A stunning Will Jacks catch has given England life in this rollercoaster second Ashes Test with Steve Smith (61) dismissed after Australia closed in on a first innings lead.
Smith and Cameron Green put on a fine partnership after vital wickets from Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes following tea, putting on 95 before Brydon Carse clean bowled Green.
The dramatic over, with two wickets in four balls, then saw Jacks leap into action, catching the ball behind himself to give Carse a third wicket in the innings.
England held a slight advantage originally on day two after a fabulous 138* from Joe Root steered the tourists to 334 all out in the first innings.
Follow all the latest updates, scores and analysis on day one at The Gabba below:
Read MoreJoe Root silences his last remaining critics with England century for the Ashes history books
Stuart Broad questions Harry Brook over ‘crucial’ part of game after Ashes mistake
Ben Stokes admits Robin Smith’s death just days after England Ashes squad visit ‘hits harder’
Ashes 2025/26: Australia v England - second Test, day two
- Day two of the second Ashes Test continues at the Gabba | Live on TNT Sports
- Joe Root (138*) and Jofra Archer (38) added to lead as England end on 334 all out
- Steve Smith and Cameron Green dismissed in same over to reduce Australia to 292-5
- Jake Weatherald and Marnus Labuschagne score fifties as hosts reduce deficit
Australia 309-5
10:29 , Mike JonesEdge! Josh Inglis gets off strike with a simple single and that means he has to face up to Ben Stokes.
Stokes offers up the chance to drive and Inglis takes it. It’s an error in judgement though and the ball finds the edge but flies through the gap wide of second slip and brings four runs.
Inglis goes after a shorter delivery and swipes it wide of gully this time. It’s not a controlled shot but the result is another boundary.
There are chances here for England but they may come at a cost of plenty of runs.
Australia 300-5
10:22 , Mike JonesCarse continues. He’s on cloud nine after those two wickets.
his speeds are up and he’s accurately aiming for the body. Carey is jumping all over the crease.
He’s trying to counter punch and knock England off their lines.
A flick to midwicket brings up Australia’s 300 and Carey moves to 9.
Australia 296-5
10:20 , Mike JonesStokes is back on. He’s rotating the bowlers in one over spells but may fall back on regulation Test bowling.
There are two slips in place to Carey who is watchful and defensive.
All of a sudden there’s a bit of movement. Stokes beats the edge and Jamie Smith was very excited for half a heartbeat.
Carey then advances down the pitch and gets a thick edge. The ball flies over the gap between the slips and gully and the batter gets away with one.
Australia 292-5
10:16 , Mike JonesJosh Inglis is the new batter and the pressure has switched onto Australia.
They still trail by 42 and there are now two new batters in the most testing conditions of the day.
One more wicket and England are into the bowlers.
Wicket! Smith c Jacks b Carse 61 (AUS 292-5)
10:12 , Mike JonesSmith is gone!
The short ball tactic works this time as Smith half hooks the ball into the legside.
He doesn’t catch it well and there’s half a chance for Will Jacks.
He scrambles across the turf, leaps towards the ball and grasps it one-handed before scooping it into his chest and clinging on!
Australia 291-4
10:10 , Mike JonesDropped!
Alex Carey is in trouble on his first ball. Carse pummels it in short and targets the body.
Carey gloves the ball into the air and loops it to gully.
Ben Duckett leaps forward and grabs the ball low but it bounces out as he hits the ground.
Wicket! Green b Carse 45 (AUS 291-4)
10:08 , Mike JonesCarse gets him!
Cam Green has been backing away to give himself room to dispatch the short stuff but Carse double bluffs him.
He bowls full and straight and Green catch reach the ball before it clatters into the stumps.
That’s the wicket England needed. Can they get a couple more?
Australia 290-3
10:07 , Mike JonesJofra Archer challenges the outside edge again but has limited success though he sends down a maiden.
Brydon Carse is back on and is back to banging the ball in short.
Just a change in ends then...
Australia 290-3
10:04 , Mike JonesWe’re into the nitty gritty part of the day. The pink balls were supposed to move through the air at this stage of the day but there’s been very little help for England.
Ben Stokes brings himself on after the short ball tactic from Brydon Carse failed.
The field is set to target the stumps and get Green and Smith driving.
They do but they’re also watchful and just one run comes from the over.
