Simon Burnton on Zak Crawley
Ali's match report from Brisbane
And that’s day one done and dusted. England go into Friday on top, runs in the bag and the last wicket stand aflame. Joe Root has his deserved and long-awaited hundred in Australia. and the rest of us have the promise of a Test match going into a third day. Should be fun! Thanks for all your emails, apologies that I wasn’t able to get to so many of them. We’ll be back tomorrow – do join us. Bye!
Many messages to celebrate England’s greatest batsman. A handful below.
Ram Sridhar“ I am so happy for Root. Last Fortress seized with a gleaming feather on his ostentatious cap of centuries. I dare say that Aus have let England get away on Day 1. Not gonna jinx any further
Will Juba: “Rooooooooooooooooot! That albatross has finally taken flight. So pleased for him!”
Tom Wellman. “Might be an idea for the other English batsman to look at Root and think ‘hhhmm, that works’. Just an idea.”
Zac Crawley now with the mic, head shaved. “I was trying to keep it simple, happy with my knock, gutted to get out when I did, the pitch just starting to get flatter. It would have felt a long break between Tests even if I’d got two hundreds, I had a clear plan and I stuck to it. There were still a couple of loose shots in there, as I tend to do. I was trying to score on the leg side, trying to leave a bit better outside off. They shaved the wicket this morning and good to bat on.”
Was there talk of a declaration towards the end? “No. The boys went hard, and if they got out it was a win-win situation.”
A larger than life Matthew Hayden, relieved that he doesn’t now have to walk naked round the MCG after a bet with Greg Blewett over whether or not Root would score a hundred this series. “A magnificent day. Root looked great, he kept the ball really close under his eyes, it sets England up, Root up, and puts Australia on the back foot in this Test match.”
“All us old fogies did not like to see Australia without a spinner and the slow over rate too.”
And OBO favourite Tim de Lisle drops a nugget in my inbox. “England have already batted for more overs at the Gabba (74) than they did in the whole game in Perth (67.3). Proper creekit!”
Michael Vaughan has stopped an exhausted Mitchell Starc. How does it feel to have more wickets than Wasim? “Fine, Wasim is still the pinnacle left armer, I think he’s still better.” What is your relationship with the pink ball? “ It is what it is, I think it is like a white ball, a bit soft today… Joe batted well there. A tough day’s cricket not the easiest to score or bowl with. A pretty solid day’s Test cricket.”
Stumps
74th over: England 325-9 (Root 135, Archer 32) Neser with the final over. Labuschagne chews his knuckle. Stokes laughs in the stands. Archer plays out the last ball and Root leads the players off, pulling off his helmet and waving it round the ground. A century in Australia his at last. After an up and down day – I think that’s advantage England.
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73rd over: England 322-9 (Root 133, Archer 31) Starc now with the pure business of taking wickets. He looks a little weary as he trudges back to his mark. Archer picks up an easy run to reach his best Test score of 31. Five minutes left in the day, and Root steals the strike for the final over of the day.
72nd over: England 316-9 (Root 129, Archer 29) Archer is swinging for England, but so far evading the fielders. Now Root happily reverse-swings/sweeps Boland for six, as Neser leaps high and over the rope to try and catch it. And the clock has now ticked sufficiently that AUSTRALIA WILL NOT HAVE TO BAT TONIGHT.
“Thrilling stuff this rearguard blitz from Archer,” writes Duncan Harte.
“A quick update for any OBO readers who caught your post at O8:17 GMT:
“Dreams do comes true! Joe Root scores his first ton on Australian soil the same day our humble Gabbattoir project goes viral. https://gabbattoir.com/
Thanks to Tanya’s shout out, numbers have surged. We’re approaching 200 players and there are now dozens of player groups. Many thanks to everyone who has signed up - welcome aboard. Predictions will open for tomorrow’s play at stumps today. Then we’ll find out if the server explodes…”
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71st over: England 307-9 (Root 122, Archer 27) Mitchell-who? Archer slams Starc’s first ball for six. Root his third ball for four. More runs, slightly chaotic end of the day this for Australia.
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Key event
70th over: England 288-9 (Root 113, Archer 17) Archer makes the absolute most of these Australian tactics and the ticking clock, smiting six off a short ball from Boland, a couple of twos and then four more through deep mid-wicket. And now Root lets loose – a tidy pick up for four: 19 from the over. “Come on!” roars a watching Stokes.
Hello Richard Williams, “I’m sat watching a dodgy stream that’s giving me the Australian coverage, where they’ve mentioned that no team has lost a day night test having scored 260+ runs batting first. What odds on England achieving this rather unwanted record?”
(literally as I’m writing this message Atkinson has just gone)
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69th over: England 272-9 (Root 113, Archer 1) Root plays a reverse-scoop to Starc and they take a single, Archer drives. Smith changes the field a little bit here, a little bit there, and why wouldn’t you. In the stands, Jamie Smith is already in his keeping gear. An Australian twelfth man slow-runs out a helmet for Travis Head at short leg.
“Morning Tanya,” Morning Jordi Fens!
“This series is the first I’ve experienced as a shift worker. The disappointingly early finish to the first test meant my coinciding night shifts were instead spent dodging Christmas songs on various radio stations.
“This D/N test poses different challenges: slogging through the lion’s share of the night shift with no cricket to distract and knowing that at some point soon I’ll have to turn in and sleep through what may well be an exciting end to the final session.
“Today’s test got off to an inauspicious start when I had to break off from the national anthems to give someone an early wake up call. Getting back to the car to hear England were already 13 for 2 barely a quarter of an hour in, swelled my disappointment. However, a tumultuous at times fight back has fostered my faith that this just may be England’s series.
“Here’s to tonight’s final night shift for my team, and finger’s crossed tomorrow’s first session is marked by Root and piling on the runs or perhaps another Stokes five for.”
Good luck to you all, and all those on the night shift.
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68th over: England 269-9 (Root 111, Archer 0) What are Root’s tactics here? If the last wicket fell now, England would get 25 minutes to bowl at Australia. While I’m thinking about it, he cuts four on the back bend. Ah, here comes Matthew Potts with instructions from the dressing-room.
Sharp ears and eyes from the magnificently named Mojo Wellington. “Pedant’s corner: although not so much of a pedant as I didn’t pay enough attention to note the stat in detail, but pretty sure TMS commentary said it was the first run out of an England captain in an Ashes Test since 1975 (Tony Greig, I think). Ted Dexter’s was the last one in Australia before Stokes.” Thank you!
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67th over: England 264-9 (Root 106, Archer 0) Six wickets for Starc, four ducks for England. A cunning plan for Archer to have some overs under lights?
