Australia Takes Command in Second Ashes Test at The Gabba
Australia Dominates Day Three
On the third day of the second Ashes Test at The Gabba, Australia solidified their stronghold by first enhancing their significant first-innings lead. Their bowlers then delivered critical strikes under the floodlights, leaving England struggling at 134/6 in their second innings, trailing by 43 runs.
Lower Order Contributions Boost Australia's Lead
Starting the day at 378/6, Australia's lower order, spearheaded by Mitchell Starc, ensured they fully capitalized on their advantageous position. Starc, who began the day not out, scored an impressive 77 runs, helping Australia reach a first-innings total of 511. He partnered with Scott Boland, who contributed 21 runs, to form a vital 75-run partnership. Wicketkeeper Alex Carey also added a significant 63 runs. Brydon Carse was the standout bowler for England, finishing with figures of 4/152. The final wickets fell quickly after the partnership, as England's bowlers struggled in the morning session.
England's Batting Struggles Under Pressure
With a commanding 177-run first-innings lead, Australia put England in a challenging position. Openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett began their innings aggressively, quickly reducing the deficit by 48 runs in just 7.3 overs. However, the Australian bowlers soon found their rhythm, with Scott Boland taking the first wicket by dismissing Ben Duckett for 15. Key breakthroughs followed as Michael Neser removed both Ollie Pope (26) and Zak Crawley (44). Despite a decent run rate, the Australian bowlers consistently took wickets. The day concluded with England's wicketkeeper Jaimie Smith falling for 4, dismissed by Starc. Earlier, Joe Root (15) and Harry Brook (15) were also dismissed by Starc and Boland, respectively, marking a significant shift in England's momentum. By the end of the day, Starc, Neser, and Boland each had two wickets.
Boland Discusses Australia's Bowling Tactics
After the conclusion of Day 3, Boland shared insights on Australia's bowling strategy, emphasizing the importance of targeting the right areas and leveraging the pitch's unpredictable bounce to create opportunities. He commended the lower order's efforts to exhaust England's bowlers and extend play into the night session. Boland also praised Starc's batting performance, noting that while all fast bowlers experience discomfort, Starc manages it exceptionally well. "We aimed to deliver as many balls in the right areas as possible. I believe we executed our bowling strategy effectively. England players tend to play their shots, and on this type of wicket, with its variable bounce, if we consistently bowl in the right areas, chances will arise. Nes took some excellent catches to get us started. Our primary goal was to tire out the England bowlers while also extending our bowling into the night session. Starcy batted brilliantly. Every fast bowler deals with some pain, but he seems to cope better than most," Boland stated.