Joe Root’s 160 lifts England to 384 in Sydney Ashes Test, Michael Neser takes four as Australia eye tricky chase

Root’s classy 160 anchors England innings

England were bowled out for 384 in 97.3 overs, with Joe Root once again proving why he remains the backbone of England’s Test batting. The former captain compiled a superb 160 off 242 balls, hitting 15 fours and controlling the innings from the moment he walked in.

Coming in after early strikes from the Australian new-ball attack, Root rebuilt the innings with a mix of solid defence and fluent strokeplay. His partnership with Harry Brook was the turning point, helping England recover from 57 for 3 to a position of real strength.

Harry Brook misses century, middle order stumbles

Harry Brook continued his impressive Ashes form with a fine 84, but fell short of what would have been his 11th Test hundred. The right-hander played positively, reaching his half-century with confident strokes before edging Scott Boland to slip early on day two.

England’s middle order, including captain Ben Stokes who fell for a duck, could not fully capitalise on the strong platform laid by Root and Brook. Jamie Smith’s 46 and Will Jacks’ composed 27 added valuable runs, but soft dismissals at key stages denied England a total beyond 400.

Neser leads Australian fightback, tail collapses

Australia’s bowlers hit back strongly in the second session, led by seamer Michael Neser, who finished with impressive figures of 4 for 60. Neser broke the 52-run stand between Root and Jacks, removed Jacks for 27, and later produced a sharp caught-and-bowled to dismiss Root on 160 before cleaning up the tail.

Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland supported well with two wickets each, as England lost their last four wickets for just a handful of runs. The collapse, coming just when a 400-plus total looked certain, dragged Australia back into the contest and ensured the hosts were not completely batted out of the game.

Pitch conditions and what lies ahead

The Sydney pitch has already shown uneven bounce and some seam movement, especially as the ball has grown older, making shot selection crucial for both teams. For Australia’s openers, the initial hour against a motivated England attack could shape the course of this Test and the narrative of the series finale.

With England posting 384 and Tea taken early after their innings ended, the match is finely poised heading into the final sessions of day two. If Joe Root 160 turns out to be the defining innings of this Test, much will depend on how Australia’s top order responds under pressure on a challenging surface.