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Ben Stokes watched catch after catch go down on day two - Getty Images/Santanu Banik
Batsmen bobbed and weaved under a barrage of short balls on a blood-and-thunder day of Ashes cricket at a feral Gabba, but it was Australia on top by the end thanks to one of the worst bowling performances of the Bazball era.
Australia cruised at 5.17 an over, helped by five dropped catches and a pace attack that was at times atrocious and unable to exert pressure for long enough.
At 378 for six, a lead of 44 with the power to add, Australia have the opportunity to control the second Test and challenge England to bat on day three, under pressure, in the dark.
This series is only four days old but a grim pattern has emerged: England just do not play well enough with bat, ball or in the field for long enough to seriously threaten a weakened Australia side.
Every Australian batsman reached double figures and five of the six partnerships put on at least 37 – the first four all cruising past 50 stands, a sharp contrast to the four ducks in England’s innings.
It was done by treating England’s main threat with respect. Jofra Archer took one for 74 from 20 overs and Australia just waited for the others to serve up dross.
Brydon Carse was poor, conceding 113 at six an over, buying three wickets in the process, but failed in his job to hit the cracks hard with pace and bounce and intimidate the Australians with some rough stuff. Gus Atkinson bowled well enough but is still waiting for his first wicket of the series, while Stokes at 5.4 an over was costly and looked troubled by his left leg again by the close. The spinner, Will Jacks, was trusted with just one over, started with four byes down the leg side and conceded a further nine off the bat.
After the emotion of Joe Root’s Test century, England wasted the new ball by bowling too short and never recovered.
Jacks redeemed himself with a world-class catch to dismiss Steve Smith in a crazy 57th over when the game was still in the balance and Australia were 292-5, more than 50 behind.
But England spilled three more chances in the final hour to add another Gabba nightmare to a long and inglorious Brisbane history.
Australia’s total exposed England’s first-innings 335 as being well-under par, a warning sign missed in the emotion of Root’s ton. Can they now learn lessons from their opponents and sit in against Mitchell Starc and go after the weaker bowlers?
Do not bet on it. Ben Duckett restarts on a golden pair and two dropped catches. Jamie Smith is also on a pair and set the tone by dropping Travis Head in the ninth over of the Australia innings, a mistake that let loose a torrent of runs and changed the momentum of the Test.
Impetuosity has been England’s problem, and for the second Ashes series running they have given Australia a route back in the first two Tests when they had chances to take control. Stokes bristles when he is asked about ruthlessness, but this was a profligate day and they were punished by a team capable of absorbing pressure that also recognises when to hit back.
More to follow...
12:05pm
Sir Geoffrey’s review of day two
12:00pm
Matt Prior on TNT Sports
11:58am
Michael Vaughan on BBC TMS
11:57am
The thoughts of Joe Root
11:56am
Steven Finn on TNT Sports
11:56am
Jonathan Agnew on BBC TMS
11:49am
Get your thoughts in
A reminder that Scyld Berry is in the comments section right now so make sure you get your questions in and any opinions you may have.
11:43am
Those drops in full
Jamie Smith drop (Bowler: Jofra Archer)
Travis Head was on 3, went on to score 33
Australia score: 30 for 0
Ben Duckett drop 1 (Bowler: Brydon Carse)
Alex Carey was on 0, is still not out
Australia score: 291 for four
Ben Duckett drop 2 (Bowler: Ben Stokes)
Josh Inglis was on 21, went on to score 23
Australia score: 327 for five
Brydon Carse drop (Bowler: Jofra Archer)
Michael Neser was on 6, is still not out
Australia score: 346 for six
Joe Root drop (Bowler: Jofra Archer)
Michael Neser was on 7, is still not out
Australia score 348 for six
11:38am
Phil Tufnell on BBC TMS
11:33am
Australia close day two on 378/6
Just the one run from the final over of the day and that brings day two to an end. Australia finish on 378/6, 44 runs ahead of England. Ben Stokes’ men will rue all those dropped catches that, had they been taken, could have resulted in Australia being bowled out already.
11:28am
OVER 72: AUS 377/6 (Neser 15 Carey 45)
That is a sublime shot from Carey, driving elegantly through the covers for four. Australia have wrestled back the momentum and are ending the day on a high. A few balls later, Carey gets another couple through point.
Two more to the total as Carey drives through the covers. Australia’s lead is up to 43 runs. One more over today.
11:24am
OVER 71: AUS 368/6 (Neser 15 Carey 36)
Neser gives himself room and slashes away through the covers for four. Time for probably two more overs.
11:20am
OVER 70: AUS 363/6 (Neser 11 Carey 35)
Neser flicks through mid-wicket and gets three to bring up the Australia 350.
Make it five drops today. Carey charges at Atkinson and the ball flies off the outside edge. It goes between Smith and Root but the latter cannot take it diving to his right one-handed. Root looked late to react but could Smith have gone for that2
This is becoming a very sloppy end to the day for England as Carey slashes one through cover for four more.
Australia’s lead is nearly at 30 now.
11:15am
OVER 69: AUS 349/6 (Neser 8 Carey 25)
Another drop by England! Neser gives himself room and slaps it straight to Carse at wide mid-off. It is a simple catch but somehow Carse spills it. A fourth drop of the day.
Carse is now going to head off to receive some treatment on his finger.
11:11am
OVER 68: AUS 346/6 (Neser 6 Carey 24)
Stokes has taken himself out of the attack and Atkinson is back on. Carey drives down the ground and comes through for three but England were quite close to a run out as it was a tight three.
11:07am
OVER 67: AUS 342/6 (Neser 5 Carey 21)
Archer replaces Carse. The field is set for short-pitch bowling but Archer bowls it full, allowing Neser to drive down the ground. Stokes has to run after it, which he really does not need as he is struggling with cramp, and Australia get three.