Australia 289-3
10:01 , Chris WilsonJust two off Atkinson’s latest over but the field is looking down for the tourists.
They look out of ideas, while Smith and Green look like they could do this all night.
Australia trail by just 45 at the moment.
Australia 287-3
09:56 , Chris WilsonThings really haven't gone England’s way in this over!
Very expensive, as a four and a three are followed by Smith launching a six over his shoulder and over the wicketkeeper.
Two singles follow before a wide and a final single, and the hosts move to 287.
Australia 270-3
09:51 , Chris WilsonIt’s just not happening for England at the moment. They need something to change quickly here.
Atkinson sees Smith misjudge one of his deliveries before he inside edges a delivery that narrowly misses the stumps.
Three off that over as Carse steps up.
Australia 266-3
09:41 , Chris WilsonArcher looks bewildered as he’s hit for a second four of his next over, with Australia moving past the 250 mark. They look very comfortable out there.
Both fours were guided down to deep third and Smith does the same off Atkinson’s second ball, with the runs really stacking up now.
The last-ditch fielding can’t prevent another four flying down midwicket, and Smith brings up his 50 with a single to take a half-century off 67 balls.
10 runs off that last over from Atkinson.
Australia 247-3
09:31 , Chris WilsonThe new ball isn’t moving a lot though Archer concedes just one and a leg bye on his next over.
And there’s another brief break here as Green needs some treatment after Atkinson’s first ball, and he’s fine to carry on.
Only two more from that over and Australia move closer to 250.
Australia 243-3
09:20 , Chris WilsonA maiden over from Atkinson is better news but England aren’t really threatening the settled pairing of Smith and Green.
There’s a brief break as the ball is reviewed by the umpire, and the new box of balls is making its way onto the pitch.
Archer doesn’t look hugely impressed as he laughs upon taking the new ball, and he’ll be first to bowl with it.
Australia 243-3
09:13 , Chris WilsonIt’ll be Gus Atkinson to begin with this evening in Brisbane.
He starts well enough but concedes a four off the final ball, before Archer takes the ball next.
Smith sneaks a fortunate four after he edges it over the wicketkeeper, before he guides a lovely six to a similar area moments later. 10 of f the over and Australia trail by just 91.
Australia 228-3
08:59 , Chris WilsonRIght them, the night session is coming up in Brisbane and we should have at least a couple of hours under the full lights.
Can England remove Labuchagne or Smith quickly to get the boost they need?
Australia 228-3
08:49 , Chris WilsonThe second session saw just two wickets for England but they were important ones, with Marnus Labuschagne and Jake Weatherald falling.
However, Smith and Green have powered on patiently since that latter wicket, and now Australia have the advantage with just 106 runs to chase for now.
Australia 228-3
08:43 , Chris WilsonStokes starts the next over with four dot balls but Smith carves out a three before Green puts away a four from a wayward delivery.
Australia trail by just 106 runs and you have to say they’re looking in good stead at tea.
Australia 221-3
08:37 , Chris WilsonGreen somehow finds a fortunate four off Stokes, who concedes six on that over. We’ve got another 5 minutes or so until the next tea break.
Carse concedes three and a double before a Smith single takes Australia to 221.
Australia 209-3
08:28 , Chris WilsonStokes’ next over doesn't manage to trouble the hosts, and they end the 40th over trailing by 125 runs.
Carse delivers a maiden over on the next one – with some help from a good dive from Duckett – as the sun continues to set in Brisbane.
Australia 204-3
08:17 , Chris WilsonCameron Green’s four takes Australia to 200, and they now trail by 134 runs. That’s the end for Stokes’ over, with Carse up next.
Bit of a break there as Smith needs treatment after a quick delivery skims his elbow and back thigh, but he’s alright.
A three and a single follow.
WICKET! Labuschagne c Smith b Stokes 65
08:07 , Chris WilsonAustralia 196-3
Stokes takes the next big scalp as Marnus Labuschagne goes!
The England captain sees his delivery nicked behind and it flies into the grateful gloves of Smith at wicketkeeper.
65 for Labuschagne and not a bad stand at all.
Australia 196-2
08:02 , Chris WilsonA fairly expensive over from Stokes as he’s hit for seven, one of which is a solid four from Labuschagne.
The tourists are looking a little out of ideas with the ball really, as was the case with Australia – Starc aside – at times.
