Michael Vaughan admitted he was ‘concerned’ for Ollie Robinson and ‘jaded’ England as Australia fought back on day two of the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston.
Usman Khawaja’s first century in England dragged Australia from 29-2 to 311-5 at stumps, 82 behind England’s 393-8 declared.
Stuart Broad knocked over his 2019 nemesis David Warner in the seventh over of the day and then nicked off Marnus Labuschagne next ball.
Australia were faltering when Steve Smith was trapped lbw by Ben Stokes, able to bowl seven overs in the day despite concerns over his knee, but the tourists’ middle order provided valuable support to Khawaja.
Travis Head hit a fluent 50 and Cameron Green made 38 before both were dismissed by Birmingham favourite Moeen Ali, who came out of Test retirement to play in the Ashes.
Australia still trailed by 173 at that point but Khawaja and wicketkeeper Alex Carey put on almost 100 in the evening session to frustrate England.
Carey was dropped by Jonny Bairstow, who also missed a stumping chance to dismiss Green when he was on nought. England’s frustration grew when Stuart Broad bowled Khawaja off a no-ball.
‘England will be rueing those missed chances,’ Vaughan said on BBC’s Test Match Special. ‘And on this pitch, which is very flat, my concern is their bodies.
‘They looked jaded and this is their first day in the dirt of a five-match series over six weeks.
‘I was a bit concerned with Ollie Robinson today. He seemed to go off the pitch a lot. I’m not sure if there is an issue with his ankle.
‘The problem is this pitch is so slow and hard for the seamers, when you are asked to bowl bouncers, it takes it out of you.
‘If they are going to be playing on these pitches for the next six weeks then some of these seamers are going to be in a hole.’
More to follow…
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