Off the final ball of the over, Carey drives through the covers for three.
11:02am
OVER 66: AUS 336/6 (Neser 2 Carey 18)
Just over half an hour left on day two. Stokes appears to be struggling with cramp but seems to be in good spirits, which would suggest it is nothing to worry about. Just the one run from the over and you think it might make sense for Stokes to have a bit of a rest. 12th man Matthew Potts comes on with what could be some electrolytes and maybe some pickle juice. Not the greatest taste, shown by Stokes’ face!
10:58am
OVER 65: AUS 335/6 (Neser 1 Carey 18)
Carse will continue this spell. Carey gives himself room outside leg and hits back down the ground. Carse will be annoyed at himself that he missed it and the ball runs away for four with no fielders positioned down the ground.
A single down to third man brings Australia level before an outside edge to get Neser off the mark takes Australia into the lead.
10:53am
OVER 64: AUS 329/6 (Neser 0 Carey 13)
Michael Neser is the man in at number eight and is struck on the pads immediately. There is a big appeal for England but it is given not out. England go for the review with three remaining but it was an excellent decision from Adrain Holdstock as there was an inside edge.
10:50amWickets • Key moments
Wicket
Inglis b Stokes 23 A few balls after Duckett dropped Inglis at gully, Stokes finally has his man as he gets one to come back in and beats Inglis, crashing into the stumps. Stokes deserved Inglis’ wicket and he finally gets it. Now England are into the bowlers. FOW 329/6
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Clean bowled - Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
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Just reward for Ben Stokes - Gareth Copley/Getty Images
10:45am
OVER 63: AUS 327/5 (Inglis 21 Carey 13)
Just two runs from that over and Carse’s mammoth spell may be coming to an end.
Australia trail by 7 runs.
10:39am
OVER 62: AUS 325/5 (Inglis 20 Carey 13)
Again we ask the question of whether there should be a gap in the slip cordon. Once more Stokes find Inglis’ outside edge but it flies through the gap for four. That is now three or four times Inglis has got away with an outside edge through that gap. That horse may have bolted though.
That is more emphatic from Inglis, who drives more confidently through cover point for four more.
Inglis then swivels on a pull and nearly picks out Jacks at fine leg but it lands safely.
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Frustration for Ben Stokes - Robbie Stephenson/PA
10:36am
Reaction to the Will Jacks catch
No little relief in these faces
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10:34am
OVER 61: AUS 315/5 (Inglis 11 Carey 12)
Carey gives himself room outside leg stump and pulls Carse well in front of square for three.
Inglis then gets a couple through the point region with Root positioned out at deep backward point.
There is just under an hour’s play remaining on day two.
Every single Australian batsman has reached double figures so far. Contrast this with England’s first innings, which featured four ducks. It is the inability to construct lasting partnerships that threatens to decide their fate here.
10:29am
OVER 60: AUS 309/5 (Inglis 9 Carey 9)
Inglis goes after a full and wide delivery from Stokes, with the ball going through the gap in the slip cordon at a catchable height. Should that gap be there with Inglis new to the crease?
Later in the over Stokes offers too much width and it is too short as well, allowing Inglis to tuck into a cut shot behind square for four. It went into the air but in the gap.
10:24am
OVER 59: AUS 301/5 (Inglis 1 Carey 9)
A single off the bat of Carey into the legside brings up the Australia 300. Inglis is now off the mark with a single off his third ball.
10:20am
OVER 58: AUS 299/5 (Inglis 0 Carey 8)
One more wicket and England are into the bowlers, who will not fancy batting in these conditions. Just 15 minutes ago, we were very worried about England. Now, the momentum has shifted.
Carey is a lucky boy as he advances at Stokes and slashes at the ball. It comes off the outside edge but flies over Duckett’s head for four.
That is a better shot though from Carey, who leans on a drive through point for three.
10:15am
OVER 57: AUS 292/5 (Inglis 0 Carey 1)
This is absolutely England’s opportunity, which they have to take. They took drinks after the Smith wicket and Josh Inglis is the new man in. Two new batsmen at the crease. What an over from Carse, dismissing both Green and Smith and could have been a third had Duckett not dropped a catch.
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Slightly lost in the drama of the long over, with the dolly drop and the incredible catch, but Cameron Green’s dismissal was very reminiscent of Ollie Robinson’s at the end of the last Ashes tour. An ugly backaway hack, and stumps splattered everywhere.
10:11amWickets • Key moments
Wicket
Smith c Jacks b Carse 61 OH MY WORD! Two balls after Carey was dropped first ball, Jacks takes a stunner to get rid of Smith, who swivels on the pull but Jacks pulls off a sensational grab behind square. Two wickets in the over from Carse and both set batsmen are gone. How pivotal a moment could that be not just in this game but the series? FOW 292/5
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That was a simply incredible catch from Will Jacks. The ball seemed to hang in the air forever, and it had passed him. Utter disbelief at the Gabba. The short ball plan, somehow, has brought two extraordinary wickets and created another chance.
10:07amWickets
Wicket
Green b Carse 45 Carse has now changed ends, with the field set for short-pitch bowling, but he gets Green with a full delivery. The bluff is on and Carse knew that Green was backing away to hit short balls over the offside. So what does Carse do? He goes full and straight and cannons into the stumps. Boy did England need that. Can they capitalise on that and build some momentum? FOW 291/4
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Crucial breakthrough for England - Gareth Copley/Getty Images
10:04am
OVER 56: AUS 290/3 (Smith 61 Green 45)
Captain Stokes brings himself back on. So many times he has got England a wicket when they need one and this moment falls into that category right now. The one criticism you could have of England right now is they are not bowling enough balls that are threatening the stumps so you can pretty much take two forms of dismissal out of the equation.
