Cricket Dec 07, 2025

The Ashes: England suffer eight-wicket drubbing by Australia in Brisbane to trail 2-0 in series with three to play

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
The Ashes: England suffer eight-wicket drubbing by Australia in Brisbane to trail 2-0 in series with three to play

England succumbed to another humiliating eight-wicket drubbing in the second Ashes Test in Brisbane to trail 2-0 in the five-match series, despite showing a bit more fight on day four at The Gabba.

Starting the day six down and still trailing Australia by 43 runs, the damage had already been done after a top-order collapse late on the third evening, but Ben Stokes (50) and Will Jacks (41) hung around to at least force the hosts to bat again.

The pair showed patience and discipline - something few England's batters have demonstrated so far this series - to add 96 for the seventh wicket, batting out the entire first session to give the faintest hope to a remarkable comeback.

With few demons evident in the pitch, against an old ball and a tiring Australian attack, Stokes and Jacks stretched England's advantage to 47 until an inspired Steve Smith catch at slip triggered the tourists' ultimate demise.

Diving low to his left at slip, Smith claimed a stunner to finally break the partnership and see the back of Jacks, with Michael Neser adding the crucial wicket of Stokes in his very next over, shortly after notching his 36th Test fifty.

Stokes got the faintest of edges behind to Alex Carey, who took another terrific catch stood up to the stumps, the England skipper throwing his head back in disappointment and flinging his bat in frustration as he trudged off with his side's Ashes hope lying in tatters.

Brendan Doggett (1-56) picked up Gus Atkinson (3), taking on the short ball, before Neser (5-42), playing in his third Test - and first for three years - would add the wicket of Brydon Carse (7) to end the innings and claim a maiden five-for on his home ground for Queensland.

Set 65 to win, Australia wasted little time in chasing down their target across the tea interval, romping home in 10 overs as things got a little spicy between Smith and Jofra Archer, in particular, under the lights late on.

Atkinson (2-37) picked up Travis Head (22), chopping on to his stumps, adding Marnus Labuschagne (3) in his next over, nicking off to a rising delivery, to give England a smidge of positivity going into the next Test in Adelaide.

Those wickets brought Smith to the crease, who has revelled in telling the watching world that Archer has yet to get him out in Test cricket, despite a memorable battle at Lord's in 2019 in which the Australian suffered a concussion after taking a blow during a fiery spell of fast bowling.

Archer cranked up the pace again with his arrival, but Smith (23no off nine balls) met the challenge head on, hooking the England quick for a pair of fours and a six in the same over as the pair got into a heated exchange out in the middle.

At one point, the stump mic picked up Smith saying along the lines of, "Bowl fast when there's nothing going on, champion," and ultimately it would be he who would have the last laugh, smacking another six off Atkinson to see Australia to victory in style.

England captain Ben Stokes, speaking to TNT Sports:

"When the game is on the line, teams are able to handle that pressure better than us.

"We are a great team when we are ahead, when we are behind and playing huge catch-up we are great but when the game is on the line we are not able to stand up to pressure. That is obvious as a captain.

"It is a mentality, a mindset. How you get yourself into a head space to make clear decisions is so important to be successful at this level.

"No one means to drop catches or not bowl where you are supposed to, but those things cannot happen at this level."

All times UK and Ireland

Tags:

cricket news id:13480435

Share this article

Related Posts

T20 World Cup: Pakistan players reportedly fined after failing to reach semi-finals, including leading run-scorer Sahibzada Farhan

T20 World Cup: Pakistan players reportedly fined after failing to reach semi-finals, including leading run-scorer Sahibzada Farhan

Pakistan's players have reportedly each been fined $18,000 (approximately £13,530) for an underwhelming T20 World Cup campaign in which they failed to...

England men cricket fixtures and results 2026: T20 World Cup, plus games vs India, Pakistan, New Zealand and more

England men cricket fixtures and results 2026: T20 World Cup, plus games vs India, Pakistan, New Zealand and more

Full fixtures for England's men's side in 2026, including the T20 World Cup, home white-ball series against India and away Test tour of South Africa....

Brendon McCullum poised to continue as England head coach in all formats despite crushing Ashes loss

Brendon McCullum poised to continue as England head coach in all formats despite crushing Ashes loss

Brendon McCullum looks set to stay on as England head coach in all formats despite a difficult winter, according to reports.England's narrow semi-fina...

T20 World Cup: England's Harry Brook thrives at No 3 as Brendon McCullum 'mastermind' move pays off

T20 World Cup: England's Harry Brook thrives at No 3 as Brendon McCullum 'mastermind' move pays off

Many of Brendon McCullum's decisions were panned as England tumbled to a largely self-inflicted 4-1 Ashes defeat this winter - but his latest call rea...

Moeen Ali opens up on future England head coach ambitions and learning from Andrew Flintoff during Lions tour

Moeen Ali opens up on future England head coach ambitions and learning from Andrew Flintoff during Lions tour

Moeen Ali wants to gain some insights from Andrew Flintoff to become a more rounded coach in his bid to one day get the top job with England.Flintoff,...

Sri Lanka vs England: Jos Buttler breaks appearance record as Harry Brook and Tom Banton seal T20 series win

Sri Lanka vs England: Jos Buttler breaks appearance record as Harry Brook and Tom Banton seal T20 series win

Jos Buttler's record-setting 402nd England appearance came in a series-sealing victory as captain Harry Brook's cameo and Tom Banton's half-century sm...