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WICKET! Carse c Carey b Starc 0 (England 264-9)
Pitched up and Carse fends forward like an old man shaking his walking stick at the sea, and Carey takes smartly behind him.
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WICKET! Atkinson c Carey b Starc 4 (England 264-8)
Atkinson hooks, and Carey and Labuschange sprint back separately but in unison, each seemingly oblivious to the other. Carey holds on, somehow, on the stretch, as Labuschagne crashes into him. A replay to check if the ball has touched the spidercam cable – but it hasn’t. And another five-fer for Starc.
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Root makes his first Test hundred in Australia!
66th over: England 258-7 (Root 106, Atkinson 0) Through the grill of Root’s helmet, his blue eyes gleam. He defends the first ball from Boland, Carey reaching round the stumps to try and pick up the bounce off his thigh pad. Boland’s second is a bouncer taken with immense skill and energy by Carey. Called wide. And now he has it, sashayed round the corner and to the rope. He raises both hands, grins, kisses the badge of his helmet, and raises his bat round the ground. A standing ovations from the ground, the England balcony – a box ticked on a magnificent career, at last. Four more into the leg side to finish the over.
And with his first hundred on Australian soil, he moves to fourth on the all-time list of Test centurions, with 40, behind only Ponting, Kallis and Tendulkar.
Updated
65th over: England 251-7 (Root 98, Atkinson 0) Aha! Smith brings Starc back. Root takes a single from the second ball to a rumble of “ROOOOOT” from the English section of the crowd. Jacks has a wild swing at a wide and becoming wider ball from Starc. And does it terminally again.
“Evening Tanya,” hello Phil Withall.
“The Gabba is a transport vacuum, it has a bus station but is surrounded by major arterial roads out of the city that make it a horrible experience to get away from. Maybe take the fine for the slow over rate and speed up the transport infrastructure upgrades planned for the Olympics....Rant over, good night.”
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WICKET! Jacks c Smith b Starc 19 (England 251-7)
Drives at a wide one from Starc, after he’d driven and missed at a wide one the ball before. Smith at second slip watches the ball from bat to palm. And all after he’d played so damn fine.
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64th over: England 250-6 (Root 97, Jacks 19) Weatherald’s silver hoop earrings jingle as he gobs on the dirt. A Jacks single puts Root on strike with two balls of Green’s over to reach his milestone. The first slides past his outside edge. He cuts the second and tries to come back for a never-there second until Jacks sends him flailing back.
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63rd over: England 248-6 (Root 96, Jacks 18) Doggett starts the final mini-session with a friendly long hop and Jacks, easy-peasy, pulls him to the rope. Next to me on the sofa, the dog yawns. And now Root joins in – pulling finely and into the nineties – and passing highest Test score on Australian soil. And another! He’s just four away now.
An email, from Darryl Accone in Jo’burg.
Greetings, Tanya.
“Given Usman Khawaja’s troubles surely it’s time the Australian selectors put aside their animus towards Cameron Bancroft and pick him to open. He had an excellent season last year but was passed over, including for Sam Konstas, who proved essentially a one-trick pony, his debut knock of 60 or so. Bancroft has gone off the boil but is as good as any of the other candidates for the job.
“As a South African, it seems to me that although Warner and Smith were forgiven for Sandpapergate and rehabilitated by the establishment, Bancroft has been scapegoated -- not for “applying” sandpaper to the ball but for being discovered doing so. It’s a cowardly revenge by cricket in Australia/ Cricket Australia on someone who was coerced into cheating by a senior player and inveterate reprobate: Warner. Justice and selection common sense should prevail.”
62nd over: England 235-6 (Root 88, Jacks 13) A Green maiden ends the first half of this final session, and they take DRINKS
And a huge thank you to Tom Collins for TMS overseas link instructions. See below:
”Please tell Irish viewers that you can access TMS by:
Downloading Cricket Australia Live App to phone,
Clicking into the Match on the Home page,
Clicking into Cricket Radio,
Navigating to BBC Sport,
Selecting Real-time,
Bob’s your uncle
Awkward, but it can be done.”
61st over: England 235-6 (Root 88, Jacks 13) Another one of those gorgeous Root back bending cuts off Doggett, from a delivery that turns out to be a no-ball. And four more for Jacks who, with immaculate timing, cuts Doggett through midwicket. Carefully rebuilding here from these two.
Trivia fans: Stokes’s dismissal was the first time for more than 50 years that an England captain has been run out against Australia. That man was Ted Dexter in 1962-3, at the MCG. With thanks to TMS
“Given that there’s no issue with light, why can’t they play until the overs are finished?” asks Andy Flintoff. I’m guessing that there are city regulations/public transport issues?
60th over: England 227-6 (Root 85, Jacks 9) A Jacks off-drive beats Head to the rope – rather lovely stroke actually. Green, who has looked rather toothless, replaces Boland.
“Good to see Root batting so well and protecting the tail,” writes Andrew Moreman. Yes, he’s fully in the zone here.
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59th over: England 218-6 (Root 82, Jacks 3). Jacks flashes at Doggett’s first ball in a way that’s isn’t entirely reassuring. Shakes himself down and goes again. Clips another couple of runs. And we are into the final hour.
Morning, Tom v d Gucht:
“I’d been watching the Aussie selections with interest and trepidation. I thought the ageing pool of talent they were picking from would weaken their team.
“However, I then remembered in a cold swear how Australia have a history of unearthing well-honed and nuggety warriors as well as swashbuckling all-rounders who I had written off as either journeymen, cheap knock-offs of all-time greats or bits-and-pieces players only for them to break my heart when they turn up and rub our face in the dust having perfected their craft after years of Sheffield Shield cricket and County stints- arriving fully formed and ready to do the job expected of them... Stuart Clark... Chris Rogers... Haddin...Symonds... Watson... Marsh... Possibly Nesser and Inglis too.. “
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58th over: England 216-6 (Root 82, Jacks 1) Boland wipes the sweat from his brow, Jacks checks over one shoulder, waits, bat aloft. We cut to the Australian dressing room where Cummins, in a back to front baseball cap, is studying a replay. Jacks is off the mark with a confident clip .
57th over: England 215-6 (Root 82, Jacks 0) Some good news for England – Australia’s over rate has been so sluggish that England won’t have to face the new ball tonight. A Root boundary to settle the stomach, leaning back to Doggett and gliding the ball through point.
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56th over: England 211-6 (Root 77, Jacks 0) A pretty calamitous five minutes that for England – courtesy of a pin-point throw and a brilliant ball. Jacks – Test-match-less since 2022 – enters the lions’ den. Survives his first three balls from Boland, the third skimming past the inside edge.
