&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Ashes 2025-26: Australia four wickets away from victory in Gabba")
Australia tightened their grip on the second Ashes Test after ending day 3 (Dec 6) in Brisbane with England struggling at 134/6. Earlier in the day, Australia pushed their first-innings total to 511, thanks to key knocks from Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc. Carey scored a brisk fifty, while Starc held firm to bring up his 12th Test half-century, helping Australia stretch their lead and control the game. England began their reply with a steady opening stand of 48, but once the new ball started to grip, everything changed. The innings fell apart as Scott Boland, Mitchell Starc, and Michael Neser picked up two wickets each, breaking England’s middle order and killing any momentum they tried to build.
Meanwhile, Australia started the morning on 378/6, and the visitors hoped to wrap up the innings quickly. But Starc flipped the script by surviving the early pressure and scoring freely, frustrating England with smart strokeplay and calm defence. Carey kept the scoreboard moving at the other end before falling after his fifty, but Starc carried on. His 77 became the highest score by a No. 9 at the Gabba, and his 75-run stand with Scott Boland dragged the hosts far ahead.
By the time Australia were bowled out, the heat had taken its toll on England. Their bowlers had spent long hours in the field, and that proved costly once the pink ball came out under lights.
England’s second innings began brightly. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett went after the bowlers early, reaching 45 without loss in just six overs. But the moment the floodlights took control, the game flipped. Duckett was bowled by a ball from Boland that shot low. Pope followed soon after, giving Neser a sharp return catch. Crawley fell to the same bowler in almost identical fashion.
Joe Root tried to steady England with Harry Brook, but Starc removed him with a full ball that took the outside edge. Brook’s dismissal soon after deepened England’s trouble, and Jamie Smith also fell cheaply to Starc.
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At stumps, Ben Stokes and Will Jacks were hanging on, but England still trail by 43 runs with only four wickets left. Australia now look set to take a 2-0 lead in the Ashes, with England once again staring at defeat at the Gabba.
