Cricket Dec 07, 2025

The Ashes: England's Ollie Pope in the firing line after soft dismissal on 'gruesome' third day in Brisbane Test

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
The Ashes: England's Ollie Pope in the firing line after soft dismissal on 'gruesome' third day in Brisbane Test

You can come out from behind the sofa now, England fans.

A "gruesome" third day - to use SportNews' Michael Atherton's word - for Ben Stokes' tourists at The Gabba ended with them six wickets down in their second innings, trailing by 43.

There was another loose drive-induced batting collapse following the meltdown in Perth that cost England the first Test, with Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley the guilty parties in Brisbane.

After a number of close shaves driving on the up, Pope refused to put that shot away and eventually his luck ran out - chipping back to seamer Michael Neser on 26 for a routine caught and bowled.

To make matters worse for England, Crawley then did the exact same thing while facing Neser, falling for 44 as a position of 90-1 became 97-3 and ultimately 134-6 by stumps.

Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland bagged two wickets apiece, after they had showed England's oft-giddy top order how to bat time earlier in the day by sharing a sedate ninth-wicket stand of 75 from 165 balls as the hosts earned a first-innings lead of 177.

Pope could not play with the same discipline, leaving SportNews' Nasser Hussain bemused.

"Pope's dismissal was utterly bizarre," said Hussain.

"There is something in your brain that, however positive you want to be, driving on the up on this surface is not easy. We have seen that.

"Pope spoke to me about it on interview the other day - about learning from the first Test that there are certain shots you have to put away.

"On this Brisbane pitch, the drive on the up is not the shot to be playing.

"Pope nearly got caught and bowled early on, he then hit over the fielder Josh Inglis at cover and then he nicked one over slip off the outside edge.

"I sat in the press box thinking to myself, 'what is going through Pope's head now?' I would have been thinking 'that shot started a collapse in Perth so put it away'.

"But what does Pope do? He goes down the other end, drives on the up with a closed bat face and is caught and bowled as 90-1 becomes 90-2 and the collapse comes.

"That's where I question him. If I, sat up in the press room, can see a wicket coming, how can Pope himself not say, 'if I carry on batting like this I am going to get out'.

"Put that shot away for a while like the greats do. Steve Smith does it. Joe Root does it. Pope doesn't do it. He believes if he keeps doing it, he will get away with it."

Hussain feels the only way England can avoid slipping 2-0 down in the five-Test series is for captain Stokes - who reached the close four not out from 24 balls - to produce some "genius".

The former England skipper says the tourists' raft of errors across the game at The Gabba are now taking their toll.

He added: "England were out-bowled, out-batted, out-caught, out-thought - completely and utterly outplayed from start to finish.

"But what has happened today is a consequence of what has happened from the first day, when Brook's dismissal opened the door for wickets to fall, wafting at wide delivery outside off stump.

"On the same day, Pope dragged Starc on with an angled bat.

"England then ended up slightly below par on first innings - they should have maybe got 400 and then they are way behind when you add in bowling badly and the dopped catches. Then they are the ones batting under lights.

"Each mistake you make is a small one but as the Test progresses it catches up with you.

"I don't think you can fault England's effort and I have heard some things today that I disagree with about 'giving up' and 'their heads have dropped'.

"I didn't see a side that gave up, which you can sometimes get in Australia. Brydon Carse, for example, ran in every ball and gave it everything. Stokes in searing heat.

"So while I will criticise England for their skills and tactics - they could perhaps have used the off-spinner Will Jacks against Starc, the left-hander, and maybe not spread the field so much - I can't criticise them for their heart and effort."

England need one almighty effort now if they are to pull off a heist at The Gabba.and the knives will be out if this game ends the way we expect.

Tags:

cricket news id:13480035

Share this article

Related Posts

The Ashes: Ben Stokes promises to be 'ruthless' in response to England's 4-1 series drubbing in Australia

The Ashes: Ben Stokes promises to be 'ruthless' in response to England's 4-1 series drubbing in Australia

Ben Stokes said he's not afraid to show his "ruthless" side as he looks to lead England's recovery from their 4-1 Ashes drubbing to Australia, adding...

The Ashes: Australia win series 4-1 after earning nervy five-wicket win over England on final day in Sydney

The Ashes: Australia win series 4-1 after earning nervy five-wicket win over England on final day in Sydney

Australia squeaked home to a five-wicket victory over England in the fifth Ashes Test after a nervy final day in Sydney, the hosts' dominance over the...

The Ashes: Jacob Bethell hailed as 'future of England cricket' after delivering on supreme talent with first Test century

The Ashes: Jacob Bethell hailed as 'future of England cricket' after delivering on supreme talent with first Test century

Jacob Bethell evoked memories of David Gower with his stylish, yet composed, maiden Test century at No 3 for England in the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney...

The Ashes: Steve Smith hurts England with a 13th Ashes hundred in Sydney to add further to his legend

The Ashes: Steve Smith hurts England with a 13th Ashes hundred in Sydney to add further to his legend

"He has hurt England so often," Your Site' Michael Atherton said after Steve Smith's latest Ashes century, his 13th.And England fans may have to steel...

The Ashes: Joe Root would 'love to' make next tour of Australia at age 39 as Sydney ton hailed 'one of his best'

The Ashes: Joe Root would 'love to' make next tour of Australia at age 39 as Sydney ton hailed 'one of his best'

Your Site' Michael Atherton hailed Joe Root's 41st Test century as "one of his very best innings", but could the 35-year-old keep going for another fo...

The Ashes: England's Jamie Smith blasted after 'one of worst dismissals ever seen' against Australia at SCG

The Ashes: England's Jamie Smith blasted after 'one of worst dismissals ever seen' against Australia at SCG

We have a new winner of England's worst dismissal of this Ashes series.The culprit was Jamie Smith, who ended a skittish innings of 46 on day two at t...