After balanced gameplay on day 1, England truly dominated day 2 to take control of the fourth Ashes 2023 match against Australia on Thursday, July 20. Australia's first innings stumbled on just 317 runs with Chirs Woakes taking his first-ever five-for in Ashes and then English batters revived 'bazball' at Manchester's Old Trafford to post a total of 384/4 in just 72 overs.
James Anderson picked his first wicket of the game on the innings' first delivery on Day 2 and then Woakes finished with Hazlewood's wicket. Australia managed to add only 18 runs on Thursday with Mitchell Starc remaining unbeaten on 36* off 93.
After playing an admirable knock with the bat, Starc gave Australia a sensational start with the ball. He dismissed Ben Duckett on the innings' third over but Australia failed to build up momentum on a good start. Struggling Zak Crawley and all-rounder Moeen Ali were quick to stabilize England's innings and added 121 runs for the second wicket.
Moeen Ali recorded his first Test fifty in the last three years as he played a brilliant knock of 54 off 82. Starc gave Australia a breakthrough with Moeen's wicket but Crawley recorded his fourth Test hundred to end his poor run of form.
Crawley and Root displayed an attacking style of cricket from the start and pulled off a stunning partnership of 206 runs for the third wicket. Crawley scored 189 off 182 with the help of 21 fours and three sixes before getting bowled out by Cameron Green. Root also came close to recording his 31st Test hundred but was dismissed at 84 off 85 on a brilliant delivery by Josh Hazlewood.
Ben Stokes and Harry Brook played some defensive cricket to avoid further wickets in the third session as England scored 3384/4 in 72 overs when the umpires called for stumps.
"Sometimes I'll have streaks of low scores cos I'm taking a punt, but if I was more consistent maybe I wouldn't have a day like today. That's more my template. Definitely fair I haven't been consistent, but I've shown at my best I'm good enough for this level," Zak Crawley said after the stumps on Day 2.