09:59am
OVER 55: AUS 289/3 (Smith 61 Green 44)
Ever since Jamie Smith dropped Head earlier today, the Australian fans have been giving him grief and jeering every time he touches the ball. Australia now trail by just 45 runs with seven wickets in hand.
I can’t think of a worse bowling day under Ben Stokes’s captaincy than this one. Yes it is a flat pitch and the ball has done nothing but England have not been consistent for long enough to make any of their plans work.
09:55am
OVER 54: AUS 287/3 (Smith 60 Green 43)
Carse is brought back on to replace Archer and is welcomed back by Green giving himself room and slapping a short ball down the ground for four. That was more like a tennis shot and was whacked by Green. He gives himself room again and cuts over the offside for three.
When I say England have no luck, I mean they really have no luck at all. Smith attempts a pull and it comes off the top edge. Pope is perfectly positioned down at long stop and looks set to take the catch but it goes just over Pope’s head, just. They are quite short boundaries at The Gabba and had they been just two metres longer, Smith would have been gone.
Just spent some time in the Gabba’s upper reaches, where England’s bowlers are most assuredly copping a spray. It seems appropriate that quite a few of the Australians are in Santa costumes, even in this sultry heat, such are the gifts their guests are providing. Steve Smith was briefly disturbed by the sight of Aaron Gocs, a local comedian sporting perhaps the finest mullet seen this side of the 1980s, bringing a beer back to his seat.
09:48am
OVER 53: AUS 270/3 (Smith 52 Green 35)
Smith goes for a big booming drive and it narrowly evades the outside edge. A few balls later Smith nearly plays onto his own stumps but the inside edge avoids the stump and Smith is able to come back for two. No luck for England at the moment.
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I’m starting to feel a little sorry for Gus Atkinson, who still hasn’t taken a wicket in the series. He’s bowled well today, perhaps second only to Archer, but hasn’t especially looked like taking a wicket. He’s doing all the right things: decent pace, fairly accurate, but nothing doing.
09:44am
OVER 52: AUS 267/3 (Smith 50 Green 34)
These are most definitely worrying times for England, with Australia within 70 runs of England’s total with seven wickets in hand.
Smith though is not a million miles away from chopping onto his own stumps. Just the one run from Archer’s 16th over.
09:39am
OVER 51: AUS 266/3 (Smith 50 Green 33)
That is just buffet bowling from Atkinson, giving way too much width to Smith, who cuts with ease behind point for four. England are in a bit of trouble here as this is getting away from them right now. England cannot afford for Australia to have parity or be past England’s score with say five wickets left going into day three.
A few balls later, Atkinson is too full and on the pads, allowing Smith to flick through wide mid-on. It is a brilliant chase from Carse, who pulls off a great diving stop but is unlucky that his flick back hits his boot whilst he was making contact with the boundary rope so it is four.
A single into the offside brings up Smith’s 44th fifty in Tests.
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Fifty for Steve Smith - Hollie Adams/Reuters
09:35am
OVER 50: AUS 256/3 (Smith 41 Green 32)
Archer and Atkinson are getting some deliveries to rise at this Australian pair and the gloves are taking a bit of a battering right now.
Smith gives himself room and guides Archer behind point for four; it looked like he had so much time to play that shot and used Archer’s pace against him. That brings up the Australian 250.
The second boundary of the over comes off the final ball as Green guides one down to third man for four more.
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Odd to reflect for anyone who saw their duel at Lord’s in 2019, but Steve Smith has an amazing record against Jofra Archer in Tests: has scored 115 runs v Archer, and never been dismissed.
09:30am
OVER 49: AUS 247/3 (Smith 36 Green 28)
Atkinson gets a bowl from back of a length to rise up at Green and strikes the Australian on the thumb. Immediately Green took that hand off the bat and that will really hurt. They come through for a single, which brings up the 50 partnership, but the physio is brought out. You can already see blood coming out of the top of the nail. If you are squeamish, you would not like the sight of that! That could easily have broken Green’s thumb so he will be relieved that has not happened.
Every partnership now in this Australian innings has passed 50. Our very own Will Macpherson mentioned earlier how Australia have batted in partnerships, something England have struggled with.
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Painful blow - Hollie Adams/Reuters
09:22am
OVER 48: AUS 245/3 (Smith 35 Green 27)
The umpires are taking a look at the seam and decide that the ball is going to be changed. Is this what England need to wrestle back some momentum? You can guarantee you will hear plenty of moaning from the Australian players, fans and press if England get some quick wickets here. I am not sure England seem too impressed with the ball they have now been given.
Sir Alastair Cook is also not impressed, but that is because he believes England are bowling too short.
Still just over two hours remain on day two.
09:16am
OVER 47: AUS 243/3 (Smith 35 Green 26)
It is probably stating the obvious but boy do England need a breakthrough right now. It feels like Australia are in control but before Ben Stokes was run out yesterday around this time, England looked comfortable so we know what one wicket can do.
There is just the one slip in place with a couple of fielders in the cover region in catching positions.
Atkinson sends down a maiden.
09:12am
OVER 46: AUS 243/3 (Smith 35 Green 26)
Archer will start proceedings from the other end. There is a leg slip in place to Smith. Duckett is the man positioned at leg slip.
Very, very lucky for Smith and Archer is not amused. Smith goes for the pull but gets a top edge that flies over the slip cordon and runs away for four. The luck not going England’s way right now. The leg slip has now been removed.
Later in the over, Smith is in much more control of this shot, guiding a shorter delivery over the slip cordon and it goes all the way for six. This partnership is nearing 50 and Australia now trail by under 100.
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Great piece of ingenuity from Steve Smith - Robbie Stephenson/PA
09:07am
OVER 45: AUS 233/3 (Smith 25 Green 26)
The first run of the session comes from a Smith drive down the ground that was well stopped by a diving Carse at mid-on which kept it to just a single. Off the final ball of the over, Green swivels on the pull and gets four behind square on the legside. It is only Archer in the deep on the legside down at fine leg.
