Ashes 2017/18, 2nd Test: 5 things we learnt from the second day's play

England's Ashes hopes quickly unravelled on a day that saw Shaun Marsh repay the selectors' faith with a fifth Test hundred. His splendid ton and the 99 run partnership with Pat Cummins helped Australia reach a domineering total of 442 before skipper Steven Smith declared the innings.

Earlier, Stuart Broad trapped Peter Handscomb in front even as Tim Paine survived quite a few blows on the body to compile a resilient half-century. It was the Marsh-Cummins show from then on.

When Australia inserted England to bat under lights in the final session, Mitchell Starc removed Mark Stoneman before rain intervened. A huge day awaits England tomorrow as another poor performance with the bat could possibly seal their fate in the match and series.

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#5 Handscomb and his technical glitch

Stuart Broad exposed Peter Handscomb's technical glitch

Peter Handscomb is all of a sudden under the spotlight after being one among the assured members in the Australian Test squad. It was always a toss up between Shaun Marsh and Glenn Maxwell for that no.6 spot and inspite of Maxwell's Shield double ton, Marsh's pretty handy innings in the first Test was thought to be the end of Maxwell's Ashes hopes.

However, another opening has seemingly emerged in the middle order courtesy Handscomb's technical glitch. The middle order batsman has a habit of sitting on his back-foot and it is this tendency that the England bowlers have exploited with full balls on the stumps. Eight of his sixteen dismissals in Tests have been LBW or bowled and England seem to have done their homework against Handscomb.

#4 Paine withstands pain

Paine brushed off criticism to compile a fine half-century

Much was made out of Tim Paine's selection to the Test squad after a seven year hiatus. But his work behind the stumps, apart from a dropped catch in the first Test, has been top notch. The right-hander has also joined the party with the bat as he helped resurrect the Australian innings after Handscomb's scalp in the company of Shaun Marsh.

The wicket-keeper batsman was hit on the hip by Craig Overton and then survived courtesy a fine review after the umpire declared him lbw. Overton retracted by smacking Paine on his fingers. Despite wincing in pain, Paine carried on with grit and underlined his value in the lower middle-order.

#3 Marsh grabs his opportunity

Marsh thwarted the England bowling attack to score a stellar hundred

Shaun Marsh is a strange batsman. When he is flowing, the runs just keep coming and at other times, he struggles to get a single run. At Adelaide, though, the former was on display as he got stuck into the England bowlers. He milked them for runs whilst looking composed and resolute.

Brought up on the bouncy WACA pitch, Marsh is an adept player of the hook and pull shot and England's ploy of bowling short backfired. In the company of Pat Cummins, Marsh flourished and left England hapless with some pristine stroke-making.

#2 Smith declares on time

Mitchell Starc dismissed Mark Stoneman

Having put up quite a total, Australia had to ensure that the visitors were given no reprieve. A timely declaration ensured the same as they declared four overs after the dinner break to place Alastair Cook and Mark Stoneman in tough conditions to bat. Under lights, the ball swung around and England were pushed onto the back foot.

Even though the openers played out the initial threat, Mitchell Starc struck gold when he angled one into Stoneman's pads and trapped the southpaw in front to give Australia an early breakthrough. Cummins probed Alastair Cook's patience before rain had the final say in the day.

#1 England under immense pressure

Cook will be a vital player for England if they are to stage a comeback

Conceding 442 in the first innings of a day-night Test, England are forced to play catch up game. Rant can go on about how Root should ideally have batted first or how the English bowlers should have bowled more at the stumps. But they have to forget the past and start worrying about getting close to the Australian total.

Alastair Cook, who has so far remained vulnerable at the crease in Australia, will be a crucial player for England on the third day. The last (and only) time he played in a day-night Test, against West Indies, Cook slammed a double hundred. If he can anchor England's fightback, Australia may have their task cut out. But at the moment, the hosts appear well and truly on top.