BRISBANE: David Warner set up the innings with a chance-filled 94 and Travis Head took over with an unbeaten century after a mini-collapse in the middle order to guide Australia to 343-7 at stumps on Day 2, a 196-run lead in the Ashes series opener.
Warner had a big reprieve on 17 off a no-ball from Ben Stokes, one of the many times the England allrounder overstepped but one of the few he was called for. Warner was also dropped in the slips on 48 and narrowly avoided being run out as he scrambled back to his crease on 60.
But he ran out of luck after sharing partnerships of 156 with Marnus Labuschagne (74) for the second wicket and 23 with Steve Smith (12) for the third, finally out just after the tea interval when Ollie Robinson took two wickets with consecutive deliveries.
Robinson had Warner caught in the covers by Stokes and then bowled Cameron Green, who didn’t play a shot to a ball that hit his off stump, in a period when Australia slid from 189-2 to 195-5.
New wicketkeeper Alex Carey successfully blocked the hat-trick ball, his first delivery in test cricket, but was out for 12 as England clawed back to have the Australians at 236-6.
Head and captain Pat Cummins combined in a 70-run stand that restored Australia’s domination of the first two days at the Gabba, accelerating the scoring as England’s fielding got ragged.
The partnership ended when England skipper Joe Root picked up the wicket of his counterpart, having Cummins caught at leg slip.
Head continued with Mitchell Starc and was on 96 when he attempted a sweep to Root, was hit on the arm and Burns couldn’t reach as the ball ballooned down the leg side.
He reached his century from 85 deliveries with a driven boundary off Chris Waokes in the first over with the new ball, an innings containing 12 fours and two sixes.
Head was felled by a full-toss from Mark Wood when he was on 105, hit on the glove and helmet before falling to the ground, but recovered to finish unbeaten on 112 at stumps.
Ben Stokes bowls 14 no-balls in a session but only 1 detected
BRISBANE: In a bizarre sequence of events England all-rounder Ben Stokes bowled a total of 14 no-balls in the first session on day two of the first Ashes Test. However, the Englishman also managed to get away on 12 of these occasions due to poor officiating and errors with technology.
Only one was called by the on-field umpire, as Australian opener David Warner had a big reprieve on 17 off a no-ball from Stokes, one of the many times the 30-year-old overstepped but one of the few he was called for.
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting was furious and lashed out at match officials for their ‘pathetic officiating’ and allowing Stokes get away with the illegal deliveries.
“If it’s someone upstairs who’s supposed to be checking these, and if they haven’t decided that any of those are a no-ball, it’s pathetic officiating as far as I’m concerned. If (Ben Stokes) had been called for a no-ball the first one he bowled, then of course he’s going to drag his foot back.”
According to the rules of the game: “The third umpire shall review television replays of the bowler’s front foot landing and, if he/she is satisfied that any of these three conditions have not been met, he/she shall immediately advise the bowler’s end umpire who shall in turn immediately call and signal No-ball.”
Fine batting display by David Warner and Travis Head.