England surge ahead of Australia on day of hope’s triumph over expectation

England started the second day of fourth Test 299 runs behind Australia with two wickets still to take. They finished it 384/4, 67 runs ahead. They arrived at Old Trafford knowing that any sloppiness with the ball or naivety with the bat could cost them the Ashes, they left having run the opposition increasingly ragged, the fate of the series seemingly well within their grasp.

In truth it was England’s day from ball one. Literally. Pat Cummins driving James Anderson’s first delivery straight to Ben Stokes at cover point. From there they never really looked back.

Eyebrows were raised in some camps when Moeen Ali was announced as England’s number three for this Test. Weeks ago he was in red ball retirement, now he was batting in one of the hardest spots in the lineup and on the biggest of stages – even those citing his excellent county championship record at three were doing so probably more in hope than expectation.

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This was a day though for hope triumphing over expectation – could anything really encapsulate that more than Zak Crawley flaying Australia’s bowlers all around the Old Trafford square on the way to a superb 189.

It started with his partnership with Moeen, his arrival thrust upon England early when Ben Duckett fell in the third over. What began as useful resistance soon began to metamorphose into something altogether more valuable. Two elegant strokemakers who might throw their wicket away at any moment, this was a partnership with all the beauty and fragility of a butterfly.

As the morning wore on, it was a butterfly flapping increasingly frustratingly around the heads of the Australians, the runs racking stylishly ever upwards, both batters reaching half centuries, their stand moving past 100.

However no true beauty lasts forever and eventually the partnership was broken, Usman Khawaja catching Moeen at mid-wicket off Mitchell Starc to ensure Cummins’ drop the over before only cost his side one run.

Though, it was not a wicket that did anything to alter the respective trajectories of either side. If anything, the arrival of Joe Root simply added a steeliness to England’s batting in the place of elegant mercuriality.

Root’s intent was clear from his first ball, pulled away for four, his arrival seemingly also freeing Crawley to move into another gear.

This was ‘Bazball’ manifest, Root and Crawley facing up to arguably the best bowling attack in the world – albeit one willingly without a frontline spinner – and comprehensively dismantling it in the Manchester afternoon sun, to the increasing delight of a raucous sold out crowd.

Crawley soon had a hundred, going from 50 to three figures in just 23 balls. As Tea approached Australia were simply hanging on for the bell, by the time the break came England had made 178 from the 25 overs in the session – even Ricky Ponting on commentary was using the word “rattled” to describe the tourists.

From an English high of 336/2, Australia would claim two wickets before close, although it seems doubtful either will bring them much joy. Both required a good deal of fortune that had seemingly avoided them all day – Crawley chopping Green onto his stumps to end his scintillating 189 from just 182 balls, Root bowled by Josh Hazlewood for 81 by one that skidded devilishly and unplayably low off the surface – a sight of no comfort for Australian batters to come.

England will restart on Day 3 67 runs ahead, arguably the most any side has seemed ahead at stumps at any point in the series so far. With Ben Stokes and Harry Brook at the crease and Jonny Bairstow, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood to come, they will be dreaming of a formidable lead and, provided the local weather complies, of pulling off a thrilling series-levelling win. If they can maintain the level of performance they showed on Day 2, it would seem foolish to bet against them doing so.