Carse comes back in next and he goes for four off the first delivery, with three more following to take this batting partnership to 50.
Australia 182-2
07:53 , Chris WilsonLabuschagne brings about the 50 as he sends a top-edge over the wicketkeeper for four.
That’s 50 off 67 deliveries for the Australian, who has quote the record in pink-ball matches.
Three more added at the end of the over and Australia have 182 from 35 overs.
Australia 174-2
07:44 , Chris WilsonCarse’s over yields nine for Australia, with Labuschagne now on 41.
Archer does indeed return, so looks like just Atkinson off for now.
A four from Labuschagne takes him to within touching distance of the 50, and he takes a single off the final ball of the over as we head to the drinks break.
Australia 161-2
07:35 , Chris WilsonThe lights are on at the Gabba, though it’ll be 45 minutes or so before they take full effect.
Labuschagne finds a big six off Archer’s final ball of the over, and that’s the last we’ll see of his pace for now, with Carse taking over.
Australia 155-2
07:30 , Chris WilsonJust a single allowed by Archer in the next over and the tourists are starting to build a bit of pressure.
Another maiden for Atkinson follows, and Australia trail by 179 runs at the moment. The hosts’ scoring has really slowed down at this point.
Australia 154-2
07:21 , Chris WilsonSmith gets off the mark with three from Archer on the next over, and it’s a little more expensive, with six from that one.
Atkinson begins with five dot balls, nearly tempting Labuschagne as he misses a rising ball.
Another maiden from Atkinson.
Australia 147-2
07:12 , Chris WilsonSmith faces one delivery from Archer before Atkinson returns, and he allows just one run from Labuschagne.
WICKET! Weatherald lbw b Archer 72
07:08 , Chris WilsonAustralia 146-2
Another breakthrough for England!
It’s a full delivery from Archer and he traps him lbw. No doubt about that one.
Steve Smith will be next out.
Australia 141-1
07:03 , Chris WilsonJust four off the next over for Archer, and he’s been by far England’s best bowler so far. He threatened there too, tempting Weatherald into a swing and a miss that draws a smile from the Australian.
Again, it’s a decent over from Atkinson too, though he does concede a boundary, with Weatherald cutting through point to take himself to 68.
Australia 133-1
06:54 , Chris WilsonJust the one from Weatherald and it’s a much better over from England, with Archer continuing his solid form. 0-10 from his six overs.
Gus Atkinson is back on the attack too, producing another solid over and conceding just two singles. He tested Weatherald with a couple of good deliveries, with one miss leaving Root with his hands on his head.
Australia 130-1
06:44 , Chris WilsonLabuschagne and Weatherald are coming back out now! We’ll be back underway soon.
Leach speaks on first Test
06:36 , Chris Wilson“I feel like I need to apologise to the public because I didn't realise how exhausting we are to watch,” says Leach on the first Test in Perth.
“It was an unbelievable game, it was a game I thought we were on top of for a long period.
“I saw that as a positive. In terms of when I was over there, I didn't feel like we were in any game to win them.
“It had a difficult feel to it in that way and then Travis Head played a great innings and made it look more one-sided towards the end.
“I know how this team thinks and they will have taken positives from that, and they will be hoping to put that into this game, but having lost that first game, this game becomes massive.
“You cannot expect to go 2-0 down and expect to win in Australia, so we need a result here,” he added.
Leach speaking to BBC
06:31 , Chris WilsonEngland spinner Jack Leach has been speaking to BBC.
“I cannot believe I woke up yesterday and saw that Nathan Lyon was left out. I was so shocked,” he told the Test Match Special show.
“He has such a good record at the Gabba and with the pink ball he is one of the most experienced.
“I have so much respect for him as a bowler, and he has put us under so much pressure in the past.
“It feels like maybe reacting to how the first Test went and how quickly the game went and expecting a similar pace of the game.
“How the wicket is going, it is playing better than what both teams expected. I am sure Australia would love to have Lyon in that second innings.
“It's a big role for Will Jacks. For Jacks, it must be nice not to have Lyon play. When I was over there, as a spinner, you have that me against the other spinner. Jacks doesn't have to worry about that,” he added.
