Lightning strikes give England Ashes respite as Australia take control again

It took a spectacular intervention from the heavens to halt what was a second day of home dominance at the Adelaide Oval. As lightning flashed around the ground, forcing players and umpires off the field to seek refuge and spectators into the nearest watering holes, it represented blessed relief for an England side looking thunderstruck.

It was hard not to predict such punishment for England when they walked out at the start of play with Australia 221 for two. The mercury had hit 37C and there were already 89 overs in the legs of a homogenous attack that had placed so much stock in the second new ball working the oracle under lights the night before, only for Jos Buttler to squander the solitary chance that materialised with a second drop of the innings.

Unlike at the Gabba, where David Warner was bowled off a no-ball for 17 en route to a hugely consequential 94, the cost was at least minimal but this was the latest example of the basics that are proving so elusive right now and making the difference between these two sides look far more of a chasm than is probably the case.