England's seam bowlers squandered a golden opportunity with the new pink ball on the second day of the second Ashes Test in Brisbane, delivering a wayward and costly performance that allowed Australia to seize control of the match.
A Discordant Tone Set From the Start
The stark contrast to their disciplined first-innings display in Perth was immediate. Where Jofra Archer's opening spell in the previous Test was a masterclass in menace, his first over at the Gabba was a portrait of inaccuracy. His initial delivery pitched harmlessly down the leg side to Travis Head, setting a tone of inconsistency that infected the entire attack. The bowlers failed to find a consistent line or length, veering from too wide to too straight, too short to too full.
This was in direct opposition to the blueprint offered by Australia's Mitchell Starc on day one and throughout his extensive day-night cricket experience. The pink Kookaburra ball is notoriously potent for a short, sharp period when new and hard, but England's bowlers rendered it toothless. For the Australian batters, it was a session of minimal threat, with the top of off stump rarely in danger and a flood of easy runs offered, particularly off the back foot.
A Costly Drop and a Run-Rate Surge
The session's solitary moment of potential encouragement swiftly turned into a source of demoralisation. Archer, the least errant of England's bowlers, found the edge of Travis Head's bat when the batter was on four, only for wicketkeeper Jamie Smith to spill a straightforward catch. Head, initially scratchy, was unleashed by the reprieve, brutally accelerating to score 29 off his next 14 deliveries.
From a sedate start of three maidens, the run rate exploded. Between the start of play and the drinks break, Australia scored at an alarming 7.1 runs per over. The assault continued almost unabated after the interval, with one particularly brutal period yielding 91 runs from just 11 overs, peppered with 16 boundaries. Brydon Carse, despite taking three wickets later, bore the brunt of the assault, his 17 overs leaking 113 runs.
Stark Contrast to Perth and Crawley's Miscalculation
The limp display threw into sharp relief the efficiency of England's bowling in the first innings at Perth, where Archer's second ball had claimed a wicket and Australia were bundled out cheaply. It also made Zak Crawley's overnight assessment of England's 325 all out appear premature. His suggestion that England's faster scoring rate might work in their favour seemed less impressive just a couple of hours into day two, as Australia teed off with ease.
While Ben Stokes and Carse hinted at a late fightback, the damage from the first two sessions was profound. The body language in the field spoke volumes, with players appearing flat and opportunities for regrouping during the drinks break failing to spark a turnaround. Ultimately, it was a session where England's bowlers, not their batsmen, were guilty of fumbling a key phase of the game, handing Australia a significant advantage in the Brisbane Test.
