Gabba Test: Powered by Michael Neser’s maiden five-wicket haul, Australia strengthened their hold on the Ashes by securing an eight-wicket victory over England in the second Test at the Gabba on Sunday.
On day four’s play, England briefly resisted with a 96-run partnership between captain Ben Stokes, who scored a fifty, and Will Jacks, who made 41. However, the lower order collapsed once Neser, drafted ahead of Nathan Lyon, delivered the decisive blows to take 5-41, leaving Australia to chase only 65 for victory.
Australia’s pursuit of the target was swift, with Steve Smith’s unbeaten 23 off nine balls dashing any hopes of a late England comeback. The victory gave the hosts a 2-0 lead in the five-match series, with the third Test set to start in Adelaide on December 17, followed by matches in Melbourne and Sydney.
Resuming from 143/6, England demonstrated resistance through a defiant seventh-wicket partnership between Stokes and Jacks. However, their dismissals in consecutive overs, Smith taking a superb catch to dismiss Jacks, and Alex Carey brilliantly standing up to the stumps to dismiss Stokes, sparked a major collapse.
With the rest of the batting line-up offering no resistance, England lost their last four wickets for just 17 runs and were bowled out for 241. Neser, playing a Test match after nearly three years, was the standout for Australia by claiming his career-best figures at his home ground.
Resuming from 143/6, England demonstrated resistance through a defiant seventh-wicket partnership between Stokes and Jacks. However, their dismissals in consecutive overs, Smith taking a superb catch to dismiss Jacks, and Alex Carey brilliantly standing up to the stumps to dismiss Stokes, sparked a major collapse.
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Brief Scores: England 334 and 241 (Ben Stokes 50, Zak Crawley 44; Michael Neser 5-42, Scott Boland 2-47) lost to Australia 511 and 69/2 (Steve Smith 23 not out; Gus Atkinson 2-37) by eight wickets