The big one!
Mitchell Starc has removed Joe Root could well be the moment that decides this Test. From around the wicket, he bowled it full outside off, Root drive and edged behind. However, it needed the DRS from Australia with the on-field umpire having initially thought Root hit the ground. Steve Smith was convinced, though, as he ran in from slip and signaled for the review at the same. It only needed one quick replay. When Root fell, there were 45 minutes left in the day's play...plenty of time for a lot more damage from Australia's quicks.
England: caught and bowled Neser
It was one of Australia's most contentious selections in recent times: Michael Neser being selected ahead of Nathan Lyon for this Test. But in the last half an hour Neser, operating with Alex Carey stood up to the stumps, has had a huge impact on this match. First he removed Ollie Pope (see post below) and now he has claimed a second return catch with Zak Crawley edging a drive into his leg which rebounded back up the pitch. It was another very questionable piece of batting from England's top order. His first delivery to Harry Brook then created a huge appeal, but the ball had missed the inside edge as it nipped back. Whether Neser retains his place for Adelaide is uncertain but, regardless, he is playing his role when Australia needed it.
Skittish Pope pays the price
It felt like Ollie Pope could get out any time, so it was little surprise when he played a poor shot and offered Michael Neser a return catch. He was uncertain throughout, driving wildly outside off and getting away with a number of edges - both outside and inside. Pope's first innings of the series in Perth had shown promise until he missed a straight one from Cameroon Green. Things have downhill since then. In the second innings of the opening Test he got tied down by Scott Boland's wide line before being lured into a drive.
This is how Pope reflected on the Perth Test when speaking ahead of the Gabba:
"Last week, Travis Head played a phenomenal knock on what was quite a tough pitch," he said. "So whether it’s one of our team putting their hand up and playing a knock like that or, on the other hand, it might be someone absorbing pressure for that extra amount of time to try to allow the next person to go and do that as well.
"There’s obviously different ways you want to skin a cat if you want to be successful when, at times, it is in the bowlers’ favour, if the conditions are in the bowlers’ favour. It’s just being really clear on how you want to go about it. For me, I think you get a feel while you’re out there as well.
"But it’s trying to make sure that you are putting the bowler under some pressure, but at the same time trying to absorb it as much as you can when a bowler is bowling in a good bit of rhythm if the pitch does offer a little bit...it’s just that absolute clarity, and I guess Travis Head had that last week, so whether it be a knock like that we need if it’s bowler-friendly or someone absorbing a load of pressure as well, it’s just having that complete clarity."
Moving into the game, in the first innings in Brisbane, Pope dragged on a half-hearted square cut against Mitchell Starc. Pope now averages just 18.71 from 14 Test innings against Australia, with a high score of 46.
The only reserve batter currently in the Test squad is Jacob Bethell, now that Will Jacks is in the XI, but he has missed out twice in matches against the Prime Minister's XI and Australia A. It feels likely they will stick with Pope but, having come into the series under pressure, he has hardly offered convincing response.
Have your say...
What would make a game of it...
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Boland breaks through!
Shortly after the resumption, Scott Boland has broken England's brisk opening stand, but Ben Duckett can count himself unfortunate. The delivery was short of a length and didn't get above shin height. Duckett was on the back foot, tried to get the bat down but all it did was take a toe end into the stumps. It has not been a happy Test for Duckett: a first-baller, this dismissal and a couple of dropped catches.
It was Boland and Brendan Doggett who took the ball at the start of the session. Mitchell Starc is on the field. Boland is starting to make it talk under the lights.
Tea: England 45 for 0
A tricky little session? Well, Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett have taken 45 from it in six overs. Crawley was particularly impressive with his off-side driving and Steve Smith quickly had a deep cover in place. Meanwhile, worth just keeping an eye on Mitchell Starc. He was given some pills by the physio on the boundary edge and was feeling his lower left side. Having said that, the over that followed still saw him hit 140kph.
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England survive (Starc's first over)
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They've done it. For the first time in the series, Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett have it through Mitchell Starc's opening.
0.1 Starc to Crawley, no run finds his length straight away, 139kph/86mph on off. Crawley pushes forward and defends to cover
0.2 Starc to Crawley, 1 run, slightly back of a length, dropped into the off side... and they'll get one
0.3 Starc to Duckett, no run, over the wicket, hammered on a length, 141kpoh/88mph on off. Duckett defends crabbily, the ball popping into the off side off the shoulder of the bat. But safe
0.4 Starc to Duckett, no run, full and swinging devilishly at 138kph/86mph. Prodded towards point as he comes forward and reaches for it
0.5 Starc to Duckett, 3 runs, fuller on the stumps and this is squeezed away through square leg to get Duckett off a pair
0.6 short on the hip, 141kph/88mph and Crawley dabs one more to leg. First time Starc hasn't taken a first-over wicket since July!
0.2 Starc to Crawley, 1 run, slightly back of a length, dropped into the off side... and they'll get one
0.3 Starc to Duckett, no run, over the wicket, hammered on a length, 141kpoh/88mph on off. Duckett defends crabbily, the ball popping into the off side off the shoulder of the bat. But safe
0.4 Starc to Duckett, no run, full and swinging devilishly at 138kph/86mph. Prodded towards point as he comes forward and reaches for it
0.5 Starc to Duckett, 3 runs, fuller on the stumps and this is squeezed away through square leg to get Duckett off a pair
0.6 short on the hip, 141kph/88mph and Crawley dabs one more to leg. First time Starc hasn't taken a first-over wicket since July!
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Over to England's openers, and Mitchell Starc
Finally, England have bowled out Australia: the lead is a handsome 177. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett have run off to pad up for an innings that could define this Ashes tour. The passage of play ahead of them is what the phrase 'awkward session' was made for. It will be about half an hour up to the tea break, as the lights start to take hold, and Mitchell Starc will have the pink ball in hand.
It is worth adding, the pitch looks very good for batting. The talk before the Test was that it was closer to the 2016 day-night Test here, when Pakistan nearly chased 490, to the one for the 2024 game against West Indies where the ball dominated. You feel England need at least 400 in this innings.
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Pile them up!
500
The pain continues for England as Australia plough on into the middle session. Mitchell Starc carved to mid-off, where there was nearly a collision between two fielders, but Scott Boland and Brendan Doggett have taken the total past 500 - the first time that has been breached in a Test in Australia since 2022.
And now, just to rub it in, Brendan Doggett has completed a full set of batters making it to double figures. The third time it has happened for Australia.
There are five 500+ totals without an individual hundred in Tests so far, with the highest being 531 by Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh in 2024. Australia's highest is 520 for 7 vs West Indies in 2009 at WACA
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Jhye Richardson on the comeback trail, Cummins confident
Away from the Gabba at the moment, it's been a day of leather-chasing for England Lions as Nathan McSweeney piles up a double century for Australia A.
Yesterday, the star Jhye Richardson with four wickets, a very encouraging moment in his return from shoulder surgery.
"I was a little bit worried for a while when my ball speed was still down and my shoulder was still a bit stiff," Richardson said.
"But now the ball speed is starting to come back up again. I'm again starting to see the ball swinging which is nice. It means my technique is good enough.
"It's been, obviously, a long process. You start to worry a little bit if you're not taking wickets and not bowling quickly or swinging the ball, you get some thoughts that aren't always positive.
