Ashes 2021-22: Australia tighten noose around England

Melboune: England was hit by Covid-19 dramas within its support staff on Monday before its batsmen sustained another top-order collapse at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as Australia moved within sight of a series-clinching victory in the Ashes. Before play even began on Monday, Cricket Australia called for calm after a Covid-19 scare involving England’s support […]

Melboune: England was hit by Covid-19 dramas within its support staff on Monday before its batsmen sustained another top-order collapse at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as Australia moved within sight of a series-clinching victory in the Ashes.

Before play even began on Monday, Cricket Australia called for calm after a Covid-19 scare involving England’s support staff resulted in a 30-minute delay to the start of the second day of play in the third test. Australia was bowled out for 267 as the home side grabbed a first-innings advantage of 82 runs, before England struggled to 31-4 in its second innings at stumps on Monday.

England seamer James Anderson gave a masterful display, claiming the key wickets of Marcus Harris (76) and Steve Smith (16) in his tally of 4-33 off 23 overs. But England’s batters were soon under attack again. Mitchell Starc (2-11) dismissed Zak Crawley, caught behind for 5, and Dawid Malan, leg before without scoring, in consecutive deliveries.

Debutant Scott Boland (2-1) delighted his home crowd of 42,626 roaring fans by removing opener Haseeb Hameed for 7 and Jack Leach without scoring in the penultimate over of the day. With Ben Stokes and Joe Root at the crease, England had lost four wickets after just 12 overs and still required another 51 runs to make Australia bat again.

“On the bowling front, I thought we did really well to stick at our task throughout the day,” Anderson said. England’s all-time leading wicket-taker said the tourists were “pretty pleased” to bowl Australia out for 267.

Earlier, Cricket Australia’s chief executive Nick Hockley said there was no need to change current plans, which include staging the fourth and fifth tests in Sydney and Hobart, respectively. “We just need to remain calm and get the facts,” Hockley said.

In a day of early drama, Cricket Australia released a statement confirming the Covid-19 outbreak within the England camp, which delayed the team’s arrival at the MCG and caused a 30-minute delay to the start of play.

“Cricket Australia has been informed that two members of the England cricket team’s support staff and two of their family members have returned a positive Covid-19 Rapid Antigen Test,” the statement said.

“The affected individuals are currently isolating.” Australia captain Pat Cummins was unable to play in the second test after becoming a close contact of a Covid-19 case. Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, England’s tours of South Africa and Sri Lanka were abandoned mid-tour due to Covid concerns.

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