Dashing Warner checks Eng advance in third Test

At tea on the second day, Australia– already in their second innings – were 73 for two, a deficit of 72 runs, with opener Warner 56 not out.

Playing in typically aggressive fashion, he took the attack to England’s bowlers with a 35-ball fifty including eight fours. If he hadn’t yet turned the tide of the match, Warner had at least given England something to think about after they dismissed veteran opener Chris Rogers and Steven Smith to leave Australia 62 for two.

Rogers, who had top-scored with 52 in Australia’s meagre first innings 136, was lbw for six to a Stuart Broad delivery that angled in and held its line.

Middlesex fast bowler Steven Finn, playing his first Test since 2013, then dismissed Smith for the second time in the match.

Smith, the world’s number one ranked Test batsman skyed an intended pull and was caught by wicket-keeper Jos Buttler for eight, having managed seven in the first innings.

Earlier, number eight Moeen Ali’s quickfire 59 helped England to 281 all out and a first-innings lead of 145.

Together with Broad (31), he put on a valuable 87 for the eighth wicket. 

England <g data-gr-id="29">were</g> 182 for six when Birmingham-born Ali, who began his career with Edgbaston-based Warwickshire before moving to neighbouring Worcestershire, came to the crease. Ali had been bounced out by Mitchell Johnson during the second innings of Australia’s crushing 405-run victory in the second Test at Lord’s. 

But he faced down the left-arm paceman with a flurry of fours after lunch, including two well-controlled pulls, a couple of <g data-gr-id="28">wristy</g> straight drives and a lofted shot over cover. Ali had struck 11 fours in all when an uppercut off Josh Hazlewood flew straight to Warner at third man.