"Unlike Archer, who had completed a five-wicket haul first thing, Cummins was not alone. Indeed, a theme of this series has been how much Australia's bowlers have outstripped their opposite numbers as a collective. Even in conditions that felt like standing in a kiln the breeze akin to a hairdryer their nagging lengths, allied with the extraction of any possible movement, cracked England wide open."
"Stokes had been reprising his efforts from the final day in Brisbane, shrugging off an early blow to the head from Mitchell Starc and grinding his way to 45 not out from 151 balls of utter toil. But Pat Cummins was the captain glowing with authority out in the middle, walking off with figures of three for 54 on a truly stellar comeback."
"At the end of a brain-boiling second day in South Australia two things could be said with a fair degree of certainty: England were staring at the termination of their already faint Ashes hopes and players on both sides had lost faith in the Snicko technology. The match situation first, which at stumps pointed firmly towards Australia and the 3-0 lead that was ultimately loading."
England entered the close of the second day's play in Adelaide in dire shape, 213 for eight in reply to Australia's 371, trailing by 158. Ben Stokes (45 not out) and Jofra Archer (30 not out) resisted late, while Pat Cummins led Australia's bowling with three for 54. Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland provided pace and control, Cameron Green curtailed a partnership and Nathan Lyon took key early wickets, surpassing Glenn McGrath's tally. Australia's collective bowling discipline, combined with oppressive heat and subtle movement, repeatedly broke England's resistance and placed Australia firmly on course for a 3-0 Ashes lead.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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