Eng vs Aus: Steven Finn wreaks havoc on Australia on Day 2

After a poor batting display on Day 1, Australia had no option but to make amends with the ball and that's exactly what the tourists did on the second day of the 3rd Test against England at Edgbaston on 30 July.

The Australians, who were bowled out for a paltry 136 runs in the first innings, made full use of the bowling-friendly conditions to get their hosts out for 281 runs. Though the Australian seamers were expected to threaten England batsmen on the green pitch, it was nippy spinner Nathan Lyon (3/36) who turned out to be the pick of the bowlers for the hosts.

The bowling trio of Mitchell Starc (2/71), Josh Hazlewood (3/74) and Mitchell Johnson (2/66) combined to ensure England's lead didn't go beyond 145 runs after their first innings.

England, having ended Day 1 at 133/3 with Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow at crease, were not only expected to surpass Australia's paltry total with ease but also amass a big lead to put the game beyond the reach of the opposition.

However, the hosts failed to make an impact on the second day and lost their remaining seven wickets for 148 runs. Root (63) was the top scorer for England while Moeen Ali's gritty knock of 59 runs provided the much-needed boost to their lead.

Batting woes continued to haunt Australia in their second innings as the hosts began to take control of the match. After losing Chris Rogers (6) in the fourth over, Australia lost four wickets for 30 runs with Steven Finn (4) doing the damage.

David Warner (77), who was looking good for Australia, was dismissed by Anderson in the 29th. With Mitchell Johnson (1) and Peter Nevill (10) at the crease, Australia were struggling at 118/6 after 30 overs.

Finn pushes Australia on the backfoot

England seamer Steven Finn, who took two crucial wickets in the first innings, was in a class of his own in the second innings against Australia. The 26-year-old seamer was once again the nemesis for the Australian top order.

After Stuart Broad dismissed Chris Rogers early in the second innings, Finn handed a crucial blow to Australia by taking four quick wickets. He dismissed Steven Smith right before Tea and came back into the attack to scalp both Michael Clarke and Adam Voges in the same over to leave Australia reeling at 77/4 in the second session.

Mitchell Marsh later became his fourth victim of the day after he was clean bowled in the 23rd over. Finn's strikes triggered a batting collapse for Australia which only strengthened England's grip on the match.

Johnson and Lyon dictate terms for Australia

Mitchell Johnson, who was criticised for his mediocre performance at Cardiff, made full use of the bowling-friendly conditions in the morning session to reduce England from 133/3 to 142/5 in a span of just three overs. The left-arm seamer dismissed Jonny Bairstow to reach 300 wickets in Tests and then sent Ben Stokes packing in the same over. His impeccable length combined with fiery speed turned out to be the nemesis for the two English batsmen.

If the seam bowlers were running amok on a livelier pitch at Edgbaston, Australian spinner Nathan Lyon also ensured his bowling skills didn't go unnoticed. Lyon extracted extra bounce and varied his length adequately to trouble the opposition batsmen. He was also the pick of the Australian bowlers with his tally of three wickets for 36 runs in the first innings.

Fall of wickets

England's first innings:

30.3 overs: Mitchell Johnson got Jonny Bairstow (5) out caught by the wicket-keeper on a short-of-the-length delivery. Bairstow was targeted on the body and couldn't do anything but glove it towards Peter Nevill behind the stumps.

30.5 overs: Mitchell Johnson got Ben Stokes (0) out caught by the wicket-keeper on a steaming bouncer. Stokes was looking to get out of the way but the ball followed him and kissed his glove before going into the hands of Peter Nevill behind the stumps.

40.6 overs: Mitchell Starc got Joe Root (63) out caught at the first slip. Root was looking to push it along the ground but got a thin edge through to Adam Voges who took it comfortably.

45.3 overs: Nathan Lyon got Jos Buttler (9) out lbw on a flighted delivery. Buttler was looking to play across the line but got trapped in front of the stumps.

64.6 overs: Josh Hazlewood got Stuart Broad (31) out caught at mid-on on a short-of-the-length delivery. Broad was looking to pull but mistimed it straight into the hands of Mitchell Marsh who managed to hold onto the ball.

66.3 overs: Josh Hazlewood got Moeen Ali (59) out caught in the third man region. Ali chased a wide delivery and sliced it straight down the throat of David Warner.

67.1 overs: Mitchell Starc got James Anderson (3) out by the wicket-keeper. Anderson was lured into the drive and forced to produce an outside edge that was caught by Peter Nevill behind the stumps.

Australia's second innings:

3.3 overs: Stuart Broad got Chris Rogers (6) out lbw on an in-swinging delivery. Rogers was stuck in his crease while looking to defend but the ball nipped back in sharply to hit his pad in front of the stumps.

12.2 overs: Steven Finn got Steven Smith (8) out caught by the wicket-keeper on a short-of-the-length delivery. Smith was a tad too late in his pull shot as the ball took the top edge of the bat and went straight into the hands of Jos Buttler behind the stumps.

16.3 overs: Steven Finn got Michael Clarke (3) out caught at fourth slip. Clarke was squared up with the short-of-the-length delivery and got an outside edge that went straight towards Adam Lyth who took a good catch diving forward.

16.4 overs: Steven Finn got Adam Voges (0) out caught at second slip. Voges was looking to play away from his body, but ended up edging it straight into the hands of Ian Bell who took an easy catch.

22.1 overs: Steven Finn bowled Mitchell Marsh (6) on a pitched up delivery. Marsh played all around the fuller delivery as the ball sneaked past his bat to uproot the middle-stump.

28.3 overs: James Anderson got David Warner (77) out caught at cover. Warner was looking to flick it towards the leg side but got a leading edge that went straight into the hands of Adam Lyth who took it comfortably.

Day 1 review

Australia saw a bad start at Edgbaston after being bowled out for a mere 136 runs in their first innings thanks to the bowling trio of James Anderson, Steven Finn and Stuart Broad. Anderson was the pick of the England bowlers with his tally of six wickets for 47 runs while Broad and Finn took two wickets apiece on a livelier pitch and under overcast conditions, promising more assistance to the seamers.

The tourists got off to a bad start, losing opener David Warner (2) in the third over after he was trapped lbw by Anderson. Though England's frontline seamers Anderson and Broad kept troubling the Australian batsmen, it was Finn who took the next two wickets of Steven Smith (7) and Michael Clarke (10).

Australia, who were recovering after early blows, were at 72/3 at lunch and didn't look that bad. However, the visitors lost a whopping seven wickets for a mere 64 runs in the second session. Out of the seven wickets in the second session, five were claimed by Anderson whose swing bowling simply proved too hot for the opposition batsmen to handle.

Chris Rogers (52) was the only silver lining in Australia's first innings that lasted for only 36.4 overs against the English seam bowlers.

Disclaimer: Please note that this article has only been updated till the 30th over in Australia's second innings on Day 2.