England’s cricket team at a turning point. Just five days into the Ashes series against Australia, they are in a very dark and dangerous place. It’s hard to see how any hope of an England victory survives after a disheartening third day’s play at The Gabba in Brisbane. Today, they find themselves under serious duress from their Australian competitors with precious little time left to respond.
The day started off in a humid, sunny Brisbane, but it was doom and gloom for England on the field. Given that the team got off to a miserable start, plenty of initial roster doomsayers predicted this collapse. It quickly became apparent without that momentum to ride, they were outmatched by an incredibly talented Australian team. As England’s batters faltered, Australia showcased a masterclass in Test match cricket, exploiting every weakness and taking full advantage of the conditions.
Even worse for England, the pitch at the Gabba has started to display signs of uneven bounce, making things even more difficult. The ever-shifting nature of the pitch challenged the visiting delegation to think on their feet. Yet their endeavors have experienced patchwork success at best. Meanwhile, showers are forecast for Sunday night, raising concerns about potential interruptions that could further disrupt England’s already fragile state.
Mitchell Starc quickly established himself as the best player of the park, showing he had the quality and intent to run the game. Even though he bowled just seven overs, Starc was incredibly proactive, setting the mark and really knowing how to farm the strike. England’s Jofra Archer bowled just five overs, highlighting an imbalance in the team’s bowling strategy. Starc’s remarkable performance has seen him accumulate 18 wickets in the series thus far, underscoring his pivotal role in Australia’s pursuit of victory.
England’s batting lineup struggled significantly. Batters that had accumulator capabilities, like Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley, were bundled for cluttering their strokes. Their rash treks down the order became clean dismissals for Michael Neser. The team’s inability to construct meaningful partnerships or display resilience at the crease has been a recurring theme throughout this series. It was a particularly brutal day for the English captain, Ben Stokes. In short, he failed to rally his teammates and deliver the kind of moral leadership required in those tumultuous times.
Australia commandeering the other side of the match. As time goes on, it seems less and less likely that they’ll win. England have not won on Australian soil for almost 15 years. The onus is on the squad to turn their fortunes around. Their challenges are exacerbated by the historical context. They understand better than anyone the pain of Australia’s decade-long drought of glory, and this creates a deeper sense of frustration to emerge following such an abject display.
Steve Smith, who has been one of Australia’s key players throughout this series, looked rattled at times during the day’s play. But on the other side, thankfully, it looks like Gareth Southgate’s side as they begin to exploit England’s bad luck. Australia is on the verge of winning. Most importantly, they are teaching England how to start winning Test matches on a regular basis.
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