Ashes 2023 | Twitter reacts as brilliant Smith and valiant tail hand Australia 1st innings lead on Day 2

Upon resumption, Stuart Broad produced one of his characteristic  spells as he got rid of Usman Khawaja for a gritty 47 in the first over post Lunch before snaring Travis Head in his very next over. Down to 127/4, Australia regained some stability courtesy of Smith and Mitchell Marsh but the merry didn't last long as James Anderson dismissed the all-rounder to register his wicket of the match. Another mini-collapse followed due to the inability of Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc to stick around for long and the Kangaroos found themselves reeling at 186/7 when Tea was declared.

The hosts looked on course to clean up the tail and gain a significant first-innings lead but Smith and Pat Cummins thwarted the proposition with a game-changing eighth-wicket stand of 54. However, just when the duo seemed to have flipped momentum onto their side, Smith threw his wicket away on 71 in what could be his final Ashes match in England. Todd Murphy walked in with England's lead still reading 44 and immediately disposed of the side's pragmatic batting approach with a brilliant onslaught, including dispatching express Mark Wood for two maximums in an over. The young spinner put up 49 runs with the skipper, contributing 34 of those runs himself, and only departed after having given his side the lead. England eventually wrapped up the Australian innings for 295 courtesy of a brilliant Ben Stokes catch which also signalled the end of play.

If not for Jonny Bairstow, we wouldn’t have learnt so much about the rules of the game. #Ashes

— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) July 28, 2023

Peak

#BenStokes often gives a feel of being a bit uninterested and then comes up with some epic stuff be it with the bat,ball and field. #Ashes #Ashes23 #Ashes2023

— movieman (@movieman777) July 28, 2023

Big day coming

Todd Murphy has outscored Jonny Bairstow for Australia, there.#ashes

— Danieldwilliam Parroty (@DanielDWilliam) July 28, 2023

Less go

England 50 short in the 1st innings and then let the Convicts put on 50 too many in the 2nd.



Story of the series overall, so close yet so far #Ashes

— Dan Pearce (@Pearcey149) July 28, 2023