England roar back in Ashes thriller

Skipper Joe Root led a spirited English fightback to frustrate Australia and raise hopes of a miracle victory in the gripping second Ashes Test in Adelaide on Tuesday. After three days of Australian dominance, Root took up the challenge of a record run chase with a fighting unbeaten half-century as the momentum began to shift towards England, roared on by their bellowing Barmy Army supporters. In contrast, his counterpart Steve Smith, who attracted criticism for not enforcing the follow-on despite a 215-run first innings lead, burned two reviews in the space of three balls and put down a tough catch.
At the close of an absorbing fourth day in the first day-night Ashes Test, England were 176 for four with Root unconquered on 67 and nightwatchman Chris Woakes not out on five - 178 runs from victory with six wickets in hand heading into Wednesday's final day. The highest winning fourth innings at the Adelaide Oval is 315 for six by Australia against England in 1902.
"A win would be huge for us, both in terms of what it would do for our confidence as a team and we would be all square in the series," England paceman James Anderson said. "It would also have a potential effect on them (Australia) for a team to be in such a commanding position to then lose that," he added.
"It's very rare that a team declares and loses a game so if we can get a result tomorrow it would be huge for a number of reasons." Root had a leg before wicket decision on 32 off Nathan Lyon overturned on review, with the 'Hawk-Eye' tracker indicating the ball would have gone over the stumps. Australia then lost their second and last review in the 43rd over when Dawid Malan survived an lbw challenge on three off Josh Hazlewood, with the ball again tracked as going over the stumps.
Adding to Smith's anxiety, he also dropped Malan on eight in a sharp one-handed attempted catch at slip off Lyon. "We're still reasonably confident," the Australia team bowling coach David Saker told reporters.
"Obviously, the last two days haven't gone to plan ... we're still in front of the game but it's getting closer and closer and Joe's innings has made that possible," he added. "But if we can get his wicket in the morning I think the game changes quite quickly."
After the chaos of the previous night's session when Australia lost four wickets, England had a much better time under the lights. They only lost the wickets of James Vince and Malan and otherwise scored freely. Vince was beaten by a pitched-up Mitchell Starc delivery, getting a big nick to Peter Handscomb at slip for 15. Malan put on 78 with Root before he was bowled by Pat Cummins for 29.
Scoreboard
Australia first innings 442-8 declared (S. Marsh 126 not out, T. Paine 57; C. Overton 3-105)
England first innings 227 (C. Overton 41 not out; N. Lyon 4-60)

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Australia second innings (overnight 53-4)

C. Bancroft c Bairstow b Anderson       4

D. Warner c Root b Woakes              14

U. Khawaja lbw b Anderson              20

S. Smith lbw b Woakes                   6

P. Handscomb c Malan b Anderson        12

N. Lyon c Broad b Anderson             14

S. Marsh b Woakes                      19

T. Paine c Overton b Woakes            11

M. Starc c Moeen b Anderson            20

P. Cummins not out                     11

J. Hazlewood c Malan b Overton          3

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Extras (lb2, w2)                        4

Total (all out; 58 overs)             138

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Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Bancroft), 2-39 (Khawaja), 3-41 (Warner), 4-50 (Smith), 5-71 (Lyon), 6-75 (Handscomb), 7-90 (Paine), 8-122 (Marsh), 9-128 (Starc), 10-138 (Hazlewood) Bowling: Anderson 22-7-43-5 (1w), Broad 13-6-26-0 (1w), Overton 2-0-11-1, Woakes 16-3-36-4, Moeen 5-0-20-0

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England second innings

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A. Cook lbw b Lyon                     16

M. Stoneman c Khawaja b Starc          36

J. Vince c Handscomb b Starc           15

J. Root not out                        67

D. Malan b Cummins                     29

C. Woakes not out                       5

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Extras: (b3, lb5)                       8

Total: (4 wickets; 62 overs)          176

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