England are searching for early wickets to wrestle back control in the second Ashes Test after Australia took a first innings lead after day two at The Gabba.
In what was a gripping day in Brisbane, England mostly toiled with the ball after half centuries from Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith.
The Australia skipper put on a big partnership with Cameron Green, only for Brydon Carse’s bowling and a stunning catch from Will Jacks to swing momentum once more.
Ben Stokes also removed Josh Inglis’ stumps to reduce the damage further, but Alex Carey and Michael Neser remain at the crease ahead of day three, leaving England with an uphill battle.
Follow all the latest updates, scores and analysis on day one at The Gabba below:
Ashes 2025/26: Australia v England - second Test, day three
- Day three of the second Ashes Test continues at the Gabba from 4am GMT | Live on TNT Sports
- Australia closed day two 377-6 with a lead of 44 runs
- Joe Root (138*) and Jofra Archer (38) helped England to 334 all out in first innings
- Root emphatic on England chances at The Gabba
Australia bowler Josh Hazlewood suffers Ashes injury setback with new timeline for return
23:15 , Jack RathbornJosh Hazlewood’s hopes of playing a part in the 2025/26 Ashes series are hanging by a thread after he suffered another setback on his recovery.
"Josh Hazlewood reported achilles soreness this week during his rehabilitation from recent hamstring injury," a Cricket Australia statement said.
"It is a low-grade issue and he is expected to recommence running and bowling next week."
Australia bowler Josh Hazlewood suffers new Ashes injury setback
Nasser Hussain gives verdict on England after day two
22:53 , Jack Rathborn"England with the new ball: it's just a given that when you rock up to The Gabba, rock up to Australia, you don't get carried away with the bounce,” Nasser Hussain said on Sky Sports Cricket’s Ashes Daily podcast.
"The same attack that was so brilliant in the first innings in Perth - with no [Mark] Wood - just ran up and said 'cut me'. I've never seen so many upper cuts and ramps in the first 15 overs of a new ball spell. It was incredible.
"There's nothing in between with this England side. They're either really poor or they show a bit of character and try and fight back towards the end of the day.
Michael Atherton gives verdict on 'awful' England
22:35 , Jack Rathborn"[England] awful in the morning," Atherton said on Sky Sports Cricket's Ashes Daily Podcast. "They just bowled badly, it's as simple as that.
“Australia going along at six an over, England bowling short and wide, getting clattered to all parts.
“Brydon Carse had a particularly rough day. But I thought none of them were particularly good; [Jofra] Archer was the pick, and there was a drop off when you moved away from Archer and [Gus] Atkinson in combination.”
England feel sting of familiar Ashes pain on day of missed chances in Brisbane
22:15 , Jack RathbornIt was good, it was bad, and then it was terrible.
England may only trail by 44, but it feels like more. Day two at the Gabba was chaos punctuated by erratic bowling and poor catching.
“That’s third-grade standard,” former Aussie great Mark Waugh said on Fox Sports of England’s bowling display. “Look at this pitch map. That’s all over the place.”
"I just saw Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie," said Stuart Broad on Channel Seven. "I said to them England have bowled more bad balls today than you did in your entire careers."
England feel sting of familiar Ashes pain on day of missed chances
Joe Root backs England to bounce back after costly ‘mistakes’
22:00 , Jack RathbornJoe Root has insisted England’s Ashes campaign remains firmly on track, despite a series of dropped catches gifting Australia five extra lives and a crucial first-innings lead at the Gabba.
"We’re not perfect, we’re all human and we’re going to make mistakes. But it’s how we respond," Root stated.
"It’s about making sure we turn up with the right frame of mind, right attitude and knowing our best game of cricket is good enough to do very special things here. The wheels could have come off and at other times, probably on a tour where I was captain, they would have.
“But we know our best cricket and when we execute well we’re a very difficult side to play against. I don’t think we’re massively out of it at all."
Michael Vaughan bemoans 'jaded' England after day two at The Gabba
13:54 , Jack Rathborn"I would have done things completely differently," Vaughan told BBC Sport. "What I saw today was a team completely jaded.
"These fielding drills - they're fantastic, but you know the ball is coming to you. In a game, you have no clue when it is coming to you and it is completely different.
"The art of taking chances is concentration. If you're not out there on a regular basis, and that chance comes, you have to be concentrating to take that opportunity. The only way you get good at that is by training the brain to do it."
Can England win this Test? Joe Root defiant after day two
13:52 , Jack Rathborn"We have to show positivity tomorrow and we know our best cricket can turn a fixture really quickly,” said Joe Root.
“If we turn up with our best then this fixture can very quickly turn in our favour.
“Then our talent with the bat can go out there and express themselves in the right way to get a big score to leave them batting last on a tricky surface."
