Bold truth: Ben Stokes steadies England’s fading Ashes hopes with a stubborn, almost clinical innings that defies the chaos around him. In a match where England’s traditional aggression drew heavy criticism, Stokes opts for caution and craft, delivering a measured 36 to steer England through a tense opening phase on Day 4. This approach preserves England’s slim chances and keeps the day-night contest alive at the Gabba, ensuring Australia must bat again to claim a 2-0 series lead.
Stokes’ 112-ball effort was complemented by a crucial seventh-wicket partnership of 50 with No. 8 Will Jacks, who remained unbeaten on 25 from 66 deliveries. Their stand forestalled an early collapse and helped England seize a 16-run advantage as the session drew to a close. Stokes rode his share of luck—an opponent’s miscue off Scott Boland just before the interval elevated a thick edge over a diving Cam Green at slips—yet his composure after that moment contrasted sharply with England’s earlier, more adventurous tactics.
Australia’s bowlers pressed with a disciplined mix of lines and lengths and occasional short-pitched balls aimed at provoking England’s frontline batsmen into rash shots. The visitors, however, stood firm, recognizing that a wicket would expose the tail and spoil their recuperation. Jacks, valuing his partnership as it grew, left the risk-taking to others and concentrated on rebuilding.
England resumed at 134-6 and took 18.2 overs to muster 43 runs, performing with patience and discipline rather than abandon. Jacks contributed a single to bring up the seventh-wicket partnership and to give England a slender lead of one run. Just before the break, Head bowled an over of spin—Australia’s first in the match after selecting four specialist pace bowlers, while Marnus Labuschagne also sent down a spell of medium pace—illustrating Australia’s experimentation on a surface that offered some assistance but demanded restraint.
Stokes’ resurgence of England’s fortunes is a reminder of his status as the tourists’ pivotal figure. He has repeatedly rescued England from precarious situations and remains the team’s best hope of dragging the match beyond Day 4. Australia, having already clinched the series opener in Perth, sought to leverage their superior early performance, where Mitchell Starc starred with a 10-wicket haul across the two venues in this series and a top-scoring 77 in the second innings of the Perth game. His 77 in Saturday’s play propelled Australia to 511 all out, granting a 177-run edge at the outset and setting the scene for further pressure under lights on Saturday, though his wickets tally stalled on Sunday’s early phase.
Published: December 07, 2025 12:13 pm IST
