Ashes: Weatherald stars as butter-fingered England drop big chances

Brisbane: Australia took a 44-run first-innings lead after two days of the second Ashes Test, with the top order all getting starts Friday to help the hosts reach 378/6 at stumps.

Five dropped catches and some wayward bowling dented England and allowed the batters to capitalize.

Opener Jake Weatherald led from the start of Australia’s innings with 72 from 78 balls, Marnus Labuschagne (65) completed back-to-back half centuries, and stand-in skipper Steve Smith made 61 as bat dominated ball despite some uneven bounce at the Gabba.

Alex Carey was dropped before he’d scored and again on 25, but survived to be unbeaten on 46 off 45 balls at stumps. Michael Neser also got a reprieve before finishing not out 15 in a 49-run seventh-wicket stand.

The series-opener in Perth was all over on Day 2, with Australia winning by eight wickets, but this day-night test in Brisbane seemingly still has a long way to go. Joe Root’s unbeaten 138 — his first Ashes century for England in Australia — remains the standout innings. The Australians were coasting at 291-3 in the night session until Brydon Carse took two wickets in four balls against the run of play. He ended a 95-run fourth-wicket partnership when Cameron Green (45) backed away too far from a half-volley and was bowled.

Carse then got a thick edge with a short ball to Carey from the next delivery but Ben Duckett grassed a regulation chance at gully. Two balls later Smith pulled a short ball and Will Jacks reached out one-handed to pluck it out of the air at deep backward square. Australia suddenly was 292-5.

Carey and Josh Inglis, both wicketkeeper batters, added 37 for the sixth wicket to get Australia within range of England’s first innings 334. Duckett put down another catch, going with one hand at gully when Inglis edged Ben Stokes. But the England captain didn’t rely on any help two balls later when he angled a cutter back into Inglis’ middle stump, bowling the Australian No. 7 for 23.