"But it's nice to see the ball swinging and take a few wickets."
Meanwhile, in more good news for Australia, Pat Cummins is very confident of being ready for the third Test.
“Should be right for Adelaide," he told Fox Cricket. "I’ll have one more bowl tomorrow, then go to Adelaide and have a bowl there. Barring any hiccups, I’ll be good to go there. The body feels great.”
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Starc's Ashes?
We are only into the fifth day of cricket in this series, but Mitchell Starc is putting together the makings of one of the great Ashes series. A slog-sweep through midwicket against Will Jacks (yes, he's bowled) took him to a half-century to follow his six-wicket haul on the opening. He's the first Australian to score a fifty and take a five-wicket haul in the Ashes since Mitchell Johnson at the Gabba in 2013. We know how that series turned out.
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Dinner: Australia 450 for 8
In a sense, that was the quietest session of the series. But it's been a brutal one for England, toiling in the hottest part of the day for little reward as Australia extend their lead and manufacture an ideal time to get bowling. It's not quite out of sight for the visitors, but it feels as though it's getting close to that point.
Here's Vish with some thoughts on Ben Stokes pushing himself towards breaking point, again.
Having bowled four overs this afternoon to get England to the second new ball, Ben Stokes brought himself back on 12 overs into the new one.
The third over of this second spell - taken for nine, including Scott Boland pilfering yet another Australian boundary down to third - was very much a captain and a man at the end of his tether, in every sense. He was furious with Jofra Archer in his second over after some lackadaisical fielding allowed a single for Mitchell Starc to manipulate the strike in his favour. Right now, he seems furious at the world.
You could argue we are witnessing the worst of Stokes as a captain right now; not so much tactically, but his over-eagerness to take on burdens. The pitch has flattened out and second new ball is not doing all that much. And so Stokes, who prides himself on never asking anyone to do something he would not do, decided he would absorb the toil of a sapping morning session.
Bear in mind this is only his fourth day in the field since damaging his shoulder in the final innings of the fourth Test against India. That time at Old Trafford, he forced himself to bowl 24 overs, the last half of which sent down knowing his injury would rule him out of the final Test.
Stokes has just ticked over 24 again and looks incredibly stiff. There were worrying signs yesterday when it looked like he might have re-damaged that right hamstring (which he tore twice in the space of six months at the end of 2024) but that turned out to be cramp. But it can’t be good seeing him this knackered on what is just the fifth day of the series…
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Australia's lead grows
100 Australia's lead into three figures
Australia have gone past an important mark - the hundred lead - as Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland continue to defied England's exhausted quicks and carry the home side towards the dinner break.
Australia have only ever lost four times at home with a lead of 100+ runs on first innings: one batting first, back in 1894, three times batting second, the most recent in 1994. It's looking bleak for England
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Farmer Starc
Mitchell Starc has been farming the strike to protect Scott Boland, but it won't just be about runs for Australia. Ideally, they would like to eat up a little more time so they are taking the new ball closer to when the sun starts to set in the middle session. It's also been notable how in the last few overs at least a couple of short balls from the England quicks haven't reached Jamie Smith on the full, and an edge from Starc didn't carry to slip. How will thus surface play as the game develops?
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Remarkable scenes across the Tasman
One of the great rearguards by West Indies
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Atkinson's big moment
It has taken until the end of his 41st over of the series, but Gus Atkinson has finally opened his wicket tally by removing Alex Carey - Jamie Smith just about clinging onto the catch. It was also, as widely noted on social media, the first wicket by for an English-born bowler in the series. They need to do all they can to keep the lead under 100. It's an interesting scorecard for Australia: No.s 1-9 have all reached double figures but Jake Weatherald's 72 is the highest score. They are in a strong position, but it could have been better.
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'The horse had bolted' for England
Here's Matt with something he's picked up:
"Interesting to hear some criticism of Ben Stokes’ leadership from Simon Katich on Channel 7 after England’s wayward effort with the ball yesterday. England regrouped after the tea break and dragged things back after conceding 130 for 1 in the first 21 overs, but Katich suggested that Stokes should have intervened much earlier when his fast bowlers were leaking runs. “It was too late. The horse had bolted,” Katich said.
"One of the complicating factors with that criticism is that Stokes was so wayward with the ball himself: he has not bowled a single maiden in this innings, and has conceded 14 boundaries in his 21 overs."
Meanwhile, here's an ominous stat for England/good one for Australia
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Will Jacks?
1 Overs for Will Jacks in England's first 80
Will Jacks will always have that catch to remove Steve Smith, but as England reached the 80-over mark with the ball he had sent down a single one of them. Ben Stokes has persisted with his quicks, which perhaps isn't surprising, but could there have been an opportunity for Jacks to have a few more? Clearly he was selected as much for his batting as his bowling, but England have effectively operated with a four-man attack.
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Meanwhile, away from the game...
Matt Roller's morning...
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Carey's outstanding game
Alex Carey is having a wonderful Test match. He was magnificent with the gloves during England's first innings, where he spent considerable time up to the stumps and took tat brilliant running catch to remove Gus Atkinson, and now he has followed that with a vital half century from 52 balls.
He was given a life first ball last night when he fended a short delivery from Brydon Carse towards gully but Ben Duckett couldn't hold on. Although Steve Smith fell two balls later, it's shaping as a key moment. Carey needed some fortune to survive the last session as he chanced his arm against England's short-pitched attack, but this could be the time to make it count...although he has just lost Michael Neser.
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Australia look to extend lead
Hello, everyone, and welcome back to the Gabba. This is a massive day in the series. England have to be on their game to stay in this match and, in all likelihood retaining realistic prospects of regaining the Ashes. They were poor yesterday, but Australia didn't quite take full advantage. At 291 for 3 they had the game in their grasp, but Brydon Carse's wild over to Cameron Green and Steven Smith changed things. However, the stand between Alex Carey and Michael Neser was vital - now can they turned a lead of 44 into 100 or more? The new ball is seven overs away.
Mark Waugh, commentating for Fox, described Carse's pitchmap as "third-grade standard" during his first spell, then apologised to third-graders who might think that was an overly generous assessment. He seemed convinced that Jake Weatherald and Travis Head had weaknesses against wide long-hops and straight half-volleys, being picked off either side of the wicket, and leaked 45 runs in his first five overs.
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STUMPS - Australia 378 for 6, lead by 44
Australia's day, no doubt, as Alex Carey leads Michael Neser off, their stand of 49 not out from 55 deliveries taking the hosts into a lead that, at this juncture, feels quite significant.
England were very poor with the ball, first with the 21 overs they managed through to the first break, and, really, as the day wore on. But for lazy errors from Cameron Green and Steve Smith, Australia might be resting on a three-figure lead. Nevertheless, they have held their nerve, built on the impressive fifties from Jake Weatherald (72) and Marnus Labuschagne (65) early in the piece to ensure they return on day three with the game very much in their control.
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Four drops for England... and perhaps a fifth
Just as it looked like Brydon Carse had salvaged a rotten day, he spills a catch that splits the webbing on his right thumb.
It was a poor drop. Certainly one of the easier chances on day two. Jofra Archer had pushed Michael Neser back and then offered a chance to go at one, which Neser took. A mistimed thwack sailed flat but comfortably to the Durham quick. Neser was on six at the time.