Root's parents react to 135
06:25 , Chris WilsonJoe Root’s parents Helen and Matt were chatting to TNT Sports about their son’s first Test century in Australia earlier on. Here’s what they had to say:
Helen Root: “Everybody has been talking about his monkey on his back. All he will care about is if England win the Test match. He just loved playing cricket from a young age. Exactly what you see is what you get from Joe.”
Matt Root: “I was pretty nervous when Mitchell Starc was swinging it about and England were 5-2 and then again when Joe got into the nineties.“If we can make another 30 runs today and followed by early wickets it would put us in a good position. It’s Joe’s fourth series here and he is yet to win a Test match. It would be great to go to Adelaide 1-1.”
Australia 130-1
06:20 , Chris WilsonA reminder of what has happened this morning/afternoon then.
Root and Archer went out again and despite some great shots they only lasted two overs or so, with Marnus Labuschagne taking a brilliant catch in the deep off Archer to leave England 334 all out.
Australia, led by Travis Head and Jake Weatherald, looked for quick runs in the first session and they managed to get them, with the latter racing to Australia’s fastest 50 in a decade off just 44 balls.
Head was dropped on three early on and though he only managed to get 33 before hooking high and being taken by Atkinson, that was another thing that negatively affected an England bowling attack that has not found its radar early on in Brisbane.
130-1 for Australia at the break and England need to make sure this one doesn’t get away from them.
Australia 130-1
06:12 , Chris Wilson Australia 130-1
06:05 , Chris WilsonStokes to bowl the final over before the tea break then. It starts with a single for Weatherald.
Three more are added late on and the first break of the day comes with Australia at 130-1, trailing by just 204 runs.
Australia 125-1
06:00 , Chris WilsonNot a great start from Jacks either as he concedes four byes down the leg side, before Weatherald flicks it for four through fine leg and then adds another four playing it back down the wicket.
Australia 112-1
05:56 , Chris WilsonAustralia’s run rate hit six with that last over. It’s not going to plan for the tourists.
Better from Stokes on the next over though, testing Weatherald with a couple of close deliveries, but the hosts take three from the over.
One more before tea, it appears, and Will Jacks will bowl next.
Australia 109-1
05:51 , Chris WilsonOne four driven back down the wicket from Labuschagne as Stokes concedes seven on his next over.
Weatherald takes two fours off the first two balls from Carse next up, guiding the second over the slips to bring the hosts to 100.
One ball later, he has his 50 after grabbing a single, before Labuschagne is next to grab a four before adding another boundary by firing through cover.
A very expensive over for England and the tourists are starting to run out of momentum ahead of tea.
17 runs in that over.
Australia 84-1
05:40 , Chris WilsonBetter signs for England now as Stokes tests Labuschagne before Weatherald almost edges a delivery. Only one off that over, plus a no ball.
Carse also tests Labuschagne with a lovely delivery that is very well left by the Australia batsman, beating the inside edge, before a sensible defensive shot is followed by his first boundary of the day.
Australia 77-1
05:30 , Chris WilsonMarnus Labuschagne is out next as Carse continues his attack. One more run conceded and that’s a great over for the tourists.
WICKET! Head c Atkinson b Carse 33
05:26 , Chris WilsonAustralia 77-1
There’s the breakthrough! It’s come a little later than it should have but Head is gone!
He tries to work it to leg side and he hooks it very high. Atkinson is there underneath it and takes it well!
Australia 77-0
05:23 , Chris WilsonBack out with Carse on the attack then, and Weatherald touches over the slips for a six behind!
Three more singles follow before Stokes returns with the ball.
His first delivery is full but Stokes returns it back where it came from for a four, before clipping away down leg side for another four.
Australia 57-0
05:12 , Chris WilsonStokes into the attack now then, and it’s not the best start, as he’s hot for a three shortly followed by a boundary.
It’s not happening for the tourists with the ball at the moment.
In for drinks now!
Australia 50-0
05:06 , Chris WilsonCarse comes in to bowl now, and he’s hit for a four and a six on his fourth and fifth deliveries.
50 up for the hosts after 10 overs, and that’s a decent scoring rate so far now.
Australia 36-0
05:02 , Chris WilsonCLOSE! Heads in hands around the England players after Head clips a delivery with the outside edge and Smith can’t hold onto it! That could have been huge.
Head adds a single and Weatherald carves out a four before adding one more.
Australia 30-0
04:56 , Chris WilsonThree boundaries from Weatherald as he puts two through the covers and another down leg side.