WICKET! Smith b Boland 0 (England 211-6)
A mango, a peach, shimmies through the gate, jiggling off the seam, and Daddles accompanies Smith back to the dressing room.
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WICKET! Stokes (run-out Inglis) 77 (England 210-5)
No! No! Stokes sets off for a run that wasn’t, Root isn’t coming, Stokes executes a three-point turn and hares back but a fabulous throw by Inglis, on the move, aiming at one stump, spells his downfall.
55th over: England 210-4 (Root 77, Smith 0)
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54th over: England 210-4 (Root 77, Stokes 19) Australia pull the field in, Carey stands up to Boland. Root taps his bat, pat, pat, on the hard Brisbane ground and at last there’s something to get his teeth into – a fuller ball from Boland is driven with heavenly skill past the stumps and down the ground for four.
So many emails, I’ll try to catch them all. But for now, does anyone have the overseas TMS link for Michael Keane’s dad?
”My poor old Dad got back to Ireland yesterday having spent the last 2 weeks helping me recover from surgery and of course he’s immediately struck down in bed with lurgy. TMS would cheer him up no end.”
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53rd over: England 206-4 (Root 73, Stokes 19) Another maiden from Neser. The tension builds.
“ Hi Tanya, it’s 12:45am here in San Diego,” writes Michael Fryer. “My 5-year old daughter has a stomach bug and asked to have a bath to ease the discomfort. The only bright spot in all this has been the chance to follow some of the action I normally miss. When I went to bed we were 89/2. I’ve been delighted that England’s batting has been in better shape than my poor daughter’s tummy!” Get well soon Michael’s daughter!
Max Rushden has been biting his lip in a hipster Fitzroy north coffee shop..
52nd over: England 206-4 (Root 73, Stokes 19) England have seen Starc off – at least for now. Boland replaces him and England now have right arm medium from both ends. That’s what county cricket prep is for. Boland hits Root’s front pad. He’s very far forward, but Smith is eager/desperate and goes for the review. And loses it, Root was way outside the line.
51st over: England 204-4 (Root 71, Stokes 19) A quick single the only reward from a Neser over.
From the Gabba, Shinyi sends a beautiful picture of the Brisbane moon, rising above the stands and a crane.
50th over: England 203-4 (Root 70, Stokes 19) A gorgeous Stokes off drive for four, bat face open for autographs, off the first ball of Starc’s over brings up the England 200. Later in the over, Stokes swishes and misses. Without wanting to delve into fan fiction, Stokes and Starc and Root are glistening with sweat here, their skin luminescent under floodlights, every angle illuminated.
49th over: England 197-4 (Root 70, Stokes 15) Neser. The stands are bursting. England anti-Bazzballing these twilight overs. A sharp single to finish.
Hello there, Mike Morris!
“Will Juba’s elegant message (44th over) has inspired me to write a haiku about the day’s play, it’s called “The Aussie Attack”:-
A toothless array
Wickets fall with abandon
Mitchell bloody Starc
Readers may insert a stronger epithet than “bloody” without corrupting my poetic intent.”
Evening session
48th over: England 197-4 (Root 69, Stokes 14)
“Tactically this session is what you set up your game for,” Haddin says. “If Stokes and Root can dig in and get through it, the rewards will be immense.”
Starc paws the dirt. Runs in, puffing his cheeks, three slips lurking. A single, then Stokes must endure five balls. Starc is disgusted with the ball, and hands it to the umpire – but it still merrily goes through the magic ring. Starc can’t believe it. Head puts in his two-pennies-worth but is ignored.
Harry Brook gets a pasting in the Haddin-Prior dinner-time chat. “He’s selling himself out and his team,” growls Haddin. Similar talk on TMS earlier, with Agnew saying that Brook is at risk of wasting his immense talent. I do wonder if Bazball has been the best framework for him – when I was watching Brook play for Yorkshire before he was picked for England, I don’t remember him playing with such recklessness.
Dinner - England 196-4
47th over: England 196-4 (Root 68, Stokes 14) Neser shimmies in. Stokes lets one pass him by that whispers very close to his off stump. And another beauty sways past the outside edge. And another. Carey stalks him close up to the stumps, silken gloves and there’s another fabulous take over Stokes’s head. England have scored just five runs in the last five overs – but survived. Well played. A twenty minute break now for beans on toast/energy gels at the Gabba, and coffees all round back home.
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446th over: England 196-4 (Root 67, Stokes 14) Smith and Head try to persuade the umpire to change the ball but it still fits through his pocket ball measurer, so they’re sent on their way. The TV pictures are going heavy on the stunning sunset, less on the chanting Barmy Army. You can sense Stokes’ concentration here as he lets one from Starc pass by his poised bat. Just one over before tea/dinner I think.
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45th over: England 194-4 (Root 67, Stokes 13) Neser replaces Boland. Five dots balls, a wide – then the extra ball nearly does for Stokes as it sprays off the pitch and lollops up. Stokes stares and chews his lips.
44th over: England 193-4 (Root 67, Stokes 13) The pink ball shines in Starc’s hand like a giant highlighter, his arms gleaming with Brisbane sweat. He gets one to bounces nastily off the seam at Stokes. England seem to have decided to wait him out.
Hello Will Juba!
“A short one from me…
Root: an entire cricketing nation refuses to temp fate…
(Apologies in advance if I’ve just tempted fate)“
Hope that albatross is sitting comfortably on your shoulders?
43rd over: England 191-4 (Root 66, Stokes 12) Two fours from Stokes off Boland’s over – one flashily through the slips – again I’m not sure they saw it – one tickled off the pads.
“If I were Alyssa Healy, I’d delete ‘Over, First’ from Mitchell Starc’s phone. But then again, I’m the jealous type. ...” Very good, Rowan Sweeney.
42nd over: England 182-4 (Root 65, Stokes 4). The sun is now a ball of flames on the horizon and the floodlights have taken over. Root steadfasts out five balls from Starc and picks up a single off the sixth.
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41st over: England 181-4 (Root 64, Stokes 4) Boland ambles in – one from the over. With Brook’s wicket, Starc overtakes Wasim Akram to become the leading left-arm fast bowling wicket taker in history.
A wonderful email lands, (to be entirely accurate landed before Brook was out.) Hello Duncan Harte!
Greetings from Glasgow. This is all going suspiciously well at the moment. While I dream about a Root century, here’s a little something I hope could be of interest to OBO readers during the next break or at end of day…
The 2017 Ashes series might bring back painful memories for most England fans, but it will always have a special place in my heart. Sitting in a London curry house with four friends a few days before the First Test in Brisbane, talk inevitably turned to the cricket. We soon found ourselves running through the classic OBO playbook: themed best XIs, club cricketing mishaps, the summer of 2005, Jaffa Cake related debate and, of course, our predictions for the upcoming series.
