All you need to know with England facing The Ashes defeat after Brisbane loss – The Mirror
England’s Ashes hopes are hanging by a thread after a crushing eight-wicket defeat in the second Test at the Gabba
England have suffered a heavy defeat in the second Test at the Gabba, allowing Australia to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the Ashes series. This loss marks England’s tenth consecutive defeat at the Brisbane venue, where they have not won a match in nearly forty years.
The team resumed play on day four facing a difficult situation, trailing by 43 runs with only four wickets remaining. Captain Ben Stokes and Will Jacks were tasked with saving the innings after a poor batting performance the previous evening.
Putting aside their usual aggressive ‘Bazball’ style, the pair adopted a much more defensive approach to steady the ship. They batted cautiously for almost three hours, blocking deliveries to build a partnership of 96 runs.
This gritty determination was exactly what critics had called for, helping England clear the deficit and build a small lead. However, because the team had collapsed so badly earlier in the match, this effort ultimately proved to be too little, too late.
The resistance was finally broken by Australian bowler Michael Neser, who dismissed both set batters in consecutive overs. Will Jacks fell for 41 thanks to a spectacular one-handed catch by Steve Smith, while Stokes was caught behind shortly after reaching his fifty.
Following the captain’s dismissal, the remaining England batters crumbled quickly, with Gus Atkinson falling into an obvious trap. The team were bowled out for 241, leaving Australia with a very simple target of just 65 runs to win.
Although England bowler Gus Atkinson managed to take two wickets, Australia chased down the low total in just ten overs. Steve Smith secured the eight-wicket victory in style by hitting a huge six off Jofra Archer.
History suggests England face a nearly impossible task to recover the urn, as only one team has ever come back from a 2-0 deficit to win a five-match series. Their record in Australia is currently dismal, having lost 15 of their last 17 Test matches played in the country.