A high-scoring over for the hosts off Atkinson.
Australia 18-0
04:52 , Chris WilsonNot a lot of movement on the ball at all early on here for England’s bowlers.
Australia’s openers find three of Atkinson’s latest over, and he’s looked the more dangerous of the two bowlers.
Archer is back on, giving up just one run and regularly coming in around 145km/h at the moment.
Head was beaten on the outside edge on one or two occasions but the home batsmen aren’t biting yet.
Australia 14-0
04:44 , Chris WilsonHead finds his first runs of the day before he clips a four down leg side, though Archer tests him with a lovely delivery that beats the the outside edge.
Australia 8-0
04:39 , Chris WilsonFirst runs of the day for the hosts and the first boundary as Weatherald cuts behind for four.
He takes another four moments later as he hooks the final delivery high behind him and it just about makes the boundary.
Australia 0-0
04:35 , Chris WilsonThree maidens in a row as Archer finds another. Head was interested in a couple but they’re both straight to square leg.
Australia 0-0
04:32 , Chris WilsonAnother maiden, this one more dangerous than Archer’s, from Gus Atkinson. There was a half-hearted appeal as the first delivery hit the pads, but not a lot to trouble the opening pairing so far.
Australia 0-0
04:26 , Chris WilsonA maiden from Archer to start with then! Still trying to find the radar and only one of the deliveries interested Head anyway.
Australia vs England
04:23 , Chris WilsonJofra Archer to begin with the ball then, and here we go!
Australia vs England
04:21 , Chris WilsonRight then, Ben Stokes leads England out onto the field and Travis Head and Jake Weatherald come out to bat for Australia.
Match stats
04:19 , Chris WilsonThe partnership of Joe Root and Jofra Archer earned 70 in 9.4 overs, which is England's highest ten wickets stand in Australia since 1951. Archer's score is the highest by a number 11 since 1903.
WICKET! Archer c Labuschagne b Doggett 38
04:13 , Chris WilsonEngland all out for 334.
That will be that! Archer connects well with a shot out into the deep and Marnus Labuschagne is there to make a stunning one-handed catch.
England 333-9
04:09 , Chris WilsonHuge cheers from the Barmy Army as Archer leans into it and drives through cover for a four!
That’s the only connection of the over, mind you, but some disciplined shot selection means England survive another over.
England 329-9
04:05 , Chris WilsonFour from the first over for England, with two singles each from the final batsmen.
Mitchell Starc is up next.
Australia v England
04:01 , Chris WilsonWhat sort of challenge can Root and Archer put up this morning then?
Brendan Doggett will be first to bowl, Root first to face.
Straight on the offensive from Root, who tries to find a boundary but fires to square leg.
He adds a single on the second ball of the over.
Australia v England
04:00 , Mike JonesOkay then, day two of the second Test is about to get underway.
Joe Root and Jofra Archer will stride out to the crease to hopefully extend England’s lead of 325.
The more runs they can get with a smash and grab this morning (or afternoon for those of you in Brisbane) the better position they’ll be in when they start to bowl.
Let’s see how they get on...
Australia v England
03:40 , Mike JonesEngland have a slight advantage in the second Ashes Test match thanks to a fabulous 135* from Joe Root on day one at the Gabba.
Root had never scored a hundred in Australia before yesterday’s heroics rescued England from the terrible position of 5-2 after Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope were dismissed early on. He was the anchor for England’s innings with contributions also coming from Zak Crawley (76), Harry Brook (31) and Jofra Archer (32*).
The latter came as part of an exciting and bombastic 10th wicket stand with Root that brought 61 runs and took the visitors to the close of play. Both players will continue their attack on the Australian bowlers before aiming to early inroads into the batting line-up.
England’s bowling unit, led by Archer and Gus Atkinson, will look to Mitchell Starc for inspiration after the left-arm seamer took six wickets on Thursday to continuously halt England’s progress. Day two is set to be another exciting and thrilling affair full of twists and turns that only Test cricket can provide.
Should England have declared?
03:20 , Mike JonesAustralian cricket legend Glenn McGrath said: “The ball is soft, not doing much, it's better conditions to bat in, I'm not surprised England got runs on the board.
“You maybe still would've wanted to have a go with the ball though. There was potential for Australia to be four wickets down going into tomorrow.