Little did we know this idle talk would prove the start of an eight-year, delirious descent down the rabbit hole, as the five of us sought to perfect the ‘science of cricket prediction’. As we continued to send each other predictions across the series, a fiercely contested game with increasingly baroque scoring regulations gradually took shape. We became completely obsessed. Work deadlines were missed, marital harmony was tested to its limits, but life was never sweeter. We had a name for this addiction – one chosen in honour of that brutal Brisbane Test arena and the exquisite agony of watching our finely tuned predictions flounder like the England top order – “Gabbattoir”.
Fast forward to 2025 and we’re now into our fifth Gabbattoir series. It’s a game we’ve previously only ever played between the five of us, but over the years, others have expressed curiosity in joining the action. And so, a few months ago, we embarked on a hare-brained scheme to turn our project into something that could be enjoyed by the wider public. Those interested can now visit https://gabbattoir.com.
The principle is simple: the more accurate your daily prediction, the better your score. The reality is, you’re about to embark on a whole world of pain. You can learn more about how it all works in the ABOUT GABBATTOIR section.
The thought of fellow OBO readers forming their own Groups and taking delight in this strange thing we’ve created seems almost too much to hope for. It’s been a labour of love, it’s entirely free to play and it’s inspired by our belief that test cricket really is the greatest thing we’ve managed as a species so far.
We’d be over the moon if you could mention us.
Done! And I’ve got an inkling you might tickle a few OBO boxes…
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40th over: England 180-4 (Root 63, Stokes 4) I think we might have hit the witching hour…. Starc grins a wolfish grin as he strides giantly back to his mark. IT wasn’t a great shot from Brook – and incidentally Smith was shaking his head after taking that catch at slip – I don’t think he could see the ball. Stokes off the mark with four through the slips
WICKET! Brook c Smith b Starc 31 (England 176-4)
A flamboyant drive, an edge – and the balls flies up and into Smith’s waiting paws. Two balls into Starc’s new spell…
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39th over: England 175-3 (Root 62, Brook 31) Both sides are wearing black armbands in memory of Robin Smith. Root nudges Boland off his toes to pick up a single, Brook sends his bat in flamboyant arc for another. Root is hit on the front pad from Boland’s last ball, Boland likes it, so does Smith, they review – it was in line but would have been bouncing over leg stump – and Australia lose a review.
38th over: England 172-3 (Root 61, Brook 30) Green’s previous over went for nine and Brook is eager for more. He flashes at the first two balls and doesn’t connect, but connects to the last, flaying a wide one square to the rope. It’s a shot that reminds Michael Vaughan of Kevin Pietersen.
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37th over: England 166-3 (Root 61, Brook 24) Thanks Martin! Well this is looking a lot more perky than when I rolled over in bed to hear 11-2. Root is 39 away from that which should be unmentioned and Brook is full of mischief. The ground is almost completely in shadow now and the sun hovers on the brow of the sky. A maiden from Boland.
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36th over: England 166-3 (Root 61, Brook 24) Cameron Green bowls the last over before drinks and Joe Root welcomes him with a punch straight drive back past the all-rounder to the rope. A full toss takes Root by surprise but he picks a gap wide of mid-off for three more runs. Brook ends the over getting away with an inside edge on to his pads as England keep their noses in front with 68 runs on the board for the loss of one wicket since tea.
Thanks a lot for following along to this point. After a dramatic start to day one at the Gabba, it has strangely taken on the form of traditional Test encounter. Tanya Aldred will take the ball from here and for what I expect to be the most intriguing part of the day… and night. Enjoy!
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35th over: England 157-3 (Root 52, Brook 24) Scott Boland replaces Doggett with a ray of light creeping across the striker’s end and Mitchell Starc back on the field. Cameron Green collects a defensive dab into the gully and inexplicably throws down the stumps. The England batters scamper through for a single that relieves the pressure on Root and Brook is immediately on the attack with a lofted slice to backward point for two.
34th over: England 154-3 (Root 51, Brook 22) Neser with a neat over that only concedes two runs while Australia wait for the shadow to complete their journey across the Gabba outfield.
33rd over: England 152-3 (Root 50, Brook 21) Joe Root reaches his 10th half-century on Australian soil with a single off a shorter ball. The 34-year-old is cruising along now after a shaky start and is halfway to that elusive Test ton. Mitchell Starc is off the field perhaps preparing for his third spell.
32nd over: England 147-3 (Root 48, Brook 18) Root whips Neser away from outside off and through mid-on to the boundary as the runs keep flowing for England. Australia had already gone up with a shout for lbw but Neser started his delivery wide of the crease and it was heading too far down the leg-side after hitting Root on the pads. Still enough happening even as the pink ball is now more than 30 overs old.
31st over: England 143-3 (Root 44, Brook 18) Doggett keeps digging the ball in short but is unable to truly test, let alone trouble, the England duo. Three singles in the over each coming from a controlled pull shot.
30th over: England 139-3 (Root 42, Brook 16) Sublime wicketkeeping from Alex Carey almost sends Harry Brook on his way. The keeper is up at the stumps to Neser as Brook steps forward and attempts to ramp the quick. Carey whips the bails off but Brook has only just got his foot down behind the line. Not sure if Brook gets rattled by much, but that’s a reminder to stay closer to his crease.
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29th over: England 133-3 (Root 41, Brook 11) Harry Brook is off to a flyer as he takes the attack to Brendan Doggett as the Australia quick looks to test him off the back of a length. Brook clips a first boundary off his pads then steps back to slice another through point.
28th over: England 123-3 (Root 41, Brook 1) England are in command with Crawley and Root keeping the scoreboard ticking over after lunch before the opener is undone off an awkward length from Neser. That’s the local quick’s first Test wicket in almost three years.
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WICKET! Crawley c Carey b Neser 76 (122-3)
Michael Neser gets the breakthrough as Zak Crawley attempts to pull a delivery that doesn’t bounce as high as expected as a bottom edge carries to Carey who is standing back again with the gloves.
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27th over: England 121-2 (Crawley 76, Root 40) Alex Carey is back in his usual position keeping from a distance to Brendan Doggett. Root wafts high at a bouncer heading down the legside and gets a tickle that takes the ball just out of a diving Carey’s left glove. Another close call for Australia but they have been unable to make the most of the fast start that Starc gave them. The runs are flowing too, with 23 put on the board in three overs since the break.
