Ashes, 3rd Test: Starc, Green strike as England batters struggle

Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green struck in the second session to help Australia further dominate England on Day 1 of the ongoing Boxing Day Ashes Test here at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.

At the tea break, England's score reads 128/6 with Jonny Bairstow (21*) at the crease.

Resuming the second session at 61/3, Joe Root and Ben Stokes managed to add 22 runs more to the total and along the way Root also managed to bring up his fifty. However, the England skipper was dismissed immediately after by Mitchell Starc and the visitors were reduced to 82/4 in the 34th over.

Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow then got together at the crease and the duo kept on moving the scoreboard at a brisk pace. Both batters put on 33 runs for the fifth wicket, but it was cut short by Cameron Green as he dismissed Stokes (25) in the 47th over. 

Green got his second wicket in the session as he sent Jos Buttler (3) back to the pavilion and England was sent into a further slump at 128/6. 

Brief Scores: England 128/6 (Joe Root 50, Ben Stokes 25; Pat Cummins 3-31) vs Australia.

(ANI)

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