Cook, Stoneman depart as England strike early trouble

Adelaide. England lost openers Alastair Cook and Mark Stoneman to take the steam out of the tourists’ confident start to their record run chase against Australia in the second Ashes Test in Adelaide on Tuesday.
In-form off-spinner Nathan Lyon won a successful leg before wicket review to remove Cook (16), who shared in a 53-run opening stand with Stoneman.

Paceman Mitchell Starc then had Stoneman (pictured) snapped up in the gully for 36 to leave England rocking at 54 for two shortly before the dinner break.
England will have to run down a record target of 354 runs to level the Ashes series after bowling Australia out cheaply on the fourth day.

At dinner, England were 68 for two with skipper Joe Root shouldering a heavy responsibility on seven and James Vince not out eight ahead of the pivotal final twilight session under lights.
The Australians were knocked over for 138 off 58 overs at tea and after leading by 215 runs on first innings pushed their lead past historical proportions at the ground.

The highest winning fourth innings at Adelaide Oval stands at 315 for six by Australia against England in 1902. England’s highest run chase at the ground is 109 made in 1912.
Cook survived a confident lbw appeal off Josh Hazlewood when he was on one, but the Australians on that occasion did not seek a review and replays showed the ball hitting leg stump.

Cook was Lyon’s 56th wicket this calendar year making him the leading wicket-taker in Test cricket in 2017.
England’s all-time leading wicket-taker James Anderson took five for 43 -- his first five-wicket haul in Australia -- while fellow paceman Chris Woakes captured four for 36.