26th over: England 113-2 (Crawley 74, Root 34) Michael Neser is the next bowler to take the ball after tea when Mitchell Starc might have been expected to return after resting across the break. Crawley hammers another boundary - his 11th of the innings - as he gets on the front foot and drives straight down the ground. Alex Carey is up at the stump while Neser is bowling at about 135km/h.
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A lot is going right for England at the Gabba right now, but Mark Wood was speaking with Channel Seven during the tea break and conceded that he is unlikely to be available for the third Test in Adelaide as he manages a knee injury that was operated on earlier this year.
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25th over: England 107-2 (Crawley 69, Root 33) Crawley picks up where he left off before tea with a pair of boundaries on either side of the wicket. The first comes off a crunching pull shot to take England past 100, then another past mid-off brings up the century stand.
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Zak Crawley and Joe Root return to the middle at the Gabba with England in control at 98 for two after 24 overs. The sting went out of the wicket – and perhaps the pink ball – as the afternoon session wore on, and England will hope to build on their positive start. Brendan Doggett has the ball in hand as he prepares to bowl to Root with an extra fielder now on the leg-side.
A reminder that Nathan Lyon has been left out of the Australia XI for the first time in a Test on home soil since January 2013. Scott Lowe wonders if there might already be a tinge of regret among the home camp.
“Curious if this is the earliest in a Test that one team has come to regret its selection? Batters are set, pitch and ball are doing nothing, and intense heat. And instead of turning to their greatest offspinner, Aus have to rotate through Starc and four (!) right-arm medium fast bowlers.”
Former England batter – and batting coach – Mark Ramprakash has also considered the impact of playing parts of this Test at the Gabba under lights, while putting the onus on the tourists to “win key battles”. England mostly did that across the latter hour-and-a-half of the first session.
Stuart Broad described them as a lottery but Australia’s outstanding record would suggest that actually the best team normally prevails, and skill should win the day. The question for England is whether they have it in them to dominate in relatively unfamiliar conditions, to win key battles at key moments and to take control.
Zak Crawley and Joe Root have put together the sort of sensible partnership that England were lacking in their defeat in Perth. That may or may not be with a view to batting through the daylight hours and making the most of bowling under lights, or simply in response to a second-innings collapse that went a long way to costing the tourists the Ashes opener.
Simon Burnton has taken a deep dive into day-night Tests and why they loom as the future even as parts of the cricket fraternity – including Root – push back against their introduction to the five-day format, while also considering the impact of the pink ball.
But there is an inherent problem with a pink ball: around sunset the higher-frequency wavelengths of light become scattered and for a short time red light becomes dominant. This is why the sun, having appeared yellow all day, often looks orange or red as it sets. A number of academic studies have identified a change in the pink ball’s contrast polarity – the relationship between an object and its background – during this period. With all the red light around it becomes harder to see. The pink Kookaburra also swings more than their red version while new, so put a fresh one in the hands of a skilled seamer at the right time of day and havoc can ensue – particularly at the Gabba, where Brisbane’s humidity already helps swing bowlers.
Tea: England 98-2
England recover from an all-too familiar horror start as Zak Crawley and Joe Root steer the tourists to 98 for two at tea. Pink-ball specialist Mitchell Starc did the early damage under the blazing sun with a pair of wickets in his opening two overs as both Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope were dismissed for a duck. Crawley bounced back from his own pair of ducks in Perth to reach an unbeaten half-century while Root made the most of being given a second life when dropped off the third ball of his innings to reach the break on 32 not out. The England duo have put together the longest partnership so far in the series, while Australia have been unable to turn to a specialist spinner to try to break up the 93-run stand after leaving out Nathan Lyon for the first time in a Test on home soil for almost 14 years.
24th over: England 98-2 (Crawley 61, Root 32)
From 5️⃣-2️⃣ to 9️⃣8️⃣-2️⃣
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) December 4, 2025
A brilliant fightback from Zak Crawley and Joe Root in the session 👊 pic.twitter.com/tPuQgIhmLg
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23rd over: England 94-2 (Crawley 57, Root 32) England survive another Mitchell Starc over as they shut up shop with the break now within reach. Crawley punishes the closest Starc comes to a loose delivery with a single off his pads.
22nd over: England 93-2 (Crawley 56, Root 32) BEATEN! Joe Root attempts to drive on the up but fails to pick up the late movement as he grins sheepishly at his own dose of good fortune. Zak Crawley punishes a looser delivery that drifts on to his pads with a clip to the fine leg boundary. The opener is playing within himself but ends the over with 56 runs from 72 balls, and England are within sight of reaching the first break only two wickets down.
21st over: England 86-2 (Crawley 50, Root 31) Zak Crawley reaches fifty for the 25th time in 110 Test innings as he answers the critics that came for him after a pair in Perth in the best possible way. The opener has only turned five of his half-centuries into a Test ton, but is looking more comfortable now that he has found a balance between defence and attack.
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20th over: England 84-2 (Crawley 49, Root 30) Cameron Green is thrown the ball for the first time today with Australia increasingly desperate for a breakthrough. It makes sense to mix and match the bowlers, and prevent the batters from getting into too much of a rhythm, with five pacers in the lineup - and no Nathan Lyon! Crawley smacks Green down the ground and Doggett makes a meal of the dive in front of the rope as he carries the ball into the boundary.
Martin Burley in New Zealand has found a creative solution to what he dubs the “Crawley Paradox”.
“After Crawley gets a double century to win this Test, we should pocket our winnings and drop him before the inevitable string of single-figure innings that he’ll have in the rest of the series. However, if he loses his wicket soon, the smarter move would be to keep him in knowing that the one decent score he gets per series is still to come. Therefore, the better he does this Test the more justification for dropping him.”
OK, am I the only one whose head hurts?
19th over: England 78-2 (Crawley 44, Root 29) Mitchell Starc returns for a second spell. He has already drawn level with Pakistan great Wasim Akram for the most Test wickets for a left-armer, but is unable to edge to the top of the list as Root drives for a single, and Crawley adds another through square leg.
Cricket Australia has named the Australia A squad for the four-day match against England Lions at Allan Border Field from tomorrow – and Sam Konstas is the notable absentee. Beau Webster will get some game time after missing out on the opening two Ashes Tests, while Matt Renshaw, Jhye Richardson and Josh Philippe have been recalled. Nathan McSweeney will captain Australia A side for this fixture.
Australia A squad: Nathan McSweeney (capt), Beau Webster, Campbell Kellaway, Cooper Connolly, Fergus O’Neill, Jhye Richardson, Josh Philippe, Matt Renshaw, Ryan Hadley, Todd Murphy, Xavier Bartlett.
