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Ben Stokes’ side eye redemption at the iconic Brisbane stadium after a humiliating first Test loss to Australia inside two days
Chris Wilson,Luke BakerThursday 04 December 2025 09:19 GMTComments
CloseShellshocked England fall to heavy Ashes defeat inside two days
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A pair of half centuries from Zak Crawley and Joe Root have led an England rebuild after the visitors fell to 5-2 early on in the second Ashes Test at the Gabba.
Mitchell Starc took the early wickets of both Ben Duckett (0) and Ollie Pope (0) as Australia targeted a similarly brutal bowling display as that which saw the visitors succumb to the hosts inside two days of pulsating cricket in the first Test.
But Crawley and Root found a quick tempo across the rest of the first session to end at 98-2 at tea. The hosts fought back with the wickets of Crawley (76) and Harry Brook (31) but Root brought up his half-century and he, and captain Ben Stokes, look to deal with the moving pink ball in the second session.
Stokes explained the painful decision to leave out Shoaib Bashir, instead preferring fellow spinner Will Jacks as a replacement for Mark Wood in the only change to the side. For Australia, skipper Pat Cummins was left out again and Nathan Lyon is also on the sidelines, with pink ball specialist Michael Neser preferred and Josh Inglis replacing Usman Khawaja.
Follow all the latest updates, scores and analysis on day one at The Gabba below:
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Ashes 2025/26: Australia v England - second Test, day one
- The second Test of the Ashes begins with day one at the Gabba | Live on TNT Sports
- Wicket! Brook falls after making quick start (ENG 176-4)
- Wicket! Crawley falls for 76 after England rebuild (ENG 122-3)
- Wicket! Starc bowls Pope for duck (ENG 5-2)
- Wicket! Starc takes Duckett in first over (ENG 5-1)
- Australia lead 1-0 after winning first Test but leave out captain Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon
- England pick all-rounder Will Jacks over spinner Shoaib Bashir to replace fast bowler Mark Wood
England 203-4
Stokes takes England past 200 with a solid four down the ground.
Starc still bowling around 140km/h though and the England captain doesn’t fancy trying to make contact with too many of them! He settles for four from the over.
Chris Wilson4 December 2025 09:19England 199-4
Root brings up 70 after an overthrow but it was good fielding from Inglis to prevent the boundary.
Stokes gets another sharp single to end the over and the tourists are just trying to tick on here.
Chris Wilson4 December 2025 09:13England 197-4
A practical single to begin with for Root.
Stokes follows with similarly disciplined shots, before Starc asks the question of the umpire regarding the ball – nothing doing again.
Just a single off the 48th over.
(Getty Images)Chris Wilson4 December 2025 09:09Final session
Here we go in the final session of the day then! Under the lights at the Gabba.
Root faces Starc to begin with, and the England man is 32 runs of what would be a famous century.
Chris Wilson4 December 2025 09:04Starc 'one of our greatest bowlers'
Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey briefly spoke to Adam Gilchrist before tea. Here’s what he had to say:
“"He is one of our greatest bowlers that Australia has seen and now the world has seen."
On the conditions under lights, he adds: "It has quickened up a little bit.
"Our eyes adjust a little bit, that slight variation what we see from night to day has started to come in.
"It will be full darkness when we come back out."
Chris Wilson4 December 2025 08:58England 196-4 at tea
Interestingly, England have gone 98-2 in both of the first two sessions this morning. You imagine they’d take that in the third too!
Chris Wilson4 December 2025 08:51England 196-4 at tea
Another interval here as both sides head in for a breather.
Another two wickets for England and they’ve had to be far more patient over the last 30 minutes or so, but Root and Stokes will be fairly happy for now.
Chris Wilson4 December 2025 08:46England 196-4
Some decent bowling – and some great work from Carey – sees Neser produce another maiden. He’s certainly improved as the lights have come on.
Chris Wilson4 December 2025 08:44England 196-4
Decent defending from Stokes but Neser bowls a wide to give the tourists one run and prevent another maiden.
Starc up next again, though both Root and Stokes manage to batter away singles to dismiss the threat for now!
Chris Wilson4 December 2025 08:39England 193-4
The sun is setting in Brisbane!
Patient, disciplined play from Root as he leaves Starc’s two latest deliveries.
He adds a single on the fourth before Stokes finds one of his own and Root closes it out.
Chris Wilson4 December 2025 08:28Newer1 / 8OlderMore about
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