“Bowling under light with the new pink ball is as tough as it gets. It's only three millimetres of grass out there, that's the difference.
“It's a lot easier to bowl and get some wickets on the conditions out there now than it will be tomorrow morning.”
Joe Root silences his last remaining critics with England century for the Ashes history books
03:00 , Cameron PonsonbyAnd he did it with a shrug.
It’s not often you get to watch history. To see the storyline from beginning to end. It’s been 12 years since Joe Root first played Test cricket in Australia. And it has been an altogether horrible experience.
Fifteen matches. Thirteen losses. Zero wins. In truth, that is the statistic that is most important to address. A century cements his individual legacy – the batter who could indeed do it everywhere – but winning in Australia is the true white whale of his and every other Englishman’s career.
Joe Root silences his last remaining critics with historic Ashes century
Alex Carey reviews Australia's day one performance
02:40 , Mike JonesThe Australian wicket keeper said: "A bit up and down really, We started well with the ball, saw a good partnership form with Crawley and Root.
“Got back into them after the break, that late partnership was crucial for them. Could've been worse, could've been better.
“I thought Joe played an outstanding innings and I know it means a lot to him to get that on Australian soil."
Lyon feels 'filthy' after Test omission
02:20 , Mike JonesSpinner Nathan Lyon says he felt "absolutely filthy" after being left out of Australia’s starting XI for the first time in a home series since 2012.
"Absolutely filthy," said Lyon when he was asked how he felt.
"To be honest I haven't really sat down with 'Ronnie' [McDonald] or George yet. I'm letting things settle down in my own head and trying to make sure that I'm doing whatever I can to make sure the guys out in the middle representing Australia do the right thing and get the right result for us.
"I'm not the first player to miss a Test match and I won't be the last. I'm obviously pretty gutted because I know the role that I can play within Australian cricket and especially at a venue like this.
"Extremely disappointed, but I'll do whatever I have to do to make sure these guys get up."
Steve Smith on Pat Cummins' omission
02:00 , Mike JonesAustralia captain Steve Smith said: "Pat was close. He's done everything right. We thought it might have been a little bit risky for this game but he's tracking well for the next one.
"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 in this fixture."
England should use Starc as inspiration
01:40 , Mike JonesMitchell Starc was once again the pick of the Australian bowlers on day one having taken 6-71 with Michael Neser and Scott Boland the only other two Australian with a mark in the wicket column.
Starc probed England’s outside edges and put the ball in areas to draw out mistakes from the batters.
There was more movement towards the end of the day as well meaning England will need to restrict Australia when it comes to their turn with the ball.
Crawley bounces back from pair
01:20 , Mike JonesTwo innings at Perth without scoring a run could have damaged Zak Crawley’s mindset but the opener manages to shrug aside any doubts at the Gabba when he collect 76 runs on day one.
"I had a clear plan and I stuck to it. I hit the ball hard if it came into my area on the leg side,” he revealed.
“A couple of loose shots as I tend to do but I got away with them and played nicely down the ground as well.
“When I got in and the ball started doing less, I felt I could do more on the off side."
Hayden relieved after Root ton
01:00 , Mike JonesAhead of the series Matthew Hayden had pledged to “walk nude” around the Melbourne Cricket Ground if Root was unable to end his lack of centuries in Australia.
The former Australia opener said: “Congratulations mate on a hundred here in Australia.
“It took you a while and there was no one that had more skin in the game than me, literally.
“I was backing you for a hundred in a good way, so congratulations. You little ripper, mate, have a beauty and bloody enjoy it.”
Broad questions Brook's application
00:40 , Mike JonesStuart Broad is a former teammate of Harry Brook but questioned some of the decisions made by the middle order batter during this series.
“He’s played 31 Test matches now,” said Broad, speaking on Australia’s Channel 7. “He’s not someone starting out his Test match career.
“I just look at his last three Test matches: India at the Oval, the game was won, he got a brilliant hundred, and he chipped one to mid-off and England up losing that Test match by six runs; then he played beautifully at Perth [in] innings one; innings two, Australia were getting back in the game and he played a loose drive and he’s out; and a similar thing happens this afternoon.
“Is he recognising the game scenario? That’s such a crucial thing about Test match cricket. Is he aware of what’s happening at that time in the Test match?”