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18th over: England 76-2 (Crawley 43, Root 28) DROPPED! Crawley goes straight down the ground and lifts another drive in the air. But Boland is unable to settle his hands in time to claim a tricky catch. They’re always tough when the ball goes back to a fast bowler, but Boland all but had two hands to that one. Both batters have now been put down off tough chances as the unbroken partnership grows to 71 runs.
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17th over: England 71-2 (Crawley 39, Root 27) Doggett has found an awkward line and length as Root is happy to leave anything he isn’t forced to play at. But when the second-Test bowler drifts onto his pads, Root takes an easy single to fine leg.
16th over: England 70-2 (Crawley 39, Root 26) Root let fly with a cracking straight drive back over Boland’s head and to the rope. The Australia quick ends the over bowling at a nagging length as Crawley almost dabbles at a straight ball outside fifth-stump before pulling out at the last second.
Brian Withington joins the discussion over the value – or otherwise – of Zak Crawley.
“Did Steve Hudson forget to include ‘stupidly magnificent’ in his list of Crawley epitaphs? It’s certainly not dull, and I’d forgive him a patchy career average for one or two match-defining innings this winter [and not of the Perth variety].”
15th over: England 65-2 (Crawley 39, Root 21) Doggett gets the ball to jag back into Root and the appeal goes up for lbw. There has been plenty of bounce at the Gabba and that was sailing over off-stump. Doggett saves a couple with some sharp fielding off a straight drive. Root clips a single off his pads to end the over.
14th over: England 64-2 (Crawley 39, Root 20) Zak Crawley reaches wide and flashes at a wider ball outside off-stump. Most batters would leave that while England are comfortably rebuilding their innings, but that is the way that Crawley likes to play. Just one wide – which wasn’t any further away from Crawley than the one he swings at – from the Boland over.
13th over: England 63-2 (Crawley 39, Root 20) Brendan Doggett continues for Australia as he nudges 135km/h. Joe Root picks up the pace quickly and guides a straight ball through cover for three runs.
Zak Crawley divides opinion about as much as any current-day cricketer. The England opener has been near his best today at the Gabba as he settles into an innings and gets his cover drive flowing. But an average of barely more than 30 across 60 Tests is hard to ignore. Steve Hudson is prepared to sit back and enjoy Crawley for what he is.
“It sounds like Crawley hasn’t compromised his approach despite all the criticism England have had after the first Test. I can’t decide whether this is magnificent, or stupid, or magnificently stupid. We shall see.”
Mitchell Starc has done the damage for Australia with two wickets in his first over-and-a-half, and heads to the drinks break with figures of two for 21 from five overs. The left-armer is at the peak of his powers at the age of 35 – a number not lost on Will Ellen.
“In a probably futile effort to step above the fray, isn’t there something admirable about modern day sports science? The way it allows us to admire sportsmen and women late into their 30s? In the recent past, a fast bowler of 32 would be just about ready for the proverbial glue factory. But at nearly 36, Mitchell Starc is at the absolute peak of his career. He’s never bowled better.”
12th over: England 58-2 (Crawley 37, Root 17) Joe Root does well to dig out a yorker from Scott Boland – it seemed to take the batter by surprise. The England No 4 finishes the over with a textbook off-drive to the boundary. That might be the shot of the day so far and brings up the 50-run partnership before the players take a break for drinks. An entertaining first hour was almost worth the 12-day wait between Tests.
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11th over: England 51-2 (Crawley 36, Root 11) Brendan Doggett takes the pink ball and the England batters will be relieved to see the back of Mitchell Starc for now. The left-armer heads to the rooms for a breather. Root picks up an easy three with a controlled cut shot, and Crawley finds the same with another well-timed drive.
10th over: England 45-2 (Crawley 33, Root 8) Australia rise as one in the hope that Zak Crawley has nicked a loose pull shot on the way through to the keeper. The ball is high and wide of offstump as it flicks the pad on the way past and Steve Smith has no interest in a review. Boland is testing the England pair but their blossoming partnership is now out to 40 runs.
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England have done well to recover from another horror start at the hands of Mitchell Starc. Tom Nolan insists he is “keeping the faith for now” as he adds …
“Reluctant to email at all given that my opinions could be out of date by the time I have finished each sentence. Even so, trying to remain positive despite the two quick wickets. Not unusual that with the pink ball.
“If England can see off the new ball, they should (!!) be able to crack on and score some runs before it gets dark and floodlights come in.”
9th over: England 43-2 (Crawley 32, Root 7) Mitchell Starc continues into his fifth over as Steve Smith relies on the left-armer to continue testing the England top order just as he did in Perth. Crawley drives in the air yet again but this time picks a gap at extra cover for two runs. The opener wafts wildly at a shorter ball but it somehow misses everything and clears keeper Carey for four byes. Crawley then dispatches a fuller ball straight down the ground and is fortunate that Starc can’t get his left mit around it. Australia won’t mind giving up a few runs as the half-chances keep coming from Crawley.
8th over: England 32-2 (Crawley 25, Root 7) Scott Boland replaces Michael Neser and soon finds movement back into Joe Root. Boland has a strong record against the England No 4 – as well as Crawley – but this time Root clips off his pads for an easy single. Crawley ends the over doing much the same.
7th over: England 30-2 (Crawley 24, Root 6) Crawley will never die wondering and a flash outside offstump clears the infield and lands safely for two runs. The opener is fortunate when a yorker holds its line and lands wide of offstump as Crawley plays and misses.
6th over: England 28-2 (Crawley 22, Root 6) Crawley works Neser off his pads for a couple of runs at midwicket and drives wide of mid-on for three more. The opener is looking comfortable playing to the offside as he settles in.
5th over: England 23-2 (Crawley 17, Root 6) A relatively tame over from Starc as Crawley picks up an early single with a punch to mid-off, and Root looks to leave anything he isn’t forced to play at. A trademark inswinging yorker from Starc draws Root into his forward defence but the former skipper survives.
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4th over: England 22-2 (Crawley 16, Root 6) Michael Neser holds his line and draws an edge from Zak Crawley. The ball bounces off the batter and drops well short of the slips cordon that have been busy with both Starc and Neser getting early movement. Then Steve Smith doesn’t act on a half-hearted appeal for caught behind. Neser was by far the most interested, and replays show he has good reason to be with a very faint spike. Among all that, Crawley crunches a couple of boundaries and adds two runs to backward point.