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Australia in a decent position - Robbie Stephenson/PA
09:03am
Night session
This feels like a really crucial few hours, in particular for England. They need to not only break this partnership quickly but take quite a few in these favourable conditions. England do not want to face a situation where by at the end of the day Australia have parity and still have a number of wickets in hand tomorrow, when it will be hot again in Brisbane in mid-afternoon.
Gus Atkinson will open up with the ball after the dinner break.
09:00am
Views from the ground
“Session drawn.” That is the verdict of Australia’s analysts on Fox, which feels kind to England, to say the least.
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Australia are batting in partnerships in a way that England just haven’t in this series. The first three stands were all worth 50 or more, and Green has joined Smith to steady the ship before the break. Partnerships are the bedrock around which everything is built here.
08:59am
Verdict at dinner
Better from England in that session: fuller and with more control but Australia are one more good hour away from commanding the Test. Archer’s spell under the lights will be pivotal.
A sorry trend is developing. England just cannot play well enough, long enough, with either bat or ball to stay ahead of Australia, the story of the past three tours. They felt they had enough with the bat, perhaps boosted by the emotion around Root’s hundred but Australia have showed what a good pitch it is to bat on if you play risk-free cricket and wait for the bad balls, of which here have been far too many.
England’s lengths have been all over the place, and Australia have played a clever game seeing off Archer and putting pressure on everyone else. Two wickets in the session but Australia are just 106 behind. Carse has been taken apart, Atkinson never threatened a wicket and Stokes walked off at the interval shaking his head in frustration.
08:50am
Join Scyld Berry in the comments after play
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Those who value their sleep might have missed the start of day two when Jofra Archer was the key figure – and England’s captain, Ben Stokes, might have missed a trick.
It is asking too much of any cricketer to be batting one minute, and playing a critical innings of 38 off 36, then bowling ten minutes later. Not even Ian Botham could switch from one to the other instantly.
At the time, not just retrospect, I thought Gus Atkinson should have bowled the first over – to make Australia’s opening batsmen play – and Archer the second over. Just give him a few more minutes to switch and re-focus.
As it was, Archer bowled down the leg-side in the 130s kph and so Australia were not hit hard at the start.
It is Archer’s way to warm up for a spell in the traditional way i.e. not much, just turning his arm over before the start and warming to his work as he bowls. It would vex Chris Silverwood, when he was England’s coach and a former fast bowler himself: he wanted Archer to start at top speed.
But, it has to be said, if Archer had bowled full blast at the start, he would not have had the puff to bowl a seven-over spell after lunch. That was when he dismissed Jake Weatherald with a perfect yorker and thereby kept England in the game until the lights came on.
Join me in the comment section at close to discuss this and all the day’s talking points!
08:46am
Dinner break: AUS 228/3, trail by 106 runs
A better session for England with the wickets of the well-set Weatherald and Labuschagne but their prospects of victory are on a knife-edge and they desperately need to take wickets in the night session now the ball is starting to zip around.
08:45am
OVER 44: AUS 228/3 (Smith 24 Green 22)
England need wickets and need them in clusters in the final session. Batting in the fourth innings will be difficult but a substantial lead would give Australia insurance even on a treacherous pitch especially if England haven’t learnt to sit in against Starc and attack everyone else in their spinnerless attack.
Smith pulls away when a chap with a pot belly swaddled in a yellow Australia shirt and a holly bush beard walks down some steps carrying a pint at long off. He doesn’t care about England’s over rate either.
Opening the face he presses a drive for three behind point and Stokes ends the session with a juicy pie, a low full toss outside off and Green harpoons it on the drive through point for four. Stokes puts his shirt over his face as he walks off, engaging in a one-to-one, possibly choleric debrief with himself.
08:37am
OVER 43: AUS 221/3 (Smith 21 Green 18)
Carse stays on for the penultimate over before the gong sounds for the dinner break. Green leaves two, defends one then finds the gap by dissecting the two covers for three, the ball coming more off the outside edge than the middle. Smith is also invited to drive and opens the face to steer it behind square for two then pinches the strike with a tuck off the hip for a single.
08:34am
OVER 42: AUS 215/3 (Smith 18 Green 15)
Stokes catches Green on the crease with the nip-backer, squaring the right-hander up and effing and jeffing when the thick edge rattles past the slips for four. Stokes maintains that fuller length but changes the point of delivery by moving across the crease, then pulls it back for the final ball. Green pivots on to it and drags it, cross-batted through midwicket for a single.
08:30am
OVER 41: AUS 209/3 (Smith 17 Green 10)
Green goes for a big swish outside off to Carse and is surprised by the bounce, the ball whistling past the splice. Duckett and Pope are close in and eight metres apart as catching cover fielders, two strips across. Carse maintains a good line outside off but when he goes too full, Green drives with bended knee and Duckett makes a very smart stop, a very smarting stop. Maiden for Carse, his first.
I wish I had a quid for every time they mention sarcastically how much Alastair Cook likes the weight transfer animation.
08:23am
OVER 40: AUS 209/3 (Smith 17 Green 5)
Green hits his second four and the 27th of the innings, driving Stokes through the offside before rotating the strike with a squirt through point for a single. Smith, chest on, gets behind the last three balls of the over, blocking two and leaving one.
08:19am
OVER 39: AUS 204/3 (Smith 17 Green 5)
Smith is struck on the right elbow for the second time in the series. That’s horribly painful and off come the gloves as he tries to work some feeling back into his fingers. After a delay for spray, Smith ducks the inevitable, follow-up bouncer, then opens the face to glide three down to third. They sprint through for three and Carse boots the ground in exasperation.
