Adelaide (Australia): Pacemen Mitchell
Starc and Josh Hazlewood spearheaded Australia to a crushing
120-run win over England to open up a 2-0 lead in the five-
Test Ashes series in Adelaide on Wednesday.
Hazlewood snuffed out England's outside hopes of a
come-from-behind victory when he dismissed captain Joe Root in
the third over of the final day of the first-ever day-night
Ashes Test.
Starc mopped up the tail to finish with five for 88.
Holders England now face the prospect of losing the
series in next week's third Test at Perth's WACA Ground where
they have not won a Test since 1978.
"We always had the faith in the team and the belief,"
Australia skipper Steve Smith said.
"We thought if we could come out and bowl well this
morning, hit our lengths and get one or two wickets then
things can happen quickly."
While Root was batting England's hopes lingered of
bringing off a record run chase of 345 at Adelaide Oval.
But Hazlewood enticed a bottom edge and wicketkeeper
Tim Paine did the rest to the unrestrained glee of the
Australian team.
Root left the field on his overnight score of 67 and
with him England's hopes vanished.
"Disappointing. I don't think we did ourselves
justice," Root said.
"We're still massively in the series. We showed that
from the way we played yesterday.
"That has to be the benchmark how we approach the rest
of the series."
Nightwatchman Chris Woakes was out to the second ball
of the day, caught behind off Hazlewood for five.
Woakes sought a review and while the 'Hot Spot'
infrared imaging system could not find anything, the 'Snicko'
sound-video technology detected an edge and the umpire's
decision was upheld.
Nathan Lyon got the wicket of fellow off-spinner Moeen
Ali for the fourth time in the series, leg before wicket as he
attempted to sweep when on two.
That left England lurching towards defeat on 188 for
seven after 45 minutes of play on the final day.
Craig Overton stayed around for 39 minutes before he
fell lbw to a Starc inswinger for seven with the first
delivery of the second new ball.
Starc had Stuart Broad caught behind for eight and
finished off the Test just before tea bowling Jonny Bairstow
for 36.
England entered the final day 178 runs from victory
with six wickets in hand after a dramatic momentum switch on
Tuesday.
Australia dismissed England for 227 on Monday but
decided against sending them back in to bat despite holding a
215-run first innings lead.
The tourists subsequently skittled out the Australians
for 138, leaving them with a chance of chasing down a record
354-run victory target in the final five sessions of play.
Skipper Root led a spirited English fightback and
relished the challenge of a record run chase with a fighting
unbeaten half-century.
The highest winning fourth innings at the Adelaide
Oval remains 315 for six by Australia against England in 1902.
