Batters put Australia into lead in second Ashes Test against England

BRISBANE: Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith scored anchoring half-centuries to help Australia acquire a handy first-innings lead over England on the second day of the second Ashes Test here at the Brisbane Cricket Ground on Friday.

At the stumps on day two, the home side were 378/6 in 73 overs, leading by 44 runs, with wicketkeeper batter Alex Carey and Michael Neser unbeaten on 46 and 15, respectively.

The hosts got off to a rampant start to their innings, with their opening pair of Travis Head and Weatherald putting together a brisk 77-run stand in 13 overs before Brydon Carse removed the former, who made 33 off 43 deliveries with the help of three fours and a six.

Weatherald then shared a 69-run partnership for the second wicket with Marnus Labuschagne until eventually being dismissed by Jofra Archer after top-scoring with a 78-ball 72, comprising 12 fours and a six.

Labuschagne was then involved in another crucial partnership for Australia when he added 50 runs for the third wicket with captain Steve Smith before England captain Ben Stokes got him caught behind in the dying minutes of the second session. He scored an anchoring 65 off 78 deliveries.

Australia's biggest partnership in the first innings thus far came for the fourth wicket when captain Smith and all-rounder Cameron Green mustered 95 runs before both perished in quick succession and brought the total down to 292/5.

Smith struck five fours and two sixes on his way to an 85-ball 61, while Green made 45 off 57 deliveries.

The home side then suffered another setback to their innings when Stokes cleaned up Josh Inglis, who could score 23 off 25 deliveries.

With the scoreboard reading 329/6, Neser joined Carey in the middle, and the duo batted sensibly against a momentum-filled English bowling attack to ensure Australia did not sustain further damage.

Earlier in the day, the touring side resumed their first innings from 325/9 through ton-up Joe Root and No.11 Jofra Archer, who could add nine more to their overnight 10th-wicket partnership as the latter was dismissed by Brendan Doggett in just the third over of the first session.

Archer made a significant contribution with a 36-ball 38, while Root top-scored for England with an unbeaten 138 off 206 deliveries with the help of 15 fours and a six.

Mitchell Starc led Australia's bowling charge in the first innings with a six-wicket haul, while Scott Boland, Neser and Doggett made one scalp apiece.