3rd over: England 11-2 (Crawley 5, Root 6) Mitchell Starc has two in as many overs and it very nearly is three with England all at sea. Joe Root is in and facing the pink ball within three overs and could hardly be more fortunate as a heavy nick just falls short of a diving Steve Smith in the slips cordon and races away for four runs. England, of course, won the toss and elected to bat with the idea that this is the better time to be at the crease.
WICKET! Pope b Starc 0 (England 5-2)
Mitchell Starc strikes again! Olllie Pope can’t resist swinging at a wider ball that pitches back of a length and chops on to his stumps. A three-ball duck for Pope and England are already on the ropes.
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2nd over: England 5-1 (Crawley 5, Pope 0) Michael Neser takes the new ball in his first Test for a few days short of three years. The right-armer is straight on the money bowling at a tick over 130km/h as Crawley leaves three deliveries then is forced to defend the next couple. A play and a miss at the final ball is fortunate to clear the bat.
1st over: England 5-1 (Crawley 5, Pope 0) Mitchell Starc’s incredible streak of taking a wicket in the opening over of an innings continues as the left-armer draws Ben Duckett into reaching for the ball. Zak Crawley does well to survive three deliveries then gets his first runs of the series as a cover drive races away to the boundary. The England opener digs out an inswinging yorker with a jab – and a single – to midwicket, but Duckett is already on his way.
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WICKET! Duckett c Labuschagne b Starc 0 (England 5-1)
Mitchell Starc. First over. Wicket. Perfect start for Australia. It feels like we’ve been here before. Ben Duckett lunges forward, gets a nick and is caught at first slip for a golden duck.
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Crawley shoulders arms at the first ball – and survives. But George Thomson is far from convinced the England opener will be around for much longer in Brisbane.
“Stand aside Graeme Hick, Greg Blewett, Mark Ramprakash, Mohammad Ashraful. Today, Zak Crawley indisputably becomes the most selector-indulged Test batter in history.”
Zak Crawley marks out his place after copping a pair in Perth when dismissed by Mitchell Starc in the first over of each innings. Ben Duckett stands at the non-striker’s end for England as the second Test begins at the Gabba. Here we go …
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Australia would have preferred to bat first and ideally manage the game so that Mitchell Starc might run wild under lights. The left-armer stands apart in pink-ball Tests with 81 wickets at a click of 17, but will take the ball under the blazing sun on day one of the second Ashes Test.
James Wallace finds out – from batters who have dared to stare down Starc from 22 years – what makes him such a menace with the pink ball.
Weather
The sun is belting down in Brisbane with a touch of cloud around as the mercury hits the expected high of 27C.
The players are standing around the boundary getting ready to begin the formalities at the Gabba that will include a minutes silence for the late Robin Smith.
Daniel Pollard has been in touch with his memories of “the Judge”.
“As a 45-year-old cricket lover my first proper technicolor memories of English cricket were the unforgiving 90s when we seemed almost always under the cosh. Certain players walking to the crease just somehow gave you the feeling that things might, just might, be OK. Thorpey was of course one. Robin Smith was another.
“Arms like cannons in the days that pounding weights in the gym wasn’t de rigueur. No grill covering his face – he didn’t fear getting pelted with 90mph missiles ball after ball after ball. But moreover you just felt here was a guy who was up for the fight. RIP Judge. Say hi to Warnie for us. I expect the upstairs nets are pretty busy this week.”
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England have been happy to chase during Ben Stokes’ reign but elected to bat – and perhaps control the flow of the game – in the day-night Test at the Gabba. The tourists’ captain explains the decision and how England can bounce back from their demoralising defeat in the Ashes opener.
We come here off the back of a disappointing week last week. So hopefully we can find those runs.
You look at how things play out with the different conditions, give yourself a better chance to know that you are going to bat in the, sort of, easier conditions.
Not too sure how the wicket is going to play. We have got an opportunity to put runs on the board. It’s certainly the biggest week of my captaincy up until now but we’ve had a good week and we’re raring to go.
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Steve Smith was the one to drop the selection bombshell and it wasn’t the one we expected with Pat Cummins increasingly likely to miss out as the players arrived at the Gabba, but the decision to leave out off-spinner Nathan Lyon. The stand-in skipper explains both calls …
Pat was close. He’s done everything right. We thought it might be a bit risky for this game but he’s tracking well for the next one [in Adelaide]. Josh Inglis will bat in the middle, Head will open.
Michael Neser is in for Nathan Lyon with the pink ball. We think it’s going to offer quite a bit, particularly later on under lights. We play in the night a lot and thought that was going to be the best attack to take 20 wickets.
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England XI
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith (wk), Will Jacks, Brydon Carse, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer.
No tomfoolery from England as Will Jacks is picked for his third Test and replaces Mark Wood in the XI that played in the defeat in Perth. The 27-year-old bolsters the tourists’ batting which runs even deeper with him in the side, though he has been picked in Brisbane just as much for his off-spin. A six-for on debut in Pakistan in 2022 suggests Jacks’ bowling will be useful if and when the pink ball softens at the Gabba, though he has only bowled another 14 overs across three Test innings since then.
All eyes will be on Jofra Archer, especially with Wood now absent, when England take their turn to bowl in Brisbane. But, for now, they will hope to bat much longer than the 30-odd overs that they managed in both innings in Perth.
Good news from the middle...
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) December 4, 2025
A BIG toss to win 👊 pic.twitter.com/TYILwHzJis
Australia XI
Australia: Jake Weatherald, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (capt), Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey (wk), Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett.
The speculation comes to a close but the debate will continue across the afternoon at least, as Australia turn to a horses for course approach with Nathan Lyon left out of a home Test for the first time in almost 14 years. The off-spinner was also omitted from the XI in Australia’s most recent pink-ball Test in the Caribbean, but it still feels like a huge call to leave out a bowler who has claimed 562 wickets. Michael Neser comes in to add more pace in the day-night Test, as well as reducing the length of the Australia tail.
As expected, Josh Inglis replaces Usman Khawaja in the lineup for his fourth Test – though the 30-year-old will bat in the middle order with Travis Head hard to move out of the opening slot.
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Toss: England win the toss and elect to bat
Ben Stokes calls correctly and England will bat first in the second Ashes Test at the Gabba. Steve Smith would have preferred to bat first as well.
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Steve Smith joins Ben Stokes at the toss as Australia captain Pat Cummins remains on ice to continue his recovery from a back stress issue.
England and Australia will wear black armbands on day one of the second Test in memory of former England and Hampshire batter Robin Smith, who passed away earlier this week. There will also be a moments silence before the national anthems.
