A pumped-up Australia ripped through England’s fragile batting Thursday to leave the tourists staring down the barrel of a third Test defeat with their Ashes campaign on the brink, barring a miracle.
At stumps on a sweltering day two, the visitors had ground to 213-8, trailing by 158 after Australia added 45 to their overnight 326-8 as temperatures soared to 40 Celsius.
A gutsy Ben Stokes was not out 45 after facing 151 balls with Jofra Archer on 30 in a Test England must win and on a pitch ideal for batting.
They were not helped by another suspect decision by the Snicko technology, but at least avoided the follow-on.
Australia lead the five-match series 2-0 and will retain the urn if they win or draw after back-to-back eight-wicket thumpings in Perth and Brisbane.
Opening pair Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley saw off the early overs from Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.
But it was a mirage with England losing three wickets for five runs in a 15-ball blitz, the latest chapter in a familiar tale.
Cummins first tempted an edge from Crawley, on nine, to wicketkeeper Alex Carey in the Australian skipper’s first Test since July after lower back issues.
Lyon strikes
Then in a stroke of genius, he brought on spin king Nathan Lyon, who was controversially left out for the pink-ball second Test at the Gabba.
Lyon grabbed two wickets in a sensational opening over with a hapless Ollie Pope (3) flicking to Josh Inglis at midwicket before he bowled Duckett for 29.
Joe Root was fortunate to survive in the next over when he edged Scott Boland to Carey, but a review showed it did not carry.
