Mitchell Starc delivered a stunning all-round performance to leave England facing humiliation at the Gabba, top-scoring with a dogged 77 before spearheading a devastating night-time bowling assault that reduced England to six down and still 43 runs behind at stumps on day three.
After Australia built a commanding 177-run first-innings lead through disciplined batting and six half-century stands, England wilted in brutal Brisbane heat and then crumbled under the lights as Starc, Scott Boland and Michael Neser tore through their lineup.
Early promise from openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett faded as Boland’s relentless accuracy and Neser’s breakthroughs triggered a collapse, capped by Starc removing Joe Root on review.
Starc pushed through visible pain to deliver a late, fiery spell that further crushed England’s hopes. Despite leadership changes, tactical gambles and flashes of resistance, England’s inconsistency with bat, ball and in the field left Australia firmly in control and poised to seal an early fourth-day victory in the second Ashes Test.
Stumps
England vs Australia, 2nd Test, The Ashes
- ENG 334 & 134/6 (35 ov)
- AUS 511
- Ben Stokes* 4(24)
- Will Jacks 4(9)
- Mitchell Starc 2/48 (12 ov)
- Day 3 – England trail by 43 runs.
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The Perth test (under 2 days) and this Brisbane test (after 3 days) clearly prove that Bazball doesn’t work and Brendon McCullum should either resign as England’s Test coach or abandon Bazball.
The Australian tactics are simple and exploit Bazball. Forget Starc, even the mediocre Aussie bowlers just need to put their balls in roughly the right area on the pitch knowing that England’s Bazball tactics will offer them more chances to get the English batsmen out cheaply.