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England collapse leaves Ashes in peril
England's Ashes campaign suffered a severe blow on Saturday as their batting lineup disintegrated on day three of the second Test at Brisbane's Gabba, leaving them trailing Australia by 43 runs at 134-6 in their second innings.
First innings deficit proves costly
After Australia posted a commanding total of 511-fueled by Mitchell Starc's aggressive 77-England faced an uphill battle to avoid a crushing defeat. The visitors began their second innings with cautious optimism, reaching 45-0 before dinner, but their resolve quickly unraveled under Australia's relentless bowling attack.
Top-order failures pile pressure on Stokes
England's top order capitulated in familiar fashion, with Ollie Pope (26) and Zak Crawley (44) falling to reckless drives against Michael Neser. Joe Root (15) edged Mitchell Starc, while Harry Brook and Jamie Smith also perished to ill-advised shots. Only Ben Duckett (15) departed with some justification, bowled by a Scott Boland delivery that kept low.
Captain Ben Stokes, unbeaten on four alongside Will Jacks, now faces an almost insurmountable task to salvage the Test, let alone the series. England's history of struggles at the Gabba-where they last won in 1986-showed no signs of ending.
Australia's ruthless efficiency exposes England's flaws
Australia's dominance was built on disciplined bowling and clinical catching, contrasting sharply with England's wasteful batting and dropped chances. Despite missing key players like Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon, the hosts outplayed England in all facets of the game.
"This is not a great Australia team, but they are teaching England how to win Test matches," analysts noted.
Starc's all-round performance epitomized Australia's superiority. After contributing 77 with the bat-his highest home Test score in nine years-he later dismissed Root, adding to his tally of 18 wickets in the series. His partnership with Boland frustrated England's bowlers, extending Australia's lead and exhausting the visitors' fielders.
Bowling strategy under scrutiny
England's bowling tactics came under fire, with Stokes bowling just seven overs and Jofra Archer limited to five. Brydon Carse's figures of 4-152 highlighted the lack of control, while Jack Leach's absence from the attack for much of the innings raised questions about England's planning.
The hosts capitalized on England's loose bowling, with every Australian batter reaching double figures-a rare feat in Test cricket. The partnership between Starc and Boland lasted 27.2 overs, the longest of the series by either side, further demoralizing England's fielders.
Series slipping away
With England trailing 0-1 in the series and winless in Australia for nearly 15 years, the prospect of reclaiming the Ashes appears increasingly remote. Weather forecasts suggest rain could disrupt Sunday's play, but England's task remains daunting regardless.
"This was not Bazball-it was simply poor cricket," critics observed. "Even when England started well, Australia knew a mistake was coming. And when it did, they pounced."
The Gabba crowd, dressed in playful Stormtrooper and Darth Vader costumes, celebrated another dominant day for their team. For England, the focus now shifts to damage control, with a third consecutive defeat looming.
