Ashes, 2nd Test: England claim three wickets but Australia's lead swells

It was an action-packed first session where England bossed the first half while Australia took charge in the second half to balance the proceedings

Australia lost three wickets in the first session but a still-flourishing 79-run stand between Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head stretched their overall lead to 371 against England on day four of the day-night second Ashes test on Sunday.

The hosts were 134-4 at the dinner break with Labuschagne on 31 and Head on 45 off 44 balls in the pink-ball contest on his home ground.

Australia had resumed on 45-1 and from the very first ball, when nightwatchman Michael Neser was nearly run out, there was an intent to England’s play.

Neser was bowled by James Anderson shortly after and Australia's stand-in captain Steve Smith was caught spectacularly by Jos Buttler on the leg side off Ollie Robinson.

It was a mixed session for the England wicketkeeper who earlier caught Marcus Harris (23) equally theatrically before dropping Smith off the very next ball.

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While not a crisis, Smith's decision not to enforce the follow-on on Saturday when Australia led by 237 runs, looked questionable with England's spirits firmly up.

For the England side trailing 1-0 in the series and fighting to save the match, the changing weather proved helpful with a much cooler day in South Australia.

Seamer Ollie Robinson's switch to off-spin to try and unseat Head, and improve England's poor over-rate, proved unsuccessful.

For them, Ben Stokes temporarily took over the captaincy after Joe Root had a hospital scan after being hit in the abdomen during today's warm up. Root was later passed fit to play on.

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