J
osh Tongue claimed his first Ashes wicket to provide England a much-needed breakthrough with the ultimate ball earlier than lunch on day one of many Second Test.
On a morning interrupted by rain and Just Stop Oil protestors, England had did not profit from beneficial bowling situations till Tongue bowled Usman Khawaja for 17 to depart Australia 73/1 on the interval.
Play had earlier been halted after only one over as two demonstrators from the activist group broke onto the sector and tried to achieve the sq. with their trademark orange dye earlier than being tackled by gamers and, ultimately, stewards. Three arrests have been remodeled the incident, which prompted solely a short interruption earlier than floor workers utilizing leaf blowers have been in a position to get the sport again on.
Ben Stokes had received the toss and, with the clouds in, unsurprisingly selected to insert the vacationers, having yesterday named an all-seam assault for the primary time in his captaincy.
Josh Tongue celebrates his first Ashes wicket
/ AFP through Getty Images
Conditions appeared excellent for the likes of Stuart Broad, James Anderson and Ollie Robinson, however whereas all three beat the bat on quite a few events both facet of a brief rain delay, England struggled for a breakthrough.
Broad got here closest, discovering long-time foe David Warner’s outdoors edge, however the ball travelled shortly to Ollie Pope within the cordon and the vice-captain put a wonderful likelihood down.
Warner regarded within the temper to punish the error, occurring the assault to achieve his half-century hooking Tongue for the primary six of the innings, whereas Khawaja – a centurion at Edgbaston – survived a few shut calls, together with an edge that fell simply in need of Joe Root at slip.
Tongue, nonetheless, fought again on the stroke of lunch with a supply that nipped again in sharply to say the highest of Khawaja’s off-stump as he shouldered arms.
