Ashes 2017/18, 2nd Test: Hits and misses

Australia skipper Steven Smith was being criticised for not enforcing a follow-on when England were dismissed for 227 in the first innings, but it turned out to be a wise decision as Australia made it 2-0 by winning the Pink Ball Ashes Test in Adelaide.

Needing 354 to win in the final innings, the touring party made a lot of mistakes as the hosts' pacers cleaned up England's middle and lower order early on Day 5, to win the second Test by 120 runs.

Mitchell Starc was the destroyer-in-chief destroyer with 5/88 and he got excellent support from Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon.

However, it was Hazlewood who caused the maximum damage on the final morning by getting rid of dangerous Joe Root for 67.

Before the Ashes action moves to Perth, let's have a look at the hits and misses from the second Test.

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Hit: Shaun Marsh

Joe Root invited Australia to bat first at the at the Adelaide Oval, and none of the hosts' top-order batsmen could convert their 40s and 50s into a big hundred to lay a solid foundation for a first innings lead.

Shaun Marsh, who scored a fifty at the Gabba last week, rose to the occasion and continued his fine run of form, bringing up a magnificent century on day two as Australia surged into a comfortable position.

Marsh, whose ton proved to be the differentiator between the two teams, remained unbeaten on 126 as Australia declared their innings on 442/8.

Miss: Moeen Ali

England had a lot of expectations from all-rounder Moeen Ali in the absence of Ben Stokes, but the 30-year-old could not live up to them.

Ali was ineffective as a bowler and remained wicketless in both the innings of the Adelaide Test. He is usually quite handy with the bat, but he could not chip in much; he scored 25 in the first innings and was dismissed early on day 5 for 2.

Ali's only contribution in the series has been his wickets of Usman Khawaja and Josh Hazelwood in the first innings of the Brisbane Test, and this is a major cause of concern for the visitors.

Hit: Nathan Lyon

Nathan Lyon is having the time of his life. The spinner had quite a lot to say before the start of the series and now, he is doing all the talking on the field as well.

With a fifer in the first match, Lyon emerged as a massive player in the second Test as well, completely controlling the game from one end and taking wickets.

In the first innings, Lyon claimed four crucial wickets and prevented England from taking a lead.

Lyon, who dismissed Alastair Cook in both the innings, was quite effective against the left-handers and ended up taking six wickets in the match and becoming the leading wicket-taker in Test cricket in 2017 with 55.

Hit: James Anderson

After four Ashes tours, 15 Tests and 30 innings, James Anderson finally got his maiden five-wicket haul in Australia.

Anderson, who claimed just two wickets at the Gabba last week, got rid of Usman Khawaja in the first innings.

In the second innings, however, Anderson was at his lethal best, dismantling Australia's top-order as the hosts were dismissed for a paltry 138.

Eventually, his effort went in vain, as England's batsmen could not replicate the heroics of their strike pacer and ended up falling 120 runs short of Australia's target of 354.

Miss: Alastair Cook

The form of Alastair Cook, who led England to Ashes glory in 2015, remains one of the biggest concerns for Joe Root after the end of the second Test.

Cook, who contributed with nine runs in Brisbane, added 53 runs in his two innings at Adelaide. Cook, who has just three centuries in his last 56 Test innings, showed some resistance and his footwork was more assured than in Brisbane, but he is more vulnerable to off-spinners now.

Owing to his experience and ability, Cook was expected to play an anchor's role for England but he was ultimately undone by two good deliveries from Nathan Lyon.

With the visitors 2-0 down in the five-match Ashes Test series, Cook will have to produce a miracle in Perth to turn things around for England.