Australia end Day 2 at 378/6, riding fifties from Weatherald, Labuschagne and Smith
England drop five catches, handing Australia crucial momentum
Hosts take a 44-run lead, firmly controlling the Test
Australia Vs England, 2nd Ashes Test: Hosts Seize Control Despite Late Wickets In Pink-Ball Clash, Take 44-Run Lead
Australia tightened their grip on the Ashes 2nd Test after solid innings from Weatherald, Labuschagne and Smith, while England’s five dropped catches and inconsistent bowling allowed the hosts to build a valuable lead on Day 2
Summary
Will Jacks provided the standout moment on day two of the second Ashes Test, but some dropped catches from England saw Australia reach stumps with a 44-run lead.
Unlike the first Test, the second match will see at least a third day, after a topsy-turvy Friday in Brisbane eventually settled in Australia's favour, with Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith scoring half-centuries.
England only managed to add nine to their total in the first session before Jofra Archer (38) was dismissed by Brendan Doggett (1-81).
Australia almost suffered an early blow when Travis Head, who plundered a century in the first Test, should have been caught behind off Archer's bowling, but England wicketkeeper Jamie Smith put the chance down.
Head and fellow opener Weatherald took advantage to reach 77 before the former was pinned lbw by Archer on 33.
Labuschagne, though, came in and picked up the mantle. Weatherald was dismissed by Brydon Carse (3-113), but not before he had put on 72.
Steve Smith and Labuschagne looked to be building up a dangerous partnership until the latter edged off Ben Stokes, with Jamie Smith holding it this time.
Carse took two big wickets in quick succession, bowling Cameron Green (45) and then seeing Jacks take a spectacular, one-handed catch to send Steve Smith packing on 61, just two balls after Ben Duckett had let Alex Carey off on 0.
Duckett missed another chance as Stokes lured an edge from Josh Inglis (23), though England's captain got his man soon after with a wicked delivery that sent the stumps tumbling, but Carey (46 not out) and Michael Nasser (15 not out) guided Australia through to stumps without further loss, and they will resume on 378-6.
Data Debrief: Root joins day-night club
Root finished on 138 not out, having finally ended his wait for a Test ton on Australian soil.
The former England skipper became just the fifth player to score two centuries in day-night Tests, after Labuschagne, Head, Asad Shafiq and Dimuth Karunaratne.
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Archer, meanwhile, put on a flurry to end England's innings. He fell just six runs short of breaking the record for the highest score by a visiting number 11 in a men's Test in Australia, with the current record having stood since 1892 (William Attewell, 43 not out).
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