Tanya Aldred has written a beautiful tribute to Robin Smith, who stood tall when England cricket was at a low point through the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Smith’s cut, alongside a David Gower cover drive, gave hope where there was little left in the bucket. Those famous forearms – half oak, half baobab – the white shirt unbuttoned past the clavicle, the chain glinting through his chest hair, smelt enticingly like bravery, and old spice and one last throw of the dice.
The sight of Smith marching out to bat – as an opener (in four Tests), No 3 (six), No 4 (30), No 5 (19), No 6 (14) or No 7 (twice) – those charmingly indecisive selectors never could quite place him – was a high point in a largely post-Botham era, a clear-the-bars alarm for those in the ground and a stay‑your‑ground sign to those on the sofa.
Our selection dilemma detectives are casting their eye over Australia’s preparations in Brisbane. Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon have been seen getting around in flat shoes, while Michael Neser and Brendan Doggett are both wearing spikes and have marked out their run up.
Ali Martin is at the Gabba and points out that this would be the first time Australia enter a home Test without Lyon since facing India at the Waca in early 2012. Meanwhile, Travis Head has confirmed on Fox Sports that he will open the innings whether Australia bat first or second.
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Usman Khawaja is already certain to miss the second Test for Australia after being unable to open while suffering back spasms in Perth. That of course opened the door for Travis Head to take the game away from England with a blistering century and the expectation is that the powerhouse will bat at the top of the order again in Brisbane. What time means for Khawaja – who turns 39 this month – could well be decided in the middle over the next two (please, no) to five days. Geoff Lemon has been busy pondering what it all means for the veteran and the future of this Australia outfit.
Right now Australia are saying Khawaja is still in the plan, staying with the squad in Brisbane for his treatment. If he can storm back to have a decisive influence in the final three Tests, it would be a wonderful story to round out a career that has already given us several. But there’s a point at which Khawaja becomes Homer Simpson’s giant sandwich, and the team clinging on for too long faces a health hazard.
Currently, nobody else knows what they are doing because the injured opener is the variable. Head doesn’t know if he has that job for a season or a week. Inglis won’t know if he’s coming in with licence to attack the series over four Tests, or needing a huge score from one. The argument for keeping Khawaja around since David Warner’s retirement has been stability, but right now he is the main destabilising influence on this team.
We might have to wait to find out the Australia XI until either Pat Cummins or Steve Smith walk on to the Gabba alongside England captain Ben Stokes for the toss. But Geoff Lemon has already dived into what that call will mean for the hosts and the second Test.
Cummins, it seems, is now feeling good enough in training that waiting for the third Test in Adelaide seems excessive. But overnight nerves might get the better of anyone in the decision-making chain, pondering the fallout that would await them if that comeback turned out to be too soon. That leaves a nation of Australians in the highly unusual position of going to sleep the night before a Test match without knowing who will captain the team the next day. The stand-in, Steve Smith, took the press conference as though he would do the job, but declined to confirm that this would be the case.
If Cummins returns, the cards in the dealer’s hands could be whisked in various ways around the table. Perhaps in order to mitigate the number of overs required of him, he could be part of a four-man pace attack and replace Nathan Lyon. That might also mean bringing Beau Webster into the middle order, given he could offer spin. If Cummins plays alongside Lyon, instead replacing Brendan Doggett as one of three quicks, Webster could still be included to bowl backup seam alongside Cameron Green.
The plot thickens at the Gabba with one of Australia’s heroes of the first Test, Travis Head, heading into the middle for a sighter of the pitch with pads on and bat in hand.
I promised the conjecture would continue and especially over whether Pat Cummins would be injected into the Australia XI after impressing in the nets in Brisbane. But if being left out of the squad was the first sign that the fast bowler would have to wait a little longer before playing a part in this Ashes series, Steve Smith inspecting the pitch alongside coach Andrew McDonald – rather than the formal Test captain – could be the strongest pointer yet.
Cummins arrived earlier at the Gabba wearing a polo shirt, while the other Australia players are decked out in their training shirts. This could be elite attention to detail from Australia, but feels more likely to be the end of the fun n games.
Preamble
We’re back! After a two-day taster of the most highly anticipated Ashes on Australian soil for years, if not decades, was followed by 12 days of fresh dissection, discussion and debate, the second Test finally begins in Brisbane this afternoon. Welcome to day one of the second Test of the 2025-26 Ashes.
The conjecture continues with Australia yet to name their XI for the pink-ball Test at the Gabba. Captain Pat Cummins is in line for a late call-up after being left out of the squad as he recovers from a back injury, while Josh Inglis is widely expected to slide into the middle order and allow Travis Head to reprise his rollicking role as opener in the absence of Usman Khawaja. All will be revealed at the toss, stand-in skipper Steve Smith promised yesterday, as the Australia outfit unusually plays their cards close to their chest.
There are fewer surprises in the England camp as Will Jacks has already been picked in the XI. The batting all-rounder replaces Mark Wood in the side that collapsed to defeat in the Ashes opener, as the speed demon is forced out – as a precaution, we are told – due to soreness in the left knee that he happened to have surgery on earlier this year. But whether the tourists double down and roll out the same captivating yet chaotic strategy remains to be seen. It lifted England to a promising position in Perth before their own blunders with the bat and Head’s heroics loosened their grip on the first Test in a matter of hours and they quickly fell behind 1-0 in the series.
More chaos can be expected in Brisbane in the next few days – and hopefully longer – as the city again hosts a day-night Test. Australia are vastly more experienced in the varied conditions and tactics that come with the pink ball being delivered across the afternoon, dusk and early evening, and have won 13 of the 14 day-night Tests they have played. But the one blemish on that record came the last time they played with the pink ball at the Gabba, when West Indies stunned the hosts under lights in January 2024. The Gabbatoir is not quite the fortress that it once was for Australia, but they have not lost to their oldest rivals at the venue since 1986.
This iteration of England under captain Ben Stokes seeks to separate themselves from those that came before but have even more history to rewrite than they might like in Brisbane. They have lost five of their seven day-night Tests, and last played with the pink ball in February 2023, though that at least ended with a victory over New Zealand at Mount Maunganui. Of more concern might be the threat of falling 2-0 behind, knowing that only one side – under the guidance of a certain Don Bradman in 1936-37 – has overturned such a deficit to win an Ashes series.
There is still an hour to go before the toss and confirmed teams – with first ball to be bowled at 2pm in Brisbane / 3pm AEDT / 4am GMT. Plenty of time to get in touch with your thoughts and predictions for the second Test and perhaps beyond – drop me an email or find me @martinpegan on Bluesky or X.
In the meantime, I’ll help you catch up on all that has happened during the frankly painstaking 12-day fallow period between Tests, and in the lead up to the day-nighter at the Gabba. Let’s get into it …