The shells began at the top of the order. Travis Head was put down (on 3, eventually out for 33) by Jamie Smith. Ben Duckett the dropped a simple catch at short third off Alex Carey's first ball. And though the keeper batter is still out there, currently 45* at the end of the 72nd over, the single he took off the next ball did immediately lead to the wonder catch to remove Steven Smith for 61.
Josh Inglis was also put down at third slip - Duckett moving to his right, failing to clasp. Two runs were taken before the No.7 was bowled by Stokes.
You might argue it should be five drops after Carey sliced a furious slap shot extremely fine, stinging the tips of Root's fingers at first slip. He had to dive to his right, behind the keeper to get there. It would have been a stonker had he taken it. Carey had 25 at the time.
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Australia move into the lead
A savage boundary pumped back past Brydon Carse's head and then a guide to third saw Alex Carey bring up the necessary runs to draw Australia level with England's 334. That left the honor to Michael Neser to thick edge through the cordon, again down to third, to put the hosts in front, six down.
They should have got there sooner, and fewer down. The pundits on this side of the globe are not happy with how easily Australia have ceded the dominant position they were in.
"I think they may have been lulled into a false sense of security," said Mark Waugh on Kayo Sports. "At 3 for 291 England were down and out, and maybe the Australians just relaxed and now there are two new batsmen in the middle."
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Shiva Jayaraman on Brydon Carse's redemptive four balls
Thanks to Australia’s brain-fade, a stunning catch by Will Jacks, and not least because of his bouncer barrage, Brydon Carse makes a stunning comeback in this innings with a double-strike in his 13th over.
Carse had got carted around for 95 runs at 7.9 runs before that. In Tests since 2002, there have been only 11 instances of a bowler taking two or more wickets in an over after leaking runs at an economy worse than Carse’s.
But none of those 11 instances come close to the 95 runs conceded by Carse before his strikes. The next highest is Zahid Mahmood’s 40 runs from five overs against England at Multan in 2022-23. An epic comeback by Carse befitting the Ashes.
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Ladies and gentlemen... we have a ball game!
Brydon Carse stepped up to bowl the first - and only - over of England's bumper ploy from the Stanley Street End. He looked like a man devoid of confidence and well, it showed:
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1w
And when he was asked to return to bowl the 57th over, it seemed a little cruel. Then, he did this:
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Cam Green has a lot to answer for, backing away again, having smoked the first ball of the first bumper ploy back over the bowler's head, and got found out with a yorker that cracked his off stump. And England looked to have successive wickets only for Ben Duckett at a catching third in the ring put down a simple chance for what would have been a golden duck for Alex Carey. Or maybe he meant it all along...
Because what followed was a major turning point in this innings. Steven Smith looked to ride a short ball after top-edging a pull off Carse beyond Pope at backstop, turning it around the corner, with enough control not to worry about the aerial nature of the stroke. And then, out of nowhere, Will Jacks flew into view, leading with his left into a diving catch - clutching the ball with his right palm facing to the ground - and turning to meet the turf with the side of his back to ensure the subsequent roll would keep the ball safe.
A stunning, stunning catch to close out a truly remarkable four deliveries. England, somehow, are still in this.
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Ball change! But same old Steve Smith...
Australia tried to get their ball changed yesterday and, after a couple of attempts today, England were able to bag a new pink cherry (?) at the end of the 47th over.
The lights are now in full effect, England have three slips in and the pitch is starting to spit with this harder Kookaburra. Cameron Green's just had the physio out after getting pinned on the glove. Steve Smith, who had similar trouble earlier, plays a lifter from Jofra Archer awkwardly towards point, wary of getting the same digits pinned again.
Having early ramped Archer for six over the keeper, he responds this time with a crisp angled guide through vacant gully, before Green follows suit to exploit the same gap with more of a dab.
Ben Stokes' plan - if the field is anything to go by - is for straighter lines than he is getting. Right on cue, Smith opens the face into another drive, for his second boundary down to third in five balls. Make that three boundaries in seven as Smith works nicely through midwicket, before banking a single to move to 50 from 67 deliveries.
His 80th fifty plus score of his Test career...
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DINNER Australia 228 for 3, trail by 104
That's 98 for 2 in the session for Australia. But for the losses of both their half-centurions Jake Weatherald and Marnus Labuschagne, this was very much all them. And of course some woeful English bowling amid some valiant work from Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes, who claimed a wicket each.
As it stands the only more expensive spell of 10+ overs by an England bowler than Brydon Carse's 1 for 78 from 11 overs is Leach's 1 for 102 in 13 here four years ago.
Meanwhile, Steve Smith is 24 off 43, putting his new black eye strips to good use.
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3rd Grade Carse
Matt Roller at the Gabba: Brydon Carse has leaked nearly nine runs per over today, and Stuart Broad on Channel 7 believes that he should be encouraged to bowl bumpers in order to “get into the game” and stop the bleeding.
“Carse is trying too hard at the moment,” Broad said. “I would say, ‘Brydon, let’s go to the short-ball theory for two overs.’ He’ll get through his action, realise what it’s like to run in and hit the pitch hard, and it gives him a simple plan and a field that protects him.
“It’s the easiest skill to bowl… That’s probably the plan I’d go with. Find a plan you feel like you can protect yourself with, and just get into the game.”
Mark Waugh, however, has not pulled his punches on Kay Sports: "He's bowled poorly, he has not put two balls in the one spot in any over.
"The surface has just got enough in it and there's a little bit of up and down, so you don't have to try too much. You just have to bang that fullish length on that off stump, but at the moment you look at (where he's bowled it), that's third-grade standard and all over the place.
"Sorry to those third graders watching, but that is not great for a Test bowler."
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Marnus outlasts Jofra for his fifty
A seven-over spell (1 for 29) from Jofra Archer took us to drinks.
He clearly found it utterly infuriating, even if he did arise out Jake Weatherald. Not only has he not been able to get Steve Smith in his sights, bowling just seven deliveries of his last 25 deliveries at him, but he has failed to truly engage Marnus Labuschagne.
Labuschagne, on his home ground, has been immaculate with his judgement. Ever willing to leave and, when bumped by Archer, pull him around the corner for six after a run of nine dots.
The ball seems to have lost a little something, but the pitch certainly hasn't as Brydon Carse gets one to leap from the Vulture Street End. Labuschagne, however, is swivel-pulling once more, with enough conviction to send a top edge well over the cordon and away for a ninth boundary to take him through to 50 from 69 deliveries.
It is Labuschagne's second successive half-century after finishing the Perth Test with 51 not out, and 36th fifty-plus score in the format. He has also become the first batter to reach four-figures in day-night Tests. Following his outstanding catch - to remove Archer - that ended England's innings, it's been a pretty good day for 31-year old, and could get better.
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Steve follows Shiv
Matt Roller at the Gabba: Steven Smith is channelling his inner Shivnarine Chanderpaul in Brisbane, wearing black adhesive stickers known as ‘eye blacks’ on his cheekbones in an attempt to reduce the impact of glare. Smith has struggled in his previous pink-ball Tests, averaging 37.04 against it compared to 58.31 against the red ball, and will hope that he has found a solution to his problems with picking the ball up.