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Smith cops a stinger on the elbow - PA/Robbie Stephenson
08:15am
OVER 38: AUS 200/3 (Smith 14 Green 4)
Just before Labuschagne fell, there had been a delay while the umpires took a pair of scissors to the ball to cut off some loose threads. In comes Green at No5 and he defends his first few balls until Stokes strays on to his pads and he clips it away for four to bring up the 200.
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Ben Stokes digs deep - Reuters/Hollie Adams
08:05amKey moments • Wickets
Wicket!
Labuschagne c Smith b Stokes 65 Goes for the late cut and scratches it with the top edge. England will be hugely relieved. He doesn’t review it but as ever looks like he’ll wait for the bailiffs before departing the crease very reluctantly. FOW 196/3
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Ben Stokes gives England hope - Getty Images/Cameron Spencer
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08:03am
OVER 37: AUS 196/2 (Labuschagne 65 Smith 14)
Having fed Weatherald’s cut, Carse now feeds Labuschagne’s pull. This makes no sense. Formulate a plan and stick to it. Instead he bangs one in short and Labuschagne rocks back to pull it hard for four. As if to double down on it, Stokes posts another boundary rider out on the hook so Carse hangs a short one outside off and Labuschagne cleaves it for three to bring up the third fifty partnership of three in the innings so far. Carse is much fuller to Smith and is rewarded with two dot balls but he’s still going for more than eight an over.
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07:58am
OVER 36: AUS 189/2 (Labuschagne 58 Smith 14)
Labuschagne gobbles up Stokes’ short ball, pulling it hard for four, then drives for two through cover. He gives Smith the strike with a single through backward square and Smith plays out the three fuller balls with his walking French cricket defensives, right leg coming round.
07:56amKey moments
OVER 35: AUS 182/2 (Labuschagne 51 Smith 14)
Carse’s pitch map shows 57 per cent of his deliveries have been short and Labuschagne brings up his half-century off another of them, an ugly top-edged pull over the keeper for four. TNT Sports has more Australian guests in the commentary box than England have bowling coaches. This time it’s Jason Gillespie to praise Labuschagne for another pull, this one off his ribs for a single. Smith chops a cut for two. Stokes is coming on for Archer.
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Labuschagne makes another pink-ball fifty - Getty Images/Cameron Spencer
07:47am
OVER 34: AUS 175/2 (Labuschagne 46 Smith 12)
Archer is staying on for a seventh over in this spell. Pace is still good but so are the batsmen’s eyes. He finds Labuschagne’s edge but the soft hands guide it into the turf in front of Brook and when he targets his ribs, Labuschagne turns stork to pull him off one leg for four.
Time for drinks. England have found the brake but Stokes and Carse need to be as miserly as Archer and Atkinson at the beginning of the session.
07:42am
OVER 33: AUS 170/2 (Labuschagne 41 Smith 12)
Smith pantomimes his displeasure with some movement behind the bowler’s arm. He takes Carse for a pair of twos, one driven through Atkinson’s parry at mid-on, the next glanced off his pads through square leg.
Carse errs too straight again and Smith flicks it away between midwicket and mid-on for four. He looks like an lbw candidate which persuades the bowler to keep trying but he rarely misses a straight one.
Nine again off the over, eight off the bat and a no-ball.
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Joe Root’s parents, Matt and Helen, join Michael Vaughan for an interview in the break - Getty Images/Gareth Copley
07:35am
OVER 32: AUS 161/2 (Labuschagne 41 Smith 4)
After five dot balls from Archer, the right-armer bangs one into Labuschagne who pulls and top edges it between keeper and deep fine leg for six.
Carse, who bagged Smith’s wicket at Perth, replaces Atkinson. He went for nine an over in his first spell.
07:32am
OVER 31: AUS 155/2 (Labuschagne 35 Smith 4)
Smith and Labuschagne seem to be able to communicate through jerks and nods, each of them with an audience of only one, each other’s biggest fan. Smith busily plays out an Atkinson maiden and Labuschagne shares his discomfort.
Archer to bowl a sixth over in this spell.
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07:28am
OVER 30: AUS 155/2 (Labuschagne 35 Smith 4)
Stokes posts a leg slip for Archer after he hit him on the gloves in his last over. Smith, as busy as ever, pulls a single down to fine leg. Labuschagne ducks the 91mph bouncer and leaves a couple more.
07:26am
OVER 29: AUS 154/2 (Labuschagne 35 Smith 3)
Really good from Atkinson now as he finds a fuller length and lures Labuschagne into the kind of drive that did for Jacks yesterday, the only difference being he missed it. Doesn’t stop him gurning and groaning like Albert Steptoe. He wears another on the splice, then oohs and aahs when he drives to point. He’s such an old ham, chewing the scenery. Maiden.
It’s getting dark on the square now.
07:21am
OVER 28: AUS 154/2 (Labuschagne 35 Smith 3)
After Smith shuffles across to slot Archer in front of point for two, he wears the next ball on the gloves, fending it behind square for a single. Labuschagne essays a square drive, stroking it for three through point. Archer gives him a glare. Rob Hatch explains who Shivnarine Chanderpaul is to us when he mentions the black tape beneath Smith’s eyes. Nice of him. I’m not as besotted by David Gower as a commentator as some of my colleagues but he’s out there and even featured as a guest on TNT Sports yesterday. Why wouldn’t you use him?
07:15am
OVER 27: AUS 147/2 (Labuschagne 31 Smith 0)
Only the single off the fifth ball for Labuschagne off Atkinson and off a mis-stroke, an inside edge as he goes feeling for the ball with no footwork. Dave Tickner calls these two the Disgusting Brothers for the streaky if effective way they bat. Always makes me smile.
07:11am
OVER 26: AUS 146/2 (Labuschagne 30 Smith 0)
Archer deserved that and did it in spectacular fashion, hobbling the new opener on the toe. Enter Smith and Jofra, by tradition, greets the great twitcher with a bouncer which he ducks beneath.
