England’s Ashes campaign is on the brink of collapse after a punishing second day in Adelaide, where sweltering 40-degree heat and a relentless Australian attack left the tourists reeling at 213-8. Trailing by 158 runs after Australia posted 371, England’s batting lineup crumbled under pressure, losing three wickets for just five runs in a chaotic 15-ball blitz before lunch.
Captain Ben Stokes stood alone, battling severe cramping and illness to reach a weary 45 not out from 151 balls. "He’s pretty broken in there at the moment," batting coach Marcus Trescothick admitted, noting that Stokes was struggling to keep fluids down.
The day belonged to Nathan Lyon, who justified his recall by moving past Glenn McGrath to become the sixth-highest wicket-taker in Test history. Lyon, who admitted he was "filthy" at being dropped for the previous Test, claimed 2-51, including a sensational opening over where he removed Ollie Pope and Ben Duckett.
"To think of being able to overtake Glenn... it’s pretty humbling to be honest with you," said Lyon, who now sits on 564 wickets. His introduction, coupled with the return of Pat Cummins, sparked the top-order collapse that exposed England's fragility on a pitch that was otherwise ideal for batting.
Captain Pat Cummins, returning from a lower back injury, was instrumental in dismantling the visitors. He dismissed Zak Crawley early and later claimed the wicket of Joe Root for the 12th time in Tests; more than any other bowler, leaving England’s most experienced batter unable to capitalize on a start.
Cummins finished the day with 3-54, consistently troubling the batters with probing lines. England avoided the follow-on largely due to a gritty, unbeaten partnership between Stokes and Jofra Archer, who had earlier claimed a five-wicket haul (5-53) to wrap up Australia’s innings.
Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg did not mince words regarding the technology failures, stating, "In my view it’s not good enough... We’re hoping to get some answers so we can be assured it won’t happen again." The contentious dismissal of Smith, who trudged off in disbelief for 22, further soured the mood for an England side already fighting for survival.
With the series at 2-0, the tourists now face a monumental task to save the Test match, as the combination of extreme heat, technical controversies, and a dominant Australian attack leaves them staring down the barrel of a series defeat.
However, the day was shrouded in controversy regarding the Snicko technology, prompting a outburst from Mitchell Starc. The tension peaked when Jamie Smith was given out caught behind despite replays showing a gap between bat and ball, with Starc heard on the stump mic declaring, "Snicko needs to be sacked. That’s the worst technology there is."
The anger stemmed from a cumulative frustration; just a day prior, Alex Carey survived a review due to a confirmed operator error with the technology. Carey later admitted he likely edged the ball, and the error forced Cricket Australia to seek urgent answers.