Smith revealed on Wednesday that he had been messaging Chanderpaul, the West Indies legend, about them only to be told that he had put them on upside down in Australia’s first training session in Brisbane. “He said [they] block out 65 percent of the glare… I agree with him. I certainly think it stops the glare,” Smith said.
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Archer gets Weatherald for 72! Australia 146 for 2, trailing by 188
23 balls for first boundary of the session
England have begun the session with a bit more control, back to their opening bowlers from different ends. At the same time, Jake Weatherald and Marnus Labuschagne have been more than happy to resume their respective innings in second gear.
That being said, Weatherald was quick to punish Atkinson as he veered a touch short and wide, cutting him sweetly through backward point. And he did the same to Archer in the next over before the bowler had the final say.
From around the wicket, Archer bowled his fullest delivery, moving in through the air at high pace and pinning the left-hander on the toe. Having blown off his shin last week, Archer just needs the knee for the full set of lower-leg LBW calls. The celebrappeal, by the way, was a thing of beauty. Marnus Lasbuchagne telling Weatherald to review as he run out of time would have been a dud - that was destined for the middle of middle.
And now Archer has Steve Smith in his sights, and marks the arrival of the Australia skipper with a 146kph bumper! You'll remember Smith has never been dismissed by Archer in Tests. Could that be today's "Joe Root has never scored a hundred in Australia"?
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TEA Australia 128 for 1, trailing by 204
Wowee, what a session for Australia, with the exclamation mark a 13-run over from a traditional pre-lunch over of spin from Will Jacks.
While England scrimped and hustled to their first innings of 334, the hosts have already peeled off 128 inside 21 overs. They have Jake Weatherald's 59* to thank for that. He has pretty much been perfect this session, initially leaving well and then tucking into anything too short or too full, particularly against Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse, who he guided expertly over the keeper for six.
The stands of 77 and 53* with Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne, respectively, have given England the run around. Head's innings of 33 should have been capped on 3 when Jamie Smith put down a simple chance off Jofra Archer.
Since then, it has been utter carnage. And utter, well, garbage from England's seamers. They went chasing unnecessarily. I'm not sure you will see a more ill-disciplined use of the new ball. They may as well have given it to a dog to chew on.
Australia, by the way, are "currently" 335 for 3 in 49.2 overs across two innings since being bowled out for 132 in Perth, when these same seamers performed so admirably. What a difference a fortnight makes.
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Andrew McGlashan on a maiden Test fifty for Jake Weatherald
In the aftermath of the first Test, Jake Weatherald reflected on what had been a wild debut. “It was a very strange game,” he said having walked out with two different opening partners, neither of whom were the man he expected to accompany.
Although he only made 23 in the second innings, it was an impressive show of composure having entered on a pair. The opening stand of 75 with Travis Head broke the back of the run chase.
On the second day at the Gabba, it was Weatherald leading Australia’s early charge. After three maidens, he opened the scoring with a strong cut against Gus Atkinson, although needed some fortune for his second boundary in the same over: a top-edged pull that flew over the keeper.
There was a compactness and punchiness to his play, no better shown than when he collected three boundaries in an over off Atkinson: a crunching cover drive, a clip through square leg and a crisp drive through point. Of Australia’s first 36 runs, Weatherald made 28.
After drinks, he arched his back and upper cut Brydon Carse over deep third for six. He went to 49 with consecutive boundaries: a clip down to fine and another brilliant upper cut over backward point. A swivel pull to deep square then took to a 45-ball maiden fifty which, when you think about it, is still pretty wild.
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Head goes!
A vital wicket to rein in Australia's scoring and allow Jamie Smith to breathe a little easier...
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LeBrisk start
The silencers are off and Weatherald and Head are motoring. England have bowled poorly but they are being punished for every minor and major misjudgment.
England were 63 for 2 after 13 overs of their first innings. Australia are 77 for no loss...
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SMITH DROPS HEAD ON 3!
Jofra Archer finally gets Travis Head to nibble at one, arrowing into off stump, leaping off a good length and catching an edge as Head looks to defend. But the bounce and speed off the wicket is such that Jamie Smith, instead of using his feet to shift to his left, dives for the ball - top corner - and ends up palming it away.
Poor from Smith, and he's getting reminded of it with every throw into him as the Gabba crowd adopt some all-too-familiar hostile tones. Great theatre, but a horrendous miss for England given what Head can do.
Meaning at the other end, there's been some textbook opening batting from Jake Weatherald:
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Left well, forced Gus Atkinson to come to him and punished him with relish. Gets one in his half and drills through cover, then, in consecutive deliveries, clips through square leg and lashes a cut just in front of point. And just to rub salt into Archer's wounds, he gets on strike and uppercuts over the cordon!
Poor from Atkinson, who left the field ahead of his final over to seemingly sort an issue with his boot. He has now been parked after 4 overs, with Brydon Carse taking over from the Stanley Street End.
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Three maidens to start - before Weatherald's cut!
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Well then. This isn't very Travis Head. Nor, to be fair, is it very Jofra Archer. The radar is off, particularly with a few sliding down the leg side in his first over, forcing him to come around the wicket.
Jake Weatherald has feigned a couple of attacking shots to Gus Atkinson, but pulled out of both. Australia's left-handers are keeping their counsel, knowing this ball (and this pitch) will become more amenable to their whims.
Finally, though, Weatherald gets something to go out and carves nicely behind point, all along the carpet for the first runs of the innings. Remember, Australia took 4.4 overs to get off the mark in their first innings in Perth...
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England 334 all out!
I can't quite believe I'm typing this out but Jofra Archer has just played the shot of the match.
Second over of the day, Mitchell Starc on from the Stanley Street End, full, bit of shape outside off and Archer, without really moving his feet, leans into a square drive, back knee down, and laces it through cover point. Rahul Dravid-esque. Alas, he's subsequently hooked Brendan Doggett to deep backward square, where Marnus Labuschagne, having dived forward, takes a stunning catch at the second attempt.
All that's left is for Joe Root, 138* - the highest individual score against Australia in day-night Tests – to stroll off for his third standing ovation of the last 18 hours. The 10th wicket stand ends on 70, which is the highest score for that partnership on an Ashes tour since 1951!
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Gabba ghouls?
There has been a lot of chat across various medias this morning about how Day Two is usually the best time to bat at The Gabba.
The pitch quickens up, which does present quick bowlers with a bit of something extra, but coupled with some expected flattening out of the pitch, it'll come on to the bat sharply and head into the outfield even quicker.
Meanwhile, Matt Root has been on Channel 7 talking about his son's first Test hundred in Australia: "“I think it meant more to a lot of other people than it did to Joe. It was just another day at the office for him.”
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Welcome to day two
Good morning, everyone, and welcome back to the Gabba. There has only been three days of cricket in this series but they have all been thrilling. Where does a score of 325 for 9 leave both teams? Mitchell Starc term it pretty even, Zak Crawley sounded happy with England's position. Certainly the mood of the day changed during the final-wicket stand between Joe Root and Jofra Archer.
The personal honours of the day were shared: Root's magnificent century, a first in Australia, while Mitchell Starc claimed six wickets to take his series tally to 16 in just three innings. It was a landmark moment for Root in a magnificent career. Starc, meanwhile, was shouldering a huge burden in a much-changed Australia attack. Debate around Nathan Lyon's omission will rumble on.
