England’s chances in the second Test and their Ashes hopes took a serious hit on a bleak third day in Brisbane. This match adds to England’s long history of struggles at the Gabba, where they haven’t celebrated a victory since 1986.
On a tense Saturday, the Australian crowd cheered as England faltered. The visitors found themselves in turmoil, at one point standing at 134-6, trailing by 43 runs. They narrowly avoided defeat within just three days of play.
After trailing by 177 runs from the first innings, England began their second innings with some promise, reaching 45 runs without loss after six overs. But history repeated itself, and soon mistakes sank their chances.
Ben Duckett was unfortunate to be bowled by a tricky delivery from Scott Boland. Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley both fell victim to a careless approach, getting caught by Michael Neser. Joe Root edged one from Mitchell Starc, while Harry Brook also edged a ball from Boland. Jamie Smith, another casualty, fell trying to drive Starc.
Captain Ben Stokes has previously pulled off incredible comebacks in Ashes history, but this won’t be one of those moments. His team is crumbling around him, though he remains unbeaten alongside Will Jacks at just four runs.
Earlier, Australia continued to dominate, with Mitchell Starc contributing 77 runs to their impressive total of 511. They had England on the field for nearly two sessions, making the collapse that followed predictable.
According to recent statistics from the International Cricket Council, England’s batting performance on Australian soil has consistently ranked lower than their historical averages. In a survey, fans expressed disappointment with the team’s resilience, showing a growing concern about their performance in key matches.
As for social media, hashtags like #AshesFail trended after the day’s play, echoing the frustration of fans who expected more from their team.
Historically, England has struggled in similar situations, often facing immense pressure in Aussie conditions. This match is yet another page in that ongoing saga. The coming days will reveal if England can turn this around or if their Ashes dreams will slip away entirely.
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