Australia’s interim captain, Steve Smith, has spoken out following a tense confrontation with England’s fast bowler Jofra Archer during the closing stages of the match at the Gabba. The visitors needed to dismiss the Aussies for less than 64 runs, but Smith led his team to victory once again by scoring the winning runs for the second consecutive Test.
Smith joined the crease with Australia at 41-2 and played a crucial role in their triumph by scoring an impressive 23 runs off just nine deliveries. He struck two massive sixes and two fours during his brief innings, dominating Archer who conceded 15 runs off only five balls.
The heated exchange between Smith and Archer occurred during an intense over at the Gabba, with Archer visibly frustrated after being hit for boundaries by Smith. However, the Aussie skipper let his bat do the talking and dispatched Archer for a six towards deep fine leg and over the boundary. England’s bowlers were left reeling from the onslaught at the Gabba.
In the subsequent over, Smith hit another six to seal the victory, giving Australia a commanding 2-0 lead as they head into the next Test in Adelaide.
When questioned about the on-field exchange with Archer, Smith remarked, “That stays on the field. It was good banter. He’s a good competitor and comes hard at you, so it was good fun.”
Archer’s frustration was evident as he struggled with the pink ball throughout the second Test, reflecting England’s overall bowling performance that fell short of their best compared to the opening day in Perth.
England set a challenging target of 334 for the hosts to chase down, buoyed by Joe Root’s unbeaten 134 in the first innings. However, Australia comfortably reached 511 runs with significant contributions from Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Smith, Alex Carey, and Mitchell Starc.
Despite a promising start, England ended day three trailing by 43 runs at 134-6, eventually being bowled out for 241 with notable resistance from Ben Stokes and Will Jacks.
Travis Head and Weatherald provided a rapid start to the chase before Smith’s explosive batting display ensured a swift conclusion to the match.
Looking ahead, Smith acknowledged the exceptional performance of his team, praising their resilience and solid contributions, especially from the lower-order batsmen. He also highlighted the promising partnership between Jacks and Stokes, emphasizing the unpredictability of the game if Stokes had remained at the crease.
With the series hanging in the balance, England must secure a victory in Adelaide to keep their Ashes hopes alive, with the third Test scheduled to commence on December 17.
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The Ashes action, commencing on November 21, will be broadcast live on TNT Sports, available for viewing on discovery+ or Prime Video’s TNT Sports channel.