It's another day of clear-blue skies. Australia's top order will be pleased about that. Play resumes at 2pm local time.
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Root 135*, Starc six-for highlight absorbing first day
England 325 for 9 (Root 132*, Crawley 76, Starc 6-71) vs Australia
After an interminable break between matches following 48 hours of mayhem in Perth, the Ashes resumed with England producing a rollercoaster batting performance as Joe Root ended his century jinx on Australian soil in the day-night second Test, Tristan Lavalette reports.
In the final hour of an absorbing opening day, Root raised his arms aloft under the lights before taking off his helmet to celebrate his 40th Test century and first in Australia.
Root finished unbeaten on 135 from 202 balls and anchored an England first innings that at times showed restraint, but was also marked by reckless dismissals. Four batters fell for ducks with England again tormented by pink ball maestro Mitchell Starc, who finished with 6 for 71 to power past Wasim Akram's record for most Test wickets by a left-arm quick.
But after the humiliation of batting just 67.3 across two innings in Perth, England batted the whole day - albeit only 74 overs were bowled - as they posted their first score over 300 in a Test in Australia since January 2018.
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Stumps: England 325 for 9
Jofra Archer blocks Michael Neser's final ball, and that's stumps at the Gabba on a brilliant, engrossing day of pink-ball Test cricket. England were 196 for 4 at tea and well placed, then slid to 264 for 9 after Ben Stokes was brilliantly run out by Josh Inglis and Mitchell Starc ran through their lower middle order.
But Archer and Joe Root's unbroken 10th-wicket stand of 61 in 44 balls has completely changed the complexion of the game: England have a score on the board, and have already achieved something that they failed to on their last tour to Australia in reaching 300. Australia's attempts to waste time late in the day blew up in their faces.
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Very handy runs
50 This is England's first 50-run partnership for the 10th wicket since Jonny Bairstow and James Anderson added 66 at Old Trafford in the 2023 Ashes
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Archer tees off
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Joe Root remonstrates with Sharfuddoula over perceived time-wasting from Australia, who are dragging the game out as much as they can to avoid batting tonight: Travis Head goes in at short leg for a single ball, then comes back out again.
Jofra Archer has seen enough, and decides that it's time to bring out the long handle. He charges down the pitch and swipes Scott Boland for the first six of the day, then crunches him over midwicket for four more. Root is in on the act soon after, swinging the last ball of the over for four, and England opt against the declaration. Good call.
Archer keeps on going against Starc, hitting the first ball of his over for a straight six which clears the jumping Brendan Doggett at long-on. Root follows up with another straight hit for four, which brings up England's 300. Incredibly, it's the first time they've scored that many runs in an innings in Australia since January 2018.
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Starc has SIX!
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Amid the carnage, Mitchell Starc has a six-wicket haul. He keeps laying obvious traps, and England's batters just can't stop taking the bait: Gus Atkinson is brilliantly caught by a back-pedalling Alex Carey off a steepling top edge, and Brydon Carse slashes a drive behind for England's fourth duck of the opening day.
Alex Malcolm: Starc's last four bowling innings in Test cricket read 6 for 9, 7 for 58, 3 for 55, and now 6 for 46.
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Hayden breathes a sigh of relief
Matthew Hayden put his body on the line before this series, pledging to run a naked lap of the MCG if Joe Root failed to score a century on this tour. Thankfully, the threat is short-lived.
(1) @HaydosTweets has something he'd like to say to Joe Root pic.twitter.com/0yPGk7JC5S
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) December 4, 2025
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Vaughan on Root
Michael Vaughan's praise for Joe Root on Kayo Sports' coverage:
"His 40th (century), and his most precious, has just arrived. That was the one that he wanted. "All the talk leading into this series was, 'Will Joe Root get three figures in Australia?' Well, in his third innings of the series he's done it off the back of a difficult week in Perth. For England to compete they need that man. It was a technical masterclass from England's best player."
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R100T
Finally, the curse is broken: Joe Root has his first Test century in Australia. He clips Scott Boland off his pads for four, and celebrates with a cheeky shrug.
It's his 16th Test match and 30th innings in Australia, and the shot that takes him to three figures also brings up 1,000 career runs in away Ashes series. He gets a standing ovation from the Gabba, and becomes the first Englishman to score a Test hundred in Brisbane since Jonathan Trott brought his up in November 2010.
This has been classic Root, moving up and down the gears throughout the day and holding England's batting line-up together. He shrugged off the mix-up which saw Ben Stokes run out soon after the dinner break, and this hundred - his 40th Test century - will taste incredibly sweet.
Now for Root to address the even more glaring hole in his record in Australia: that he has never won a Test match here.
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Starc gets Jacks
Mitchell Starc strikes in the first over of a spell for the third time today - but it's Will Jacks who falls into the trap, rather than Joe Root. Root steered his second ball into the covers for a single, but Jacks is suckered in by consecutive full, wide balls: he has a wild swing-and-miss at the first, and edges the next to Smith at second slip. Starc takes his fourth of the day and already his 14th of the series, and Gus Atkinson strides out at No. 9.
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Root's highest score in Australia
Is today finally the day? Joe Root hits consecutive boundaries off Brendan Doggett in the over after drinks, and moves to his highest score on Australian soil in the process, beating his 89 at this ground four years ago. The last England player to score a century at the Gabba was Jonathan Trott in November 2010.
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Lyon 'absolutely filthy' at omission
Nathan Lyon has given a frosty interview to Channel 7 in the drinks break, addressing his omission from the Australia XI for this Test.
Lyon said he found out at about 12.30pm - an hour before the toss - and that his only conversation with team management to date was "short".
"Absolutely filthy, but can’t do anything about it," Lyon said. "To be honest, I haven’t really sat down with Ronnie [Andrew McDonald] or George [Bailey] yet. I’m letting things settle down in my own head.
"There's no secret, it’s a place I absolutely love playing cricket… I felt like the wicket was going to offer a bit of bounce for myself, but we’ll have to see what Jacks does."
"The communication is always there. I just haven’t had it in me to sit down with George and the coach at the moment. I’m not the first player to miss a Test match and I won’t be the last but I’m pretty gutted… Extremely disappointed."
Here's Andrew McGlashan's piece on Lyon's omission from earlier today.
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Broad on Brook
"To me now we're getting to the situation of, is he recognising the game scenario?"
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 4, 2025
- Stuart Broad goes in depth on Harry Brook's dismissal today #Ashes pic.twitter.com/22lF3GUMrQ
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England rotating
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For the first time since the 43rd over, England have scored more than six runs in an over. Will Jacks has started calmly, and drives sweetly through extra cover, while Joe Root is happy to stay in second gear for the time being. There should be scoring opportunities in the final hour of play for England if this pair can stitch a reasonably long partnership together.
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Smith falls second ball!
Yet another England duck! Jamie Smith walks out at No. 7, and gets a beauty from Scott Boland which angles in, nips back off the seam, and sneaks through the gap between bat and pad to crash into the top of the stumps. Australia are on top now, as Will Jacks walks in at No. 8 for his first Test innings in three years.
