3 things Australia need to do to cement advantage on Day 2 of 2nd Ashes 2023 Test
Australia gained the upper hand on the first day of the second Ashes 2023 Test match at Lord's. Half-centuries from Travis Head, David Warner and Steven Smith helped the visitors reach 339/5 in 83 overs on the opening day.
Warner started the innings well by scoring 66 runs off 88 deliveries. Marnus Labuschagne missed out on his half-century by three runs. After his dismissal, Travis Head launched an all-out assault on the English bowlers, scoring 77 runs off just 73 deliveries. The southpaw hit 14 fours in his innings.
Steven Smith is unbeaten on 85 off 149 deliveries. Alex Carey has joined him in the middle, and he will resume his innings on 11 runs off 34 balls on the second day. In this article now, we will look at the three things which Australia should do right to cement their advantage in the Lord's Test match.
#1 Alex Carey should try to play a knock like Travis Head
Travis Head's innings shifted the momentum in Australia's favor on the opening day of the Lord's Test match. The left-handed batter gave England a taste of their own medicine by playing attacking cricket and scoring 77 runs from 73 deliveries. He could have completed a ton at a strike rate of more than 100 had he not gotten stumped out to Joe Root in the 75th over.
Alex Carey should try to play a similar knock like Head. He played 34 deliveries on the first day and would have understood the conditions well. If Carey is able to maintain a strike rate of around 100, the England bowlers will be under enormous pressure.
Carey's aggressive approach can also help Australia post a mammoth total of 500 or even 550 by the end of the second session.
#2 Steven Smith should hold one end in the middle for Australia
Steven Smith has reached triple figures every time he scored more than 38 runs in a Test innings this year. Smith is batting on 85 right now and is just 15 runs away from another Test hundred on English soil.
Smith should look to hold one end in the middle. He came out to bat at number four after the fall of David Warner's wicket in the 30th over. Smith has been in the middle for more than 53 overs now, and if he retains his wicket, the other batter can play attacking cricket.
#3 Australia should try to take 2 or 3 wickets by the end of the day
The Aussies should end their first innings on the second day. A declaration around 500 or 550 would be excellent, but even if England bowl them out for a total of under 500, the visitors should try to take two or three wickets by the end of the second day.
If Australia manage to take three wickets by the end of the day's play, England will be under pressure on day three and may fail to make a comeback in this Test match. The match will resume at 3:30 pm IST in London.