Australia vs England – 2nd Test Match Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Australia vs England taking place? Thursday, December 16th, 2021 – 04:00 (UK)
Where is Australia vs England taking place? Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
What is the expected weather for Australia vs England? 19-37c dry with sunny intervals and clear night skies over the course of all five days, although partial cloud is expected in the evening of Day 2.
What channel is Australia vs England on? The match will be televised live on BT Sport
Where can I stream Australia vs England? The match can be streamed live via the BT Sport App
LAST MEETING
Australia beat England by nine wickets
THE TEAM NEWS
AUSTRALIA
- Australia landed the first punch in this Ashes series, comfortably winning the first Test in Brisbane having dominated right from the first delivery that saw Mitchell Starc bowl Rory Burns in one of the all-time great Ashes moments.
- Batter Travis Head won the battle with Usman Khawaja for a place in Australia’s middle order and his excellent 152 in their first innings laid the foundation for the hosts with the bat, meaning that he will almost certainly keep his place not just for the second Test, but more than likely for the rest of the series.
- Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out of the second Test due to a rib injury and his place is expected to be taken by Jhye Richardson, with no other changes anticipated from Australia.
ENGLAND
- A questionable team selection, alongside the decision to bat first upon winning the toss led to England being skittled out for just 147 in the first innings of the first Test before Australia piled on 425 in response, something they never recovered from and was ultimately key in them losing the match.
- Ollie Robinson was a big positive for the tourists with the ball, picking up four of England’s 11 wickets taken in Brisbane and he is expected to be joined in the second Test by bowling stalwarts James Anderson and Stuart Broad after both were controversially left out of England’s side in the first Test.
- Mark Wood has not been named in England's 12-man squad for the second Test in order to accommodate the inclusion of both Anderson and Broad, whilst Jack Leach could find himself dropped from the playing XI, with England instead opting for Joe Root as their sole spin-bowler, although the batting line-up of the visitors isn’t expected to change.
THE PREDICTION
They say an Ashes series can be defined by the first ball and no doubt many televisions across England were switched off in anger the moment Mitchell Starc pinned back Rory Burns’ leg-stump with the very first delivery of this 2021-22 Ashes series in Brisbane. The tone was set and Australia went on to dominate the first Test, ultimately winning comfortably. The series now moves to Adelaide with a day-night Test under the floodlights and England are set to unleash Anderson and Broad on the hosts.
However, Australia boasts a formidable batting line-up, far stronger than that of England’s and their batters are far more capable of coping with Anderson and Broad than the England batters are coping with the likes of Pat Cummins and Starc. It is England’s fragile batting unit that is likely to prove their downfall once again in this second Test, with Australia expected to accrue a bigger first innings score and take control of the contest once again, ultimately leading to a second successive home victory.
