.England did eventually break the partnership when Stokes (2-70) made Clarke his maiden Test wicket, with James Anderson taking a stooping catch at straight midwicket from a leading edge.The tourists quickly added two more wickets; Mitchell Johnson failing to clear Stuart Broad (3-98) after trying to hit Swann’s spin back down the ground and Stokes finding Peter Siddle’s outside edge with a delivery that shaped away.MiseryShortly after Clarke’s exit, Haddin brought up his fourth Test century - and third against England - by pulling Stokes for four.But Haddin’s impressive knock - which included 11 boundaries and five sixes - was finally brought to an end by Broad with a bottom edge off a wide one carrying to Matt Prior.Ryan Harris and Nathan Lyon continued to pile on the misery with a 41-run stand before the declaration came.Harris registered his second Test half-century - following his 68 not out against the West Indies in 2012 - with his 55 coming off 54 balls, while Lyon added 17, including his first six in first-class cricket.The declaration left England with 21 overs left to face in the day, however they lost Cook (3) just 16 balls in. The England skipper completely misjudged the line of Johnson’s delivery and lost his off-stump as a result.Root, promoted to three in the order following Jonathan Trott’s departure from the tour with a stress-related illness, and Carberry were able to steer England through to the close but it wasn’t pretty.