Stuart Broad questions Harry Brook over ‘crucial’ part of game after Ashes mistake
00:20 , Mike JonesStuart Broad has questioned Harry Brook’s in-game nous after the England batter “gifted” his wicket to Australia in the first innings of the second Ashes Test.
Brook came in with England 122-3 on day one at The Gabba, and began building a promising partnership with Joe Root in favourable batting conditions in Brisbane.
Stuart Broad questions Harry Brook over ‘crucial’ part of game after Ashes mistake
Vaughan on Root's hundred
00:00 , Mike JonesMichael Vaughan said on Kayo Sports: “His 40th (century), and his most precious, has just arrived. That was the one that he wanted.
“All the talk leading into this series was ‘will Joe Root get three figures in Australia?’. Well, in his third innings of the series he’s done it off the back of a difficult week in Perth.
“For England to compete they need that man. It was a technical masterclass from England’s best player.”
How is the pitch playing?
Thursday 4 December 2025 23:40 , Mike JonesThe average first innings score in a day-night pink ball test at the Gabba is 290 but the consensus was that the pitch was less harmful today.
Zak Crawley said: "The last few days it's been really green so we thought it was going to be a nipper.
“They shaved it this morning, so I thought it would be a good toss to win and I think it was."
Crawley on Root's class hundred
Thursday 4 December 2025 23:20 , Mike Jones“We were talking about it for ages before he got there and when he did we were so chuffed for him. So was everyone in the ground, it was a great moment,” said Zak Crawley, who hit 76 and shared a stand of 117 with Joe Root.
“I saw him in the changing room and he was his usual self, so humble, not trying to make too much of a deal of it but I’m sure inside he’s pretty delighted. He’s never mentioned it once, nobody’s mentioned it to him, but I’d be amazed if it wasn’t in his head, for sure.
“The fact he can put that out and score that hundred shows what a class act he is and how tough he is. Everyone sees the talent but nobody sees the inner steel he’s got as well.”
Zak Crawley hails ‘humble’ Joe Root as he makes first Ashes century in Australia
Thursday 4 December 2025 23:00 , Mike JonesZak Crawley paid tribute to England’s “humble” hero Joe Root after he finally celebrated his first Test century on Australian soil.
He may be England’s record run-scorer, and second only to Sachin Tendulkar on the all-time list, but Root was branded a “dud” by the local media on arrival Down Under having failed to score a Test hundred in 15 appearances dating back 13 years.
Zak Crawley hails ‘humble’ Joe Root as he makes first Ashes century in Australia
'I think it's our day'
Thursday 4 December 2025 22:40 , Mike JonesZak Crawley believes that England won the battle on day one and is looking forward to getting stuck in again at the Gabba.
"A great start by them. A couple of really good balls and a bit unlucky for Pope, but that was me last week, so I know how it feels,” Crawley explained when talking about how the first day played out.
“That is nature of the beast at the top of the order.
"I was pleased with how I played, I wanted more, and I was gutted to get out. Standing here now, I am happy with 76, and I feel we're in a good position.
"The chat was to go hard and if we got out we could have had half an hour with them. They [Joe Root and Jofra Archer] got some crucial runs - a phenomenal effort and it puts us in a good position.
"Sitting here as an England player, I think it is our day."
Ashes 2025/26 schedule
Thursday 4 December 2025 22:20 , Mike JonesFirst Test, Optus Stadium in Perth: Australia won by eight wickets
Second Test, Gabba in Brisbane: 4-8 December (4am GMT)
Third Test, Adelaide Oval in Adelaide: 17-21 December (12am)
Fourth Test, MCG in Melbourne: 26-30 December (11.30pm, 25 December)
Fifth Test, SCG in Sydney: 4-8 January (11.30pm, 3 January)
Joe Root excels on day one
Thursday 4 December 2025 22:00 , Mike JonesEngland looked in real trouble at the start of day one at the Gabba after Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope were dismissed for ducks to leave the tourists on 5-2.
It was the worst possible start following their two-day defeat at Perth but Root held the innings together with a sublime 135* and will resume his innings this morning.
Good evening!
Thursday 4 December 2025 15:35 , Mike JonesWelcome to The Independent’s coverage of the second Ashes Test match after a thrilling first day in Brisbane leaves England in a decent position.
Day two will kick off at 4am GMT but we’ll have all the news and updates beforehand so stick with us.