8 Ducks for England in the series to date, out of 26 dismissals.
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Stokes on the BBQ
Sensational fielding from Josh Inglis in his first home Test to break the partnership after 94 balls! Ben Stokes guides Brendan Doggett into the off side with an open face, and sets off for a quick single. But Joe Root sends him back, Stokes puts the brakes on, and Inglis gathers cleanly in his right hand knowing that a direct hit will be out.
He only has one stump to aim at, but his throw - on the bounce - is perfect. Stokes looks furious as he marches off, and Ricky Ponting on Channel 7's commentary cites the slow scoring since the dinner break as a contributing factor to the mix-up.
The opening day of an Ashes Test at the Gabba turned on Nathan Lyon's run-out of James Vince eight years ago. Will it be the same story in 2025?
JOSH INGLIS WOWEE WHAT A RUNOUT!#Ashes | #PlayoftheDay | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/o7vTz12QRb
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 4, 2025
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Ping!
Joe Root has been bogged down since the dinner break, but times a straight punch to perfection to hit Scott Boland back down the ground for four. It's Root's first boundary since the 36th over, and takes him past Zak Crawley to becomes England's top-scorer today.
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Smith burns another review
Scott Boland traps Joe Root on the knee roll, but he was a long way outside of his crease and struck outside the line. It's the second time that Steve Smith has burned a review on an lbw shout for Boland against Root, with the first - before the dinner break - projected to miss the top of leg stump.
Root, on 73, has only scored eight runs in the last 10 overs and is batting like a man who knows that this is a phenomenal opportunity to finally register his first Test hundred in Australia. The crowd is starting to find its voice at the Gabba, with "Hey Jude" blaring out over the PA system between overs.
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The Gabba under lights
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Wasim hails 'Super Starc'
Super Starc! Proud of you, mate. Your incredible hard work sets you apart, and it was only a matter of time before you crossed my tally of wickets . I am pleased to give this to you! Go well, and keep soaring to new heights in your stellar career . @mstarc56
— Wasim Akram (@wasimakramlive) December 4, 2025
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Australia want ball change
Australia have been asking the umpires for a ball change for a significant proportion of the day, and Mitchell Starc tries again in the first over after the dinner break. Adrian Holdstock has no interest, and throws the ball back to him. Starc throws his head back in frustration.
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Dinner: England 162 for 4
We've reached the second interval at the Gabba after identical scores in the first two sessions, with England adding 98 runs for the loss of two wickets in each. Ben Stokes and Joe Root knuckled down after Brook's rash dismissal, adding 20 runs in 7.4 overs for the fifth wicket, and will be delighted to reach the break unscathed after negotiating the tricky 'twilight' period - and seeing off the rest of Starc's third spell.
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Starc's landmark
Andrew McGlashan: Australia have again been left grateful for the presence of Mitchell Starc. From what would be viewed as their first-choice Test attack, they are missing 1,116 wickets: the combined tally of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood nearly doubled by Nathan Lyon’s omission.
Having rattled England early with the wickets of Ben Duckett – Starc's 26th in the first over of a Test innings – and Ollie Pope, he was recalled by Steven Smith during the middle session having been held back for the twilight period. His second delivery back was angled across Harry Brook who played a horrid flat-footed drive, sending a high, fast edge to Smith.
It took Starc to 415 Test wickets, moving past Wasim Akram as the most prolific left-arm quick in history. A fair few stumps have been rattled by the pair: Starc’s removal of Pope was the 99th time he had bowled a batter in Test cricket.
“Right now, he is the number one bowler in world cricket and the hardest one to face in all forms of cricket,’’ Wasim told News Corp before the Test. “He will go past my record and that is fine because he is a man for the job and a worthy champion.
“I am actually really proud of this guy. He has done wonders for his side and for cricket as a game. There are a lot of youngsters in the world who just want to be Mitchell Starc.
“He has plenty of cricket in him. I think he will get 500 Test wickets. He is a modern great and in the top bracket of fast bowlers in the history of the game.”
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Brook's wild knock
Mitchell Starc passes Wasim Akram as the most prolific left-arm bowler in Test cricket history #Ashes | #MilestoneMoment | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/gxzYjLGR2S
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 4, 2025
What to make of that innings from Harry Brook? As it stands, he is England's leading run-scorer in this series - not saying much, admittedly - but has batted like a cat on a hot tin roof, regularly charging bowlers to carve them through the off side and constantly looking to score boundaries rather than settling into longer innings.
There is no questioning Brook's talent and his record - he averages 55.82, and has 10 Test hundreds - but his match awareness will rightly be called into question. Michael Vaughan has already described his shot as a "monstrous drive" on the BBC, and it was a bizarre decision to play it to the first ball he had faced from Starc.
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Starc strikes!
It was coming..! Mitchell Starc returns to the attack as the floodlights start to take over, and Harry Brook aims a loose, wild drive at a ball in the channel. His thick outside edge skews away to second slip, and Steve Smith clings onto the chance. The next half-hour is going to be fascinating: this could be the toughest period of the day in terms of visibility for England's batters, and Brook's dismissal has opened an end up for Australia.
415 Test wickets for Mitchell Starc, the most by a left-arm fast bowler - beating Wasim Akram's 414.
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50 partnership
Joe Root and Harry Brook's partnership is now worth 50 in just 61 balls, as Brook crunches Cameron Green away through the off side for four. It feels like the game is in a holding pattern until Starc returns, but England are still scoring at a good tempo.
On Channel 7's coverage, Aaron Finch notes that Australia's over rate has been extremely slow (because of their all-seam attack), with only 38 overs bowled after 3 hours and 15 minutes of play. The result is that they are unlikely to get through 80 overs today, even with the extra half-hour - and therefore, the second new ball will only become available tomorrow in the daytime.
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Time for Starc?
No sign of this man since the tea break, with England rocketing along at more than 5.5 runs per over in the second session. It has to be time for Mitchell Starc sooner rather than later - and Steve Smith is clearly holding him back with the infamous 'Twilight Zone' in mind, when the pink ball becomes harder for batters to track.
Starc was getting loose at mid-on in the over before the drinks break, and his next spell could be the defining passage of this opening day.
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Baby steps
England have already batted for longer in Brisbane (34.5 overs) than they managed to in either innings in Perth
— Matt Roller (@mroller98) December 4, 2025
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50 for Root
Joe Root gets his first fifty of the tour after two low scores in Perth! Hundred incoming?#AUSvENG #Ashes pic.twitter.com/zDH1iXP1w2
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) December 4, 2025
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Bailey on Cummins 'silly buggers'
Australia selector George Bailey has been speaking about Pat Cummins's fitness after his omission from the XI for the second Test in Brisbane. Cummins was not named in the squad for this Test due to his ongoing back stress, but there were suggestions on Wednesday that he could be parachuted in last-minute.
Bailey, Cummins, Andrew McDonald and Steve Smith had a lengthy discussion on the pitch after training yesterday, which saw Cummins and McDonald hugging and Cummins mimic throwing his cap on the floor in frustration as the media watched on for clues.
“We weren't playing silly buggers with him not being in the squad and in the mix, but I think once we got up here, saw his training, got as much of the sort of background medical information as well, it became a live possibility," Bailey explained.
"Then it was just working through, I guess, the permutations of what would that look like in terms of amount of overs, what would it look like going forward from that as well... The hug in the middle, that was just for laughs.”
