🔗 Share this article Australia's Alex Carey's Brilliant Hundred Assists The Baggy Greens Recover From An Early English Test Series Charge. In the wake of the chaos of the Perth Test as well as Brisbane's day-night palooza, a more familiar brand regarding the longest format returned at the Adelaide ground. For the South Australian fans, it was a day to enjoy, with local hero the wicketkeeper-batsman delivered a sparkling hundred at his home ground to help Australia just shade day one. However, The touring English side, 2-0 down and clinging on in the series, could be entirely downbeat. Ben Stokes had lost what appeared a significant toss and, despite being far from perfect, the English attack kept persevering in sweltering heat. At stumps, the Australians were 326 for eight off 83 overs – runs on the board yet likely below their ambitions when Pat Cummins got the toss in the morning. Jofra Archer Stands Out For England's Resistance. The standout among England proved to be Jofra Archer. Figures of 3/29 from his 16 overs were a powerful answer against the criticism that came this past week. On this day he visibly spearheaded the bowling unit, averaging around 88mph (142kmh) with the speedometer and offering Stokes a combination of control together with obvious menace. Only at the very end of play – one over with the second new ball – that he appeared a bit jaded. Having bounced out opener Jake Weatherald early on, the fast bowler's initial over after lunch wiped out Marnus Labuschagne followed by Cameron Green in the space of three balls. The all-rounder's golden duck was a reminder that this sport can swiftly bring even a celebrated player back down to earth, coming from weak chip shot to the mid-wicket fielder arriving barely a day after securing a massive £1.5m deal in the IPL. Carey's Invaluable Contribution Steadies The Innings. Alex Carey's day, however, was simply priceless, peaking at 4.48pm when he elegantly drove Stokes through cover for three runs and the Adelaide faithful rose with a roar. Coming off his virtuoso display behind the stumps at the Gabba, the left-hander's counterattacking 106 off 143 balls ensured that a mid-innings stumble to 94/4 failed to develop into a complete crisis. At 34, Carey is a genuinely cricketer these days. The Australian batting lineup did leave some runs on the field, though. Absent was that pronounced pace and bounce from the opening matches and in its place only a fraction of seam movement when a good length was hit. There was also some turn to Will Jacks, even if his consistency was typical of a part-timer – resulting in expensive figures of 2/105 off 20 overs – but the deliveries he did get to misbehave will encourage Australia's own spinner, Nathan Lyon. Emotional Backdrop and Late Team Change. The day's play was inevitably an emotional occasion for the host nation, arriving so soon in the wake of the horrific tragic incident at Bondi. A minute's silence before the start of play was perfectly observed, broken only by folk singer a rendition delivering a stirring rendition of the anthem 'True Blue'. Earlier, the hosts were also forced into a change to their stated starting eleven. Veteran batsman Steve Smith was withdrawn due to feeling dizzy and sickness first thing – seemingly recurrence of a vertigo issue that has intermittently troubled the star batter since being felled by a Jofra Archer bouncer at Lord’s six years ago. His place was taken by Usman Khawaja, a day after it was speculated his international career may be over. Before Carey's heroics, Khawaja had expertly held the Australian innings steady, walking out with the score on 33/2 and crafting a fine 82 from 126 deliveries a day out from turning 39. Partnerships worth 61 runs with Labuschagne and 91 with Alex Carey were crucial. The Tourist's Mixed Bag Persists. Aside from Archer's efforts, and despite the energy-sapping heat, this was still another disappointing outing for the English bowling attack. Brydon Carse rather rolled over his form from the first two Tests, picking up figures of 2/70 off 13 overs, and the incoming Josh Tongue claimed one for 63 from 15 overs. The Durham bowler was all over the shop when handed sharing the duty of the new ball early on, overstepping five times but still dismissing Travis Head for 10 thanks to a spectacular catch by Zak Crawley at cover. It rather encapsulated the day for both sides: moments of brilliance mixed with some sloppy play.
In the wake of the chaos of the Perth Test as well as Brisbane's day-night palooza, a more familiar brand regarding the longest format returned at the Adelaide ground. For the South Australian fans, it was a day to enjoy, with local hero the wicketkeeper-batsman delivered a sparkling hundred at his home ground to help Australia just shade day one. However, The touring English side, 2-0 down and clinging on in the series, could be entirely downbeat. Ben Stokes had lost what appeared a significant toss and, despite being far from perfect, the English attack kept persevering in sweltering heat. At stumps, the Australians were 326 for eight off 83 overs – runs on the board yet likely below their ambitions when Pat Cummins got the toss in the morning. Jofra Archer Stands Out For England's Resistance. The standout among England proved to be Jofra Archer. Figures of 3/29 from his 16 overs were a powerful answer against the criticism that came this past week. On this day he visibly spearheaded the bowling unit, averaging around 88mph (142kmh) with the speedometer and offering Stokes a combination of control together with obvious menace. Only at the very end of play – one over with the second new ball – that he appeared a bit jaded. Having bounced out opener Jake Weatherald early on, the fast bowler's initial over after lunch wiped out Marnus Labuschagne followed by Cameron Green in the space of three balls. The all-rounder's golden duck was a reminder that this sport can swiftly bring even a celebrated player back down to earth, coming from weak chip shot to the mid-wicket fielder arriving barely a day after securing a massive £1.5m deal in the IPL. Carey's Invaluable Contribution Steadies The Innings. Alex Carey's day, however, was simply priceless, peaking at 4.48pm when he elegantly drove Stokes through cover for three runs and the Adelaide faithful rose with a roar. Coming off his virtuoso display behind the stumps at the Gabba, the left-hander's counterattacking 106 off 143 balls ensured that a mid-innings stumble to 94/4 failed to develop into a complete crisis. At 34, Carey is a genuinely cricketer these days. The Australian batting lineup did leave some runs on the field, though. Absent was that pronounced pace and bounce from the opening matches and in its place only a fraction of seam movement when a good length was hit. There was also some turn to Will Jacks, even if his consistency was typical of a part-timer – resulting in expensive figures of 2/105 off 20 overs – but the deliveries he did get to misbehave will encourage Australia's own spinner, Nathan Lyon. Emotional Backdrop and Late Team Change. The day's play was inevitably an emotional occasion for the host nation, arriving so soon in the wake of the horrific tragic incident at Bondi. A minute's silence before the start of play was perfectly observed, broken only by folk singer a rendition delivering a stirring rendition of the anthem 'True Blue'. Earlier, the hosts were also forced into a change to their stated starting eleven. Veteran batsman Steve Smith was withdrawn due to feeling dizzy and sickness first thing – seemingly recurrence of a vertigo issue that has intermittently troubled the star batter since being felled by a Jofra Archer bouncer at Lord’s six years ago. His place was taken by Usman Khawaja, a day after it was speculated his international career may be over. Before Carey's heroics, Khawaja had expertly held the Australian innings steady, walking out with the score on 33/2 and crafting a fine 82 from 126 deliveries a day out from turning 39. Partnerships worth 61 runs with Labuschagne and 91 with Alex Carey were crucial. The Tourist's Mixed Bag Persists. Aside from Archer's efforts, and despite the energy-sapping heat, this was still another disappointing outing for the English bowling attack. Brydon Carse rather rolled over his form from the first two Tests, picking up figures of 2/70 off 13 overs, and the incoming Josh Tongue claimed one for 63 from 15 overs. The Durham bowler was all over the shop when handed sharing the duty of the new ball early on, overstepping five times but still dismissing Travis Head for 10 thanks to a spectacular catch by Zak Crawley at cover. It rather encapsulated the day for both sides: moments of brilliance mixed with some sloppy play.