Ashes: Australia humble England again, take 2-0 lead in five-match series

Australia secured a commanding eight-wicket victory over England in the day-night second Ashes Test at Brisbane on Sunday, taking a 2-0 series lead. The hosts efficiently chased down the target of 65 runs in just 10 overs, with captain Steve Smith scoring the winning runs with a powerful six over square leg off Gus Atkinson.

England's performance in Brisbane was significantly weaker than Australia's across all aspects of the game, though not as severe as their two-day defeat in the first Test in Perth.



The English batting lineup showed limited success, with only Joe Root and Zak Crawley performing well in the first innings, while Ben Stokes and Will Jacks showed some resistance in the second. Their batting technique proved inadequate on the bouncy Gabba surface.

England's bowling strategy was ineffective, with short-pitched deliveries and poor use of the new pink ball. This contrasted with Australia's successful bowling performance, despite missing key players Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.

England's fielding was subpar, with five dropped catches in the first innings, while Australia maintained perfect catching throughout. Josh Inglis's run-out of Stokes in the first innings proved to be a crucial moment.

Australia's strong position in the five-Test series makes them clear favourites to retain the Ashes, with upcoming matches in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney.

England fell behind after allowing Australia to reach 511 runs on Saturday, establishing a 177-run lead. They then lost six wickets in their second innings under lights, ending day three at 134-6.

Stokes and Jacks mounted a defensive effort on Sunday, ensuring Australia would need to bat again. They faced the Australian pace attack in intense heat, gradually building a small lead.


Contrary to the team's usual aggressive style, Stokes and Jacks adopted a more cautious approach on Sunday morning. They focused on careful shot selection and accumulated runs through singles.

The partnership progressed slowly, scoring 28 runs in the first hour and taking 96 minutes to overcome the 43-run deficit. They managed 59 runs in two hours.

Australia's bowlers found less success in Sunday's daylight conditions, despite the deteriorating pitch. England's only setback came when Stokes edged the ball over the slips.

The resistance ended when Jacks edged to Michael Neser, with Smith taking an impressive diving catch at slip. Stokes soon followed, caught behind off Neser, leaving England at 227-8.

The remaining batters -- Atkinson, Carse, and Archer -- were quickly dismissed. Neser achieved his career-best figures of 5-42, while Smith matched Rahul Dravid's record of 210 outfield catches.

Australia's chase of 65 runs proceeded smoothly despite losing Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne. Smith and Jake Weatherald completed the comfortable victory.


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