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Brook starts in sixth gear
Harry Brook has started in sixth gear: he tucked an early boundary off his hip, then cracked two incredible shots for four, dancing out of his crease and carving first Brendan Doggett, and then Michael Neser, away through the off side.
That gave him 16 off 10 balls, but his 11th was a reminder as to why so many people find him quite so frustrating to watch: he attempted a tumbling-over scoop shot, even with deep fine leg back, and only managed to get his back foot down just before Alex Carey whipped the bails off.
It has been a chaotic, maddening start to his innings. Doggett and Neser, meanwhile, are both leaking more than five runs per over.
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Neser gets Crawley
Michael Neser only bowled three overs in the first session, but is back into the attack and breaks the 117-run stand for the third wicket. It is a soft dismissal for Zak Crawley, who shapes to pull an 86mph/138kph, back-of-a-length ball, and gets a thin under-edge through to Alex Carey. Neser punches the air in celebration, and Crawley shakes his head in frustration.
40.1 Crawley's average against Australia following his dismissal, with one century and four unconverted fifties.
Crawley out in the 70s for the ninth time in Tests (and for 76 for the fourth).
— Lawrence Booth (@BoothCricket) December 4, 2025
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Wood major doubt for Adelaide
Mark Wood spoke to Channel 7 during the interval, wearing a knee brace, and cast significant doubt on his availability for the third Test in Adelaide. "I think there's a chance there, but I think more realistically, it's probably more Melbourne and then [Sydney] after that. I've got a chance for Adelaide… I need to get out of this [brace] first to get moving around," he said.
Wood also hinted that, at 35, his body is "not coping" as well as it once did after his knee surgery earlier this year.
"Throughout my career I've tried to show resilience and keep coming back and keep trying to push it where I can bowl faster and faster, but I'm getting older now," he said. "I don't know if my body's not coping with it as well, but I'll keep trying.
"That's something I pride myself on is to keep running in for the team and be a good team man. I'm hoping I can get this right and can charge in again."
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England on top at tea
Under-fire opening batter Zak Crawley has helped England recover from an early Mitchell Starc double strike in an eventful first session of the second Ashes Test. Pink-ball guru Starc (2-26) had a dream start with two wickets in his first two overs after Australia lost a crucial toss for the day-night match at the Gabba.
But Crawley (61 runs off 80 balls), coming off a king pair in the series opener, helped the tourists recover and go to tea at 98 for 2 after they'd been in all sorts at 5 for 2. Joe Root (32 from 60 balls) was unbeaten alongside Crawley, the veteran No.4 hunting a first Test century in Australia from 30 innings.
Crawley navigated the new ball's early bounce on a classic green Gabba deck, weathering the loss of Ben Duckett and Pope, who both went without scoring. His cover-drive proved particularly effective and the towering opener raised his bat for a half-century with a quick single to mid-wicket off Starc just before tea.
Starc famously struck with the first ball of the Gabba Test in the previous home Ashes series, and was on the board with his sixth this time. On the first ball he faced, Duckett got an outside edge to Starc's outswinger and was caught in the slips by Marnus Labuschagne. Starc has now taken a wicket in the first over of each Australian innings so far this series.
After Duckett's first-ball duck, Pope went on the third he faced, chopping on with a bottom edge from Starc to leave England in all sorts of trouble. With Pope's wicket, Starc drew level with Pakistan legend Wasim Akram as the equal most-prolific Test wicket-taker among left-arm fast bowlers. Both men have 414 scalps. Report via AAP
Tea: England 98 for 2
England's session, which felt unlikely when they were 5 for 2 after 15 balls. A 93-run, unbroken partnership between Zak Crawley and Joe Root has put them in control at tea (the 40-minute break) on the opening day at the Gabba, with few scares since the drinks break. Mitchell Starc struck twice early, but Australia's all-seam attack has looked one-paced, and the pink ball has largely stopped moving laterally after losing its shine. But how will England fare once the floodlights come on?
3 Overs bowled by Michael Neser in the first session, all of them with the new ball
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Crawley reaches 50
Crawley flicks a length ball from Starc off his pads towards wide mid-on, and scampers through for the single that brings him a 68-ball half-century. It has been a gusty innings, sticking to his usual attacking style despite bagging a pair in the first Test in Perth and having so long to stew on his failure. The pink ball has largely stopped swinging, Steve Smith has set a more defensive field, and Australia look short on ideas for the first time in the series.
5 Times Zak Crawley has reached 50 against Australia, in 18 Tests. He has converted one of his four previous Ashes fifties into a hundred, his 189 in Manchester in July 2023.
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Webster released for Aus A
The Australia A squad for the match against England Lions starting tomorrow in Brisbane has been confirmed, Andrew McGlashan reports. A significant absentee is Sam Konstas who has drifted below Matt Renshaw and Campbell Kellaway among the opening contenders. Beau Webster has been released from the Test squad to play.
The side will be captained by Nathan McSweeney, who played three Tests against India last season, while Jhye Richardson will continue his return from shoulder surgery with the most significant outing of his comeback so far in what is a full first-class fixture.
Australia A XI: 1 Campbell Kellaway, 2 Matt Renshaw, 3 Nathan McSweeney (capt), 4 Cooper Connolly, 5 Beau Webster, 6 Josh Philippe (wk), 7 Xavier Bartlett, 8 Fergus O'Neill, 9 Jhye Richardson, 10 Todd Murphy, 11 Ryan Hadley.
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Crawley-Root stand pushes on
15.4 Overs batted by Zak Crawley and Joe Root - overtaking Ollie Pope and Ben Duckett (15.3 overs) as the longest partnership of the series, for either side.
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Root beds in
Joe Root was nearly out third-ball to a diving effort from Steven Smith in the slips, which deflected away for four, but those are the only runs that he has scored behind square on the off side today. He has scored a pair of crisply-struck boundaries off Scott Boland, both down the ground, and has looked to bat out of his crease to reduce the impact of any movement through the air or off the seam.
Root's method in Australia has been a major talking point ahead of this series, with Kerry O'Keeffe memorably labelling him a "nicker" who would struggle in the first two Tests, saying of the Gabba: "Everyone nicks in Bris." He has played and missed at a couple of fiddles outside off, but has otherwise put away his release shot with an angled bat and an open face which has often got him into trouble.
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Drinks: England 58 for 2
A dramatic first hour ends with Joe Root driving Scott Boland's half-volley through mid-off for four, bringing up a half-century partnership with Zak Crawley. Root and Crawley haven't batted as a pair very often - Crawley tends to be out by the time Root comes in - but have combined for a couple of big stands in the past: 201 against West Indies in Antigua in 2022, and 206 against Australia in Manchester two-and-a-half years ago.
4.71 Combined economy rate of Michael Neser, Scott Boland and Brendan Doggett across their first seven overs this morning. England have lost early wickets to Mitchell Starc but have an opportunity against Australia's change bowlers.
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Crawley's fast start
Zak Crawley has scored four early boundaries, including two booming cover drives and a dead-straight drive off Mitchell Starc, and has raced to 32 off 36 after nine overs. It has been textbook Crawley: he has played a handful of unbelievable shots, but has only been in control for three in every four balls per ESPNcricinfo's ball-by-ball logs and has played-and-missed regularly.
