Michael Neser was the star of the show as he picked up a magnificent 5-wicket haul and broke England’s stiff resistance to bowl them out for 241 as Australia inched closer to the win even as Steve Smith took some spectacular catches. England were bowled out for 241 despite Ben Stokes’ 50 and it meant Australia needed 65 for the win.
Gus Atkinson picked up 2 wickets for England as Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne were dismissed. Jake Weatherald remained unbeaten on 22 and Steve Smith was a runaway train as he scored 23* off 9 balls and hit a maximum to hit the winning runs as Australia went 2-0 up in the 5-match series with 3 Test matches still to play.
Steve Smith pulls off a screamer to dismiss Will Jacks at the stroke of Drinks as the resistance finally comes to an end
Ben Stokes and Will Jacks resumed proceedings for England while Mitchell Starc had ball in hand for Australia. Starc bowled a good probing over. Cameron Green had ball in hand from the other end. Jacks flicked the ball on the pads past mid-on for a boundary as the 200 came up for England in 60.3 overs. Starc bowled another quiet over. Green bowled another good over.
Starc continued and kept things tight. Brendan Doggett came back into the attack as Head dropped a tough catch at backward short leg. Michael Neser came back into the attack and bowled a decent over. Doggett bowled a decent over. Neser continued as Stokes was hit on the box and was down in real pain at one point. Doggett continued and bowled another good over.
Neser continued and then what we saw was something extraordinary as Steve Smith pulled off a stunner at first slip to dismiss Jacks for 41 off 92 balls with 2 fours to his name. The length ball that skidded through. Jacks prod forward and hung his bat away from the body to defend and the ball moved away to get the outside edge as Smith dived to his left one-handed to take a one-handed stunner inches from the ground. Drinks was taken at this stage. Gus Atkinson replaced Jacks in the middle to join Stokes.
Michael Neser’s 5-wicket haul skittles England out for 241; Australia get off to a solid start in chase
Gus Atkinson survived a LBW scare by getting an inside edge onto his pads as Australia burnt their review and were down to 0 reviews. Doggett continued as Stokes reached his fifty his 36th in Test cricket with a single to deep backward point. Neser continued and got the big fish as he dismissed Stokes for 50 off 152 balls with 4 fours to his name as the keeper Alex Carey standing upto the stumps took a good catch and this was a huge wicket for the Aussies.
Brydon Carse came to the crease and got off the mark with a double. Doggett got his first wicket as well as he dismissed Atkinson for 3 off 13 balls as the short ball was pulled away straight to forward square leg as the 9th wicket went down for England. Jofra Archer came out to bat next. Neser continued as Carse managed to heave it away to the leg side behind square for a triple. Doggett continued as Archer stood tall and pulled it away hard square of the wicket as the ball went away to the deep forward square leg region.
Neser continued and got his five-wicket haul and finished the innings as well as he dismissed Carse for 7 off 10 balls as the hard length coming back in got the outside edge as the batter tried to stay leg side and got the outside edge to first slip where Smith took another easy catch. England were bowled out for 241 in 75.2 overs with Archer remaining unbeaten on 5 off 9 balls with one boundary to his name. 16 extras given by the fielding side.
Michael Neser was the standout and was the pick of the bowlers for Australia with figures of 5/42 in 16.2 overs. Mitchell Starc finished with 2/64 in 18 overs. Scott Boland finished with 2/47 in 17 overs. Brendan Doggett finished with 1/56 in 17 overs. Cameron Green bowled 5 overs for 15 runs. Travis Head bowled an over for 1 run while Marnus Labuschagne bowled an over for 3 runs. That meant the target for Australia in the 4th innings would be 65 to win the contest and take a 2-0 lead in Ashes 2025-26.
Chasing 65 for the win, Travis Head and Jake Weatherald came out to bat for Australia while Jofra Archer had ball in hand for England. Archer sprayed the ball down the leg side and gifted 4 byes to the batting side. Gus Atkinson took the ball from the other end. Weatherald hit him for a triple. Head then pushed the ball through cover point for a boundary. Archer continued as Weatherald got a streaky boundary as the inside edge went past leg stump to the fine leg fence.
Atkinson continued as Head whipped it away over backward square leg for the maximum. Head was not done yet as he punched it crisply through the cover point region for a boundary. Archer continued and bowled a decent over. Australia have raced to 33/0 in 5 overs and need a further 32 more to win with Travis Head batting on 19* off 18 balls with 2 fours and a maximum to his name while Jake Weatherald is with him on 10* off 12 balls with one four to his name. 4 extras given by England already.
Two bowlers used by England with Jofra Archer giving 10 runs in 3 overs while Gus Atkinson has given 19 runs in 2 overs. The end is near as Australia are 32 more runs away for the win.
Gus Atkinson strikes twice; but Steve Smith takes Australia over the line
Travis Head and Jake Weatherald will resume proceedings for Australia while Gus Atkinson had ball in hand for England. Atkinson struck for England as he removed Head for 22 off 22 balls with 2 fours and one six to his name as Head tried to late cut and got an inside edge back onto the stumps as he played away from the body. Marnus Labuschagne came out to bat next and got off the mark. Jofra Archer continued from the other end.
Jake Weatherald survived a LBW scare as England burnt a review off Archer. Atkinson continued and got rid of Marnus Labuschagne for 3 off 6 balls as the ball bounced and fended it off to the keeper. Captain Steve Smith came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. Archer continued as Smith took him on by pulling to midwicket for a boundary.
Smith and Archer exchanged words and he bowled a bouncer and Smith was ready as he went for the pull shot and over the keeper for a boundary. Smith then took on Archer as he got inside the line and helped it on its way over fine leg fence for the maximum. Atkinson continued as Weatherald pressed forward and on drove it through vacant mid-on for a boundary. Smith then hit the winning runs as the short ball on the stumps was pulled over square leg fence for the maximum as Australia got over the line.
Smith remained unbeaten on 23 off 9 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes to his name while Weatherald remained unbeaten on 22 off 22 balls with 2 fours and one six to his name. 4 extras given by England. Two bowlers used by England with Jofra Archer going for 28 in 5 overs and Gus Atkinson picked up 2/37 in 5 overs. Australia won by 8 wickets to go 2-0 up in 5-match series with 3 games to spare. Mitchell Starc was awarded the Player of the Match.
What Lies Ahead
So, Australia have gone 2-0 ahead in the 5-match series with 3 matches to play as they win this game by 8 wickets inside 4 days. The next Test match will take place at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, South Australia from December 17th, 2025 from 5 AM IST onwards. Australia will look to seal the series in Adelaide while England will be in must-win territory from here to regain the Ashes.
Let’s see how things pan out when Ashes resumes in about a week’s time in Adelaide.
Also Read:Â Ashes 2025-26: Ben Stokes Inspires England Fightback