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07:05amWickets • Key moments
Wicket!
Weatherald lbw b Archer 72 Hits him on the toe with a sandshoe crusher from round the wicket. Stone dead. Labuschagne told him to review but he knew there was no point. He had just fed his square cut, but then pulls out an absolute corker of a yorker. FOW 146/2
07:05am
OVER 25: AUS 141/1 (Weatherald 68 Labuschagne 29)
Atkinson, wicketless in the series, racks up five dot balls but also gives Weatherald the width for him to play his most productive shot and he duly leans back and cracks a cut wide of gully for four.
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07:01am
OVER 24: AUS 137/1 (Weatherald 64 Labuschagne 29)
England are bowling much fuller consistently now but Archer does slip in a couple back of a length and Labuschagne short-arms a pull for a single and Weatherald shovels another for two past midwicket. Weatherald proceeds to play and miss again. Archer tries to gull him leg-before with the final ball but gets the angle wrong and he flicks it fine for a single.
This is what Stuart Broad had to say about England’s bowling before the break:
Well, no red-ball cricket since July would do that to you.
06:54am
OVER 23: AUS 133/1 (Weatherald 61 Labuschagne 28)
Atkinson also comes back and starts full, floaty and straight. Weatherald flicks a single to midwicket. Ring field to try to stem the flow of runs. Labuschagne drives, dragging it past leg stump off an inside edge for a single. Pounding the channel for a couple of balls from round the wicket, Atkinson draws a loose drive from Weatherald who plays and misses at the second of them, then beats him for pace, finding the leading edge as he pops the ball safely into the offside when aiming for midwicket.
06:49am
OVER 22: AUS 131/1 (Weatherald 60 Labuschagne 27)
They have to bowl tighter to Weatherald and cut off that scything cut stroke. The opener defends outside off then whips a single to long leg. When Jamie Smith catches the throw from the fielder, the Australia fans cheer him sarcastically. Labuschagne leaves one outside off, defends into he covers and ends the over by shouldering arms.
06:45am
Jofra Archer to resume
Two slips and a gully.
06:41am
Fitness update
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06:39am
Unscrambling England’s minds
06:16am
Oliver Brown at the Gabba
06:09am
TEA: AUS 130/1, trail by 204
In think this is the 12th overseas Ashes I’ve watched and like most of the last nine, England adherence to the wrong length has allowed Australia to get off to a flying start, turn the tables and it threatens to take the game away from them.
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The wheels come off for England - Getty Images/Gareth Copley
06:06am
OVER 21: AUS 130/1 (Weatherald 59 Labuschagne 25)
Five off the last over of the session, bringing up the fifty partnership. England, architects of their own torment, need this break to regroup after being given a shellacking. They started with 20 dot balls and then, although they have beaten the bat a few times, have made gifts of boundaries. Only Archer can dine with any sense of pride in his work.
06:02am
OVER 20: AUS 125/1 (Weatherald 57 Labuschagne 25)
And he starts by flinging one down the legside for four byes and two balls later does the same though Weatherald manages to tickle it, nutmegging the keeper, for four. Three wheels on this waggon.
Labuschagne uses his feet to turn the offbreak into a low full toss and hammer it flat and straight through Jacks’ dive for four.
Time for one more over before lunch. Just the 13 off this over. England seem to have learnt nothing from Australia’s second innings at Perth in terms of stalling Australia’s momentum.
05:57am
OVER 19: AUS 112/1 (Weatherald 52 Labuschagne 21)
Stokes manages to get Weatherald fishing outside off a couple of times with consecutive balls, then squares him up from round the wicket. Weatherald’s 45-ball fifty is the quickest by an opener at the Gabba for 10 years. But given 32 of his runs have come behind square on the offside, you could say England have fed his strength.
Jacks will bowl the match’s first over of spin before tea.
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05:53amKey moments
OVER 18: AUS 109/1 (Weatherald 50 Labuschagne 20)
A maiden Test fifty for Weatherald, helped on his way by a couple of gimmes from Carse, the first on his pads, tickled for four, then short and wide which he RSVPs with a cracking uppercut over short third mand. After pulling Carse for a single to reach his half-century, Weatherald watches Labuschagne continue the punishment of Carse, pulling the first of successive balls for four before cover driving the second. England have given away so many boundaries with short filth outside off and floaty pies.
Whoever’s turn it is this week in England’s revolving cast of bowling coaches (David Saker, I think), has his work cut out at lunch.
05:48am
OVER 17: AUS 92/1 (Weatherald 41 Labuschagne 12)
As Steve Finn points out, they haven’t bowled in the middle for 12 days so it’s understandable that they started without rhythm but each bowler, perhaps Atkinson apart, has got better as their spells have progressed and Stokes elicits the Labuschagne edge via the prominent crack. His soft hands guide it down in front of the slips and the encouragement of finding the outside edge is diminished by the fact Stokes had overstepped, for the second time.
Now Stokes overpitches twice in succession, straining for the yorker maybe, and Labuschagne on-drives him gloriously for four then chips the next uppishly through mid-on for two. Stokes is livid with himself and mutters something disobliging at Archer who wasn’t where he wanted him to be at mid-on.
05:41am
OVER 16: AUS 84/1 (Weatherald 40 Labuschagne 6)
Labuschagne leaves Carse on length which proves a good decision but it was close. The ball vaulted the off bail but as they/we say in Yorkshire no’ but just. When invited to drive by Carse with some width he takes it on and thick edges it between gully and backward point for four.
