Ashes 2017/18: 5th Test, Day 2 - 5 things we learnt from the day

Australia v England - Third Test: Day 2
Smith and Khawaja stood firm for the hosts on day 2.

Half-centuries from David Warner and Usman Khawaja and a Steven Smith special in the offing means that Australia hold the edge against England at the end of day 2 in the fifth and final Test at Sydney. A shaky Khawaja overcame his series woes to compile a fine half-century and raced into the 90s in the final over of the day.

Earlier, England's tail wagged with Stuart Broad and Tom Curran giving the visitors a worthy total although it still seems a tad less on this wicket.

Although Broad got rid of Bancroft early, Warner and Khawaja worked hard to steady the ship. The former fell to an Anderson off-cutter but Khawaja and Smith held the fort till stumps.

#5 England's tail wag

England v India: 5th Investec Test - Day Three
Broad stood tall against the short stuff and frustrated Australia

The hosts must have thought Dawid Malan's departure would pave the way for an England lower order collapse but they did not quite account for Stuart Broad and Ton Curran's antics with the bat. The Aussie seamers steamed in and bowled a barrage of short stuff against the tail-enders but the duo stood calm and attacked them.

They put on a 41 run partnership in no time that frustrated the Aussies. Perhaps, the hosts didn't realise that although Broad has struggled against the short ball since Varun Aaron struck him on the helmet grille a few years back, it is the full balls that still lead to his downfall.

Perhaps the hosts should realise that CricViz had estimated Broad's average against bouncers since the mishap as 74 and against full balls as 9.8 during South Africa's England tour last year.

#4 Bancroft's technical glitch crops up again

Australia v England - Fifth Test: Day 2
Cameron Bancroft hasn't kicked off in the Ashes after the first Test

An unbeaten 82 aside, Bancroft has done little of note in the Ashes. He has got starts only to throw them away and is as close as to being called the "Australian Vince" as Don Bradman was to a batting average of 100. It isn't that the youngster, thrown into the deep end before the series, is a poor batsman but he does have a glaring technical glitch.

All his six dismissals in the series have been to fairly similar deliveries.Today, Broad angled one into him, an innocuous delivery that jagged in a touch, but Bancroft shoddy technique for length balls angled in made it appear like an unplayable ball. Interestingly, swing and seam haven't contributed much to his dismissals, instead, he has mostly missed straight ones on the stumps.

#3 Warner's new year Sydney love broken

Australia v West Indies - 3rd Test: Day 5
Warner once again teased to make a hundred in a New Year's Test

David Warner had a hundred in each of the last three times he played in a New Year's Test at Sydney. It looked like the southpaw was well on his way to make it four when he reached his half-century after a relatively silent start in Australia's first innings at Sydney on day 2. England had tied down the rampaging opener, giving him little room to free his arms.

But the maturity of Warner was evident in the manner in which he negotiated the tough period before notching up a fine half-century. It was close to tea and England had started to feel the game slowly fade away from their grasp when James Anderson produced a quickish off-cutter to Warner. The southpaw hung his bat out with little feet movement and the edge was snaffled up by Johnny Bairstow behind the stumps.

#2 Usman Khawaja overcomes his rut with fine half-century

Australia v Pakistan - 3rd Test: Day 4
Usman Khawaja notched up a fine half-century

Usman Khawaja hasn't had the best of series' but put all that behind and his hoodoo against Moeen Ali to compile a fine half-century, bringing up the landmark with a six against Ali to prove that he had overcome his demons against the offie. The southpaw weathered the early storm when England were super tight with their lines and then alongside Warner compiled a fine partnership.

Even as Warner departed close to tea, Khawaja carried on in the same vein and brought up his half-century in the company of the skipper. Notably, the left-hander used his feet against the spinners - Moeen Ali and Mason Crane - and made an effort to get to the pitch of the ball which eventually paid off.

#1 Edgy Steven Smith completes 6000 Test runs

Australia v India - 4th Test: Day 2
Smith became the second-fastest to 6000 Test runs

An uncharacteristically edgy Steven Smith completed a landmark 6000 Test runs becoming the second fastest after Don Bradman to reach the number. Having started off as an innocuous leggie, Steven Smith's turnaround has been rapid and massive. His stature has grown at rate of knots and today he is widely accepted as modern day Test cricket's best batsman.

At Sydney on day 2, the Aussie skipper was a tad edgy, looking fidgety at the crease and nearly edging twice to the cordon. He edged Crane short of Root in one over before nearly edging Broad again to his opposite number an over later. The third time Smith edged - yet again off Broad - the ball raced away to the third man fence.

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Edited by Tanya Rudra