England’s Ashes dream on life support after Starc stars with bat and ball

3 months ago 16

England’s bid to regain the Ashes is on life support after Mitchell Starc and Australia’s lower order blew the second Test wide open, before another brittle batting display left the tourists staring at a shambolic defeat by an innings.

Resuming on day three at 6-378, with a 44-run lead, Australia tormented England’s weary fast bowlers under a punishing Brisbane sun, reaching 511 in 117.3 overs.

Mitchell Starc celebrates after dismissing Jamie Smith late on day three.

There were healthy contributions all through the order, with all 11 of Australia’s batsmen reaching double figures for the first time in an innings since 1992.

Alex Carey’s 63 and Starc’s gritty contribution of 77 – his third-highest Test score – plus stubborn resistance from No.10 Scott Boland ensured England managed just two wickets in a 26-over opening session that bled runs and momentum and slumped to a 177-run first-innings deficit.

England openers began their second dig in brisk fashion as Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett shaved off 45 runs inside six overs before the last break, but the Bazball swagger evaporated quickly after Duckett under-edged a delivery that stayed low and crashed into his stumps off Scott Boland (2-33).

From there, England’s innings quickly fell to pieces as the tourists, 1-90 at one point, crumbled to 6-134 by stumps. The prized scalp of Joe Root was claimed for 15, after the first-innings century-maker nicked Starc (2-48) through to Carey.

Australia celebrate after Scott Boland claimed they key wicket of Harry Brook.

A 2-0 series scoreline now looms on Sunday unless Brisbane’s meteorologists have got their forecasts of clear, sunny weather spectacularly wrong or Ben Stokes (4) and No.8 Will Jacks (4) conjure a partnership for the ages.

Two sharp caught-and-bowled efforts from Michael Neser (2-27 from eight overs) quashed England’s faint hopes of victory on a day when Australia’s obstinate late-order batting presented them with the most auspicious bowling conditions of the Test on a pitch that began playing tricks.

Crawley (44) and Pope (26) continued their middling series by scooping short-of-a-length balls back into Neser’s hands after the Queenslander put one down earlier in the innings.

Fresh from ending his century drought in Australia on Thursday, Root exuded authority behind point and encouraged Harry Brook to shift momentum with him.

But with 46 minutes left in the day, Starc claimed his 17th wicket of the series, finding Root’s edge through to Carey. It felt like the decisive moment. Brook also managed just 15 before falling to Scott Boland.

The scale of England’s challenge was put into perspective earlier in the day by the fact Australia have never lost a Test at the Gabba after posting 400 in an innings, let alone 500.

After Neser fell early for 16, England’s pace-heavy attack quickly ran out of ideas as Carey and Starc punished anything loose and absorbed the better deliveries with composure.

The new ball, taken at 7-405, changed little: just one wicket fell in 19 overs before the main interval, which Australia reached in complete control. Things didn’t get better after as Boland (21 not out) and No.11 Brendan Doggett (13) rubbed salt into the wound.

Before the day’s play had even begun, Jofra Archer’s arrival at the ground with a pillow – a not-so-subtle sign he expected a short stint in the field, followed by a long rest – was seized on by commentators as a portent of bad things to come for the tourists.

“I’m sorry, but that’s a shocking look,” said former Australian opener Matt Hayden said in commentary for Channel Seven. “If I was a batsman … I would be digging in – forever.

“It’d be exactly what you need as a batsman. You’d be looking over at that [pillow] and going, you are never going to sleep on that. Never any part of this day are you going to see that. Not even at night.”

England had not planned for the workload of a full session of bowling in the afternoon sun on day three, raising fresh concerns over whether their quicks will be able to back up for the third Test in Adelaide, starting December 17. At least they are now likely to get most of Sunday off.

Brydon Carse (4-152) toiled hard but was probably thankful he didn’t get a fifth wicket. Many would have found him raising the ball after returning those figures faintly ridiculous.

Carey eventually edged a Gus Atkinson delivery to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, but highlights for the visitors were scarce as Starc absorbed delivery after delivery in the hope of bowling under lights. A slower run rate and a pragmatic approach was critical.

With a slog sweep into the leg side for four, Starc brought up his 12th Test half century and fifth against England to the delight of a raucous Gabba crowd.

A maiden Test century beckoned before Starc holed out to mid-off, 23 shy of the milestone.