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Carse and Stokes: Durham rejoices, Durham relieved - PA/Robbie Stephenson
05:36am
OVER 15: AUS 80/1 (Weatherald 40 Labuschagne 2)
Stokes, who is back consistently above 85mph since his surgery, hits a crack and the ball jumps up and cracks Labuschagne on the right elbow. In the first innings at Perth he was struck in the same place and deflected the ball on to his stumps but this one is just as physically painful but not lethal to his innings. The next ball jars his forearm too as he hastens into a defensive jab. The right-hander tucks a single off his ribs and Stokes then beats Weatherald with a jaffa from round the wicket, perfect length, holding his line and just beating the edge as the left-hander flirted with it.
05:31am
OVER 14: AUS 78/1 (Weatherald 40 Labuschagne 1)
And suddenly it looks like a different game. Head is not only a devastating player in his own right, a truly matchwinning batsman, he seems to embolden everyone he bats with to have a go too. Now, we might have something a little more regular and Weatherald not being so expansive, too. Marnus gets off the mark by burgling a single to cover.
05:24amWickets • Key moments
Wicket!
Head c Atkinson b Carse 33 Better from Carse, much fuller, scrambled seam and Head tries to whip it over midwicket but it takes a leading edge and he spoons it high to mid on where Atkinson made good ground going backwards to clinch it. FOW 77/1
05:23am
OVER 13: AUS 77/0 (Head 33 Weatherald 40)
Stokes at least does go full... too full and Head on drives the first for four and then whips the third through midwicket for four more. Australia are taking the game away from England at an alarming rate. Stokes tries to slip in the yorker and Head chisels it out for two through cover then farms the strike with a crisp clip off his toes.
What’s your safe word, Jake?
05:20am
OVER 12: AUS 66/0 (Head 22 Weatherald 40)
After drinks, Carse resumes. That was the fourth chance Smith has put down, having caught 54 in his career to date.. It doesn’t seem England told the bowlers to pitch it up at drinks. Carse bangs it in and Weatherald uppercuts him for six, then back-cuts a slightly fuller one for a single. Head also cuts, this time for a single. It’s like they’re feeding it.
05:16am
OVER 11: AUS 57/0 (Head 20 Weatherald 33)
Stokes starts with a full bunger and Head pops it off his pads for three. Stokes serves another short one up to Weatherald who carves it away for four. Australia gave England nowt to cut apart from the one that did for Pope. They got the top order out on the drive. And here England are going back of a length. It’s like Broad and Anderson 2017-18 all over again, stubbornly staying in their comfort zones and adjusting their length only when the game was virtually gone.
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Archer can’t believe Smith has dropped Head off his bowling - PA/Robbie Stephenson
05:10am
OVER 10: AUS 50/0 (Head 17 Weatherald 29)
Head is going to live his best second life and takes Carse to the cleaners in his opening over by slamming a cut stroke for four and then uppercutting him for six. A third cross-bat shot into the offside brings him three as Carse keeps peppering a cutting length. Oh, joy!
Double change, Stokes brings himself on.
05:03amKey moments
OVER 9: AUS 36/0 (Head 4 Weatherald 28)
Jamie Smith drops Travis Head. A superb delivery from Archer from round the wicket, angling in and nipping away, squaring Head up and nicking it. Smith leaps to his left and parries it. Neither Root nor Brook could gather the rebound which lands between them. How much will that cost? Archer bends double in exasperation and curses the ground as Australia’s batsman escapes the executioner’s axe.
The previous ball Head had set off for a very tight run to midwicket but turned on his heel when Pope gathered swiftly and had a shy at the stumps... but missed.
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Smith drops Head - TNT Sports
Matt Prior says Smith was done for pace.
To add insult to injury Waetherald uppercuts Archer for four over gully for a one-bounce four.
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04:58am
OVER 8: AUS 30/0 (Head 3 Weatherald 23)
Weatherald, very much a gritty left-hander raised on bouncy pitches who is formidably powerful square of the wicket, is tested outside off by Atkinson and he passes the test with a handsome if compact cover drive for four. Given a shorter one from round the wicket on middle, the opener whips it off his pads for four and ends the over with a square drive for four. Atkinson is struggling to find the zip on a good length, pushing it up there rather than nipping it.
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Weatherald cashes in - AFP/PATRICK HAMILTON
04:53am
OVER 7: AUS 18/0 (Head 3 Weatherald 11)
Archer’s pitch map shows he is erring on the short side with more than 50 per cent of his deliveries back of a length. The carry is seductive but he needs to go fuller. But he does beat Haed with one that jags away from back of a length, beating Head who fiddles after the ball that came through at 90mph. Now persistently at that pace, he twice makes Head jump with balls angling into his body and striking him on the thigh and glove.
04:48am
OVER 6: AUS 17/0 (Head 3 Weatherald 10)
The two left-handers take quick singles off Atkinson into the legisde and then the bowler hits a crack and smacks Weatherald off a good length on the top hand. Sir Alastair Cook says the pitch is one where the top-order will know they have to make their runs in the first innings.
04:44am
OVER 5: AUS 14/0 (Head 2 Weatherald 8)
After being tucked up by one that caught him on the hop for pace, Head tucks Archer off his hip for two in front of the square leg umpire and then picks up four leg-byes when the England quick, trying to cramp him, sprays another on to his pads.
Archer comes back with a beauty, fast, good length and holding its line at 90mph, whistling past the edge.
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Weatherald top-edges Atkinson’s bouncer - Getty Images/Gareth Copley
04:40am
OVER 4: AUS 8/0 (Head 0 Weatherald 8)
Having left the first two balls from Atkinson to make it 20 dots in a row, Weatherald unfurls a brutal square cut and carves a wider one for four. There’s a touch of Grouch Marx about Weatherald’s stance, crouching low, bottom sticking out, waggling his bat like Groucho’s cigar.
Weatherald goes after the bouncer and top-edges it wildly over the keeper for four. Smith sprinted after it and was about five yards short when it finally landed about a yard from the rope.
