In what's been a complete contrast to proceedings on the opening day, Australia went on the defensive in their bid to bat long in the fifth and final Test at The Oval as the visitors added only 54 runs before Lunch on Day 2. England toiled on the second morning but Australia's determination ensured they lost only a solitary wicket.
Both sides gave away nothing in the first hour of play. James Anderson posed some questions to Usman Khawaja and Mark Wood kept things quiet as both batters were content to bat out time. Stuart Broad was the only bowler who came close to bagging a wicket before the drinks break as he went past Marnus Labuschagne's outside edge a few times.
On one occasion, he set the right-hander perfectly and brought one back in to hit him on the pads and had the ball not moved in sharply, Labuschagne could have easily been given out leg-before-wicket. On another occasion, he almost ended up giving a catch to the fielder stationed at leg slip but the ball just landed in front. In 14 overs, the visitors managed to score only 21 runs.
The breakthrough finally arrived post the drinks break as Wood ended Labuschagne's vigil. The pacer went wide of the crease and bowled one on a good length that took his outside edge and Joe Root at first slip took a stunning one-handed catch to his left to finally bring an end to the partnership.
Steve Smith punished back-to-back full deliveries from Anderson to fetch a couple of boundaries before the break but in 50 overs, Australia had only 109 on the board. Yesterday, after the same number of overs, England had 250. While Australia's approach may pay dividends if they manage to tire down the English attack while fetching a first-innings lead, England will feel confident given they are still ahead by 168 runs.
