Ashes | Twitter in awe as Duckett discovers new layer of freedom under pressure to Bazball Australia

Gantavya Adukia

ByGantavya Adukia,SportsCafe Editor

260

Ashes trips Down Under and off-field troubles are synonymous in English cricket history, and Ben Duckett has become the latest casualty in the affair. However, the opener roared in the face of mounting pressure on Day 2 at the MCG to play some audacious shots that stunned even Michael Neser.

Australia collapsed in the second innings at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test against England to be bowled out for 132 and set England a target of 175 on a horrid batting deck. Brydon Carse played wrecker-in-chief with four scalps while skipper Ben Stokes rallied close behind with three scalps to set up hopes of a first potential English victory Down Under in a decade and a half. However, the target still needed quite some chasing given the formidable fast-bowling firepower in Australian ranks as well as the bizarre tendencies of English batting to self-combust, and Ben Duckett stood up to the occasion to answer the crisis call.

Managing less than 100 runs across six innings in the first three Tests, Duckett had come under scrutiny shortly before the fourth Test started when a video emerged on social media of the veteran inexorably intoxicated during England's reset-intended trip to Noosa. The opener has had his off-field struggles before, having been sent back from the Ashes tour in 2016 for similar conduct, and another single digit score made it seem the writing was on the wall for Duckett. However, the opener responded by coming out all guns blazing in the chase, stroking the first ball he faced for a boundary before adding a couple more to his tally as he raced pats 20. However, it was far from smooth sailing for the 31-yeyar-old, as exhibited by a streaky top-edge for four in the sixth over off Michael Neser. The Australian quick followed-up with a full delivery wide outside off to Duckett with thehopes of luring him into a booming drive but Duckett had other plans. The opener leant across the crease, going even lower than his already crouched stance, and turned the bat around in his hands before a gentle flick of the wrist scooped the red cherry over the stood-up Alex Carey's head for a reesplendent maximum. The hosts could not believe the audacity of the shot as they looked at each other in shock, confirming the pressure was well on truly on them;

Twitterati could not help but race about the sheer confidence embedded in Duckett's boild shot.

Wild wild Duckett

Big impact

Ramped

Nice

Absolutely

Atrocious

Very impressive

Killer

On fire

LOL

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