04:36am
OVER 3: AUS 0/0 (Head 0 Weatherald 0)
Three slips and a gully for Archer to Head. He sticks to round the wicket for now, fast, full and straight. Head defends on the angle into the legside and shouts an emphatic ‘No run!’ four times. When given an even fuller line outside off, Head check-drives to cover, feet too static but cannot beat the infield. Archer is cranking it up now, scaling 88mph.
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Brisbane Brian - PA/Robbie Stephenson
04:31am
OVER 2: AUS 0/0 (Head 0 Weatherald 0)
Atkinson starts over the wicket to the left-handed Weatherald, starting at 139 clicks (86.4mph), tucking him up and then testing him outside off with two in succession that angle across him and climb off a good length. He raises his bat out of the road. Good line and length from Atkinson, probing, and Weatherald leaves judiciously. He flirts with square-cutting a wider one but aborts the stroke and lets the ball whizzes by. A better maiden.
04:27am
OVER 1: AUS 0/0 (Head 0 Weatherald 0)
Archer starts with his radar faulty, flinging two down Head’s legside at about 84mph and then overcorrects with one across the left-hander, angling towards first slip. Head leaves it alone. The fourth ball hoops down the legside, too. He was bang on the money at Perth but has started loosely here.
Archer comes round the wicket, cranks it up to 87mph and angles it into Head’s body and the batsman jabs it away. Pope, at midwicket, saves a single off the final ball making it a maiden for Archer but there are maidens and maidens and this one wasn’t particularly virtuous.
04:22am
England emerge from their huddle
Archer has the ball in hand and Travis Head on strike.
04:14am
ENG 334 all out
England extended the innings by 14 balls, not long but long enough to inconvenience the Australian openers. Root’s fine innings ends unbeaten on 138.
04:11amWickets • Key moments
Wicket!
Archer c Labuschagne b Doggett 38 Fabulous diving catch at long leg, diving to his right and pouching it one-handed. Doggett buys himself a Test wicket. Archer hit that hard and flat. FOW 334
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04:10am
Over 76: ENG 333/9 (Root 137 Archer 38)
Blimey! Jofra shows his Barbadian heritage by dropping to one knee and smearing a cover drive off Starc for four. Keith Arthurton! Starc chucks the next one wider, Archer takes the bait and has a big waft but misses the ball but then gets in line to block the straight ones and leave the channel-ball tempters. Triple Nelson!
04:05am
Over 75: ENG 329/9 (Root 137 Archer 34)
Wicketless, Doggett takes up where he left off, banging it in to Root who flips a single off his hip down to fine leg. This is already Jofra’s highest Test score. Can he add a few more? No slips, just a gully. The Barmy Army, with Root’s parents in the ranks, finish Jerusalem as Archer rolls his wrists on a bouncer to cuff it for a single. Doggett serves up another legside half-tracker that doesn’t get up and Root pivots to pull for another single and Archer ends the over duck-hooking a fourth single. I know he’s not the regular captain anymore and you can get out of practice but Smith’s bowling choices and strategy seem poor to me.
04:00am
The players are out
Brendan Doggett will bowl the first over.
04:00am
‘Filthy’ error
03:56am
Fines and WTC points update
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03:50am
Meanwhile, Fred’s lads
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03:47am
Lyon bite
03:42am
Marcus Trescothick talks to TNT Sports
03:36am
Greetings and salutations
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Ben Stokes gets ready to bowl on day two - PA/Robbie Stephenson
03:31am
Winners’ first-innings scores at the Gabba in day-night Tests
England resume on 325 for nine which compares well with the efforts of two winning sides in the previous three pink-ball Tests in Brisbane. In 2016 Australia made 429 against Pakistan in a tight game in which the visitors made 450 in the fourth innings chasing a record 489 to win. Three years later, batting second, Australia made 323 against Sri Lanka and won by an innings and 40 runs. In January 2024 West Indies shocked the world with their first victory over the Aussies for 21 years, batting first, making 311 and winning by eight runs.
03:22am
Brainless Brook personifies England’s foolish approach to Starc
03:11am
It’s a brighter day in Brisbane
A couple of degrees (AKA ‘a Sheila Ferguson’) warmer than yesterday: 29C at the start, going down to about 23C by the close and barely a wisp of cloud cover.
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A balmy, palmy day in Queensland - PA/Robbie Stephenson
02:47am
Preview: One regular day of Ashes... never happen
Good morning and welcome to live coverage of day two of the second Ashes Test at the Gabba. Football fans among you will know that Antonio Conte meme that was cobbled together to have him lamenting, “One regular day of Barclays is all I ask for. Will never happen.” Day one had me wondering when the last drama-free day of Ashes cricket was. Even when Australia were racking up big scores at home in 2017-18 and 2021-22, there was too much angst for it to be ‘regular’ and it’s hard to think of a serene home Test in the series since we and England were resigned to being overwhelmed in about 2001.
And so it continues as England fought back from five for two with that two-hour partnership between Zak Crawley and Joe Root, seized the day with another half-century stand between Root and Harry Brook, handed it back with an outrageous yahoo outside off stump, battened down the hatches with Ben Stokes and Root grafting like billy-o before the captain barbecued himself, Will Jacks showing glimpses of class at No 8 before having an injudicious waft, Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse losing their wickets by trying to knock the cover off the pink ball, Root nailing that first century in Australia at the 31st attempt and that joyful 10th-wicket partnership that endures and has taken England to something like parity and respectability.
This observer thought Jofra Archer and Root dished out Steve Smith’s just deserts for his pusillanimous captaincy first in not picking a spinner and then by slowing down the overrates to such an extent that they diddled the paying customer out of 16 overs and themselves out of a second new ball. But there was a warning there for England. Even the magnificent Mitchell Starc could not bend the softer ball to his will at the end so when England do bowl, they need to strike while the ball is hard or Australia’s top-order batsmen who are prepared to dig in when necessary, like Root, will cash in.
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