Steven Smith seems happy enough for him to keep driving, with three slips and a gully in, but has plugged some gaps via a square boundary-rider on either side of the wicket, and a man at long leg. For all the noise around Crawley after his pair in Perth, he was England's leading run-scorer in the 2023 Ashes in the UK and Australia know that he can do some serious damage if he gets going.
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Starc levels Akram
414 Test wickets for Mitchell Starc, levelling Wasim Akram's tally. No left-arm seamer has taken more.
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Root survives
Joe Root is off the mark first ball, whipping out to deep square leg for a couple, but plays-and-misses at his second ball and edges his third low into the cordon. It's a phenomenal diving effort from Steve Smith, flinging himself low to his left at full stretch, but he can't quite cling on as he parries the ball towards Marnus Labuschagne. A bad start for England could have been even worse.
Dropped! Smith puts down what would have been a screamer #Ashes pic.twitter.com/dm1du02Rvd
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 4, 2025
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Two in four balls for Starc
What a start to this Test match. It looked like a huge toss for England to win in the sunshine, but Joe Root is already walking out after 15 balls. Mitchell Starc strikes again, but this is a nothing shot rather than a particularly stellar bit of bowling.
Ollie Pope was England's top run-scorer in Perth with 46 and 33, but becomes the second man out without scoring here. This is such a low-percentage shot, fiddling nervously at a back-of-a-length ball outside off stump with an angled bat, looking to steer him away through point. He chops onto his own stumps with a thick inside edge, and Australia are flying!
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Starc strikes again!
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In his third innings of the series, Zak Crawley finally gets off the mark. He plays and misses twice in the first three balls, then drives through the covers for four and pinches a single to wide mid-on.
But Mitchell Starc still manages to extent his extraordinary record in the first over of an innings, as Ben Duckett edges a fullish outswinger low to Marnus Labuschagne at first slip.
4 Times in a row that Mitchell Starc has taken a wicket in the first over of a Test innings: Sabina Park (second inns), Optus Stadium (both inns) and now the Gabba (first inns). He has now taken 26 wickets in the first over of an innings, second only to James Anderson (29).
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Lyon's omission
Andrew McGlashan at the Gabba: When Nathan Lyon was left out in Jamaica earlier this year Tony Dodemaide, the selector on tour, termed it “exceptional circumstances” and a “one-off”. Well, three Tests later it has happened again with Lyon benched at the Gabba so Australia can field an all-pace attack, although supplemented by Michael Neser and not a return for captain Pat Cummins.
Lyon missing out for this Test was a notion trailed since the opening Test finished; a combination of his lack of overs in that game against England’s freewheeling batters and the fact he only bowled one over in last season’s day-night against India in Adelaide. Still, as this Test neared, it felt as though his overall pink-ball record – 43 wickets at 25.62 – and concerns that the ball can soft at his ground would work in his favour.
But that is not how it has played out, and from a distance it looked like a very late call from Australia’s hierarchy. It is just the second home Test Lyon has missed since his debut – a run of 69 matches before today – with the other being against India at the WACA in 2012 when Australia fielded an all-pace attack.
“Pink ball, we think it's going to offer quite a bit, particularly later on under lights with no daylight savings here we play in the night a lot and thought that was going to be the best attack to take 20 wickets in this fixture,” Steven Smith said at the toss.
What does this all mean for Lyon? In the aftermath of not playing at Sabina Park he said he ultimately understood the decision but was still disappointed, believing he can play a role in all conditions. That day in Jamaica, conditions with the pink Dukes ball were on the extreme end; whether it plays out the same way in Brisbane, time will tell.
He will surely be back for the next Test in Adelaide, a day game, followed by the contests at the MCG and SCG. But it is now unarguable, that when Australia play day-night Tests, Lyon can no longer be assured of a place in the XI. And that is quite a shift.
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Vaughan's verdict
Feels like a good toss to have won .. #Ashes .. Pitch will quicken up tomorrow ..
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) December 4, 2025
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England win the toss and choose to bat
Ben Stokes calls correctly at the toss, and chooses to bat first. Steve Smith says that he would have done the same, and confirms Australia's shock selection decision: Michael Neser plays only his third Test, and Nathan Lyon is left out at home for the first time since 2012.
Smith also says that Josh Inglis will bat "in the middle order" with Travis Head set to continue to open the batting - intriguingly, he is listed at No. 7 on the teamsheet, below Cameron Green and Alex Carey. He confirms that Pat Cummins was "close" to inclusion but that selecting him would have been "a little bit [too] risky".
7 England have won seven consecutive tosses in Test cricket: five out of five against India in their home summer, and now two out of two in this Ashes series
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All-seam attack for Australia?
Four Australia fast bowlers have marked their run-ups: Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett and Michael Neser. Is that their bowling attack for this Test, with Nathan Lyon missing out for the first time in a home Test since 2012? We'll find out very shortly, but it would be a massive call if so.
Neser, 35, has only played two previous Tests - both of them pink-ball matches, including the Adelaide Test in the 2021-22 Ashes. Lyon was also left out of Australia's most recent day-night match, against West Indies in Jamaica in July.
Here's Ricky Ponting's verdict on Channel 7:
"He did only bowl those two overs in Perth. This is Michael Neser's home ground and he knows the conditions really, really well. But for someone like Nathan Lyon who is such a seasoned professional with a good record at the Gabba, I think it’s a massive call for the Aussies to make."
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Black armbands
The ECB have announced that both teams will wear black armbands today in memory of the late Robin Smith, who died this week at the age of 62. There will also be a moment's silence before the national anthems. You can read Mark Nicholas's tribute to Smith here.
England captain Ben Stokes said yesterday that Smith's recent presence in Perth - addressing the England Lions squad - meant that the news "hit a bit harder."
"Just last week, he was there chatting with the Lions who were out here. He was at the game last week and talking to people, going into quite a lot of detail about his life and opening up quite a lot... I know quite a lot of people who did know him very well, played a lot of cricket with him, and the same thing kept on coming up which was just that he was an absolute belter of a bloke."
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Inglis in
One man who does appear to be playing is Josh Inglis, who is standing at third slip in a reshuffled Australian cordon in the warm-ups - with Marnus Labuschagne set to replace Usman Khawaja at first slip, and Steven Smith staying at second.
Inglis's four Test innings to date read: 102, 0, 5, 12. He made his debut in Sri Lanka in late January, and scored a brilliant hundred against England in the Champions Trophy a month later. He's most likely to slot into the middle order with Travis Head moving up to open, but don't rule out the possibility of Inglis opening; Smith has even floated the possibility of using two nightwatchmen, depending on match situation.
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Will Cummins play?
Good afternoon from Brisbane, where there has been frantic speculation over the past 48 hours about whether or not Pat Cummins will make a dramatic, 11th-hour return to the Australia side despite not being named in their squad for this second Ashes Test. Andrew McGlashan laid out the scenarios last night.
The early signs suggest an impending anti-climax, with Cummins arriving in travel gear and not involved in Australia's final inspection of the surface. Australia said yesterday that they will not name their final XI until the toss, and there are still some selection queries at play: could Michael Neser squeeze out Nathan Lyon in an all-seam attack, for example?
Steve Smith having a final look at the pitch alongside Andrew McDonald#AUSvENG #Ashes
— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) December 4, 2025
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