Steve Smith and Jofra Archer have exchanged words at the end of the second Test as Australia claimed a 2-0 series lead with an eight-wicket win in Brisbane.
Chasing 65 to win on day four, Australia lost the wickets of Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne, before Smith sealed the victory with a quickfire 23 off just nine deliveries.
Quick Hits: Smith fires up and takes miraculous catch as BazBall leaves the buildingReaction: As Stokes questions England’s toughness, McCullum warns of ‘glass jaw’
The Australian captain was on the receiving end of a verbal barrage from Archer — the bowler who left him concussed with a short delivery in 2019 — and responded by taking 15 runs off the penultimate over of the Test match.
After being pulled for four off the first ball of the over, Archer appeared frustrated when Smith tried to ramp a 149.5kph delivery, sending some words in the Aussie’s direction.
Smith wasted little time before responding to Archer, telling him he was “bowling fast when there’s nothing going on, champion”.
“It stays on the field,” Smith said when asked about his verbal exchange with Archer.
“It was good, good banter. He’s a good competitor and he comes hard at you, so it was good fun.”
Smith continued to play a straight bat on the run-in with Archer when asked about it in his post-match press conference, telling reporters “it’s not really any of your business”.
Smith finished the match by launching England’s other opening bowler Gus Atkinson over deep square leg for a six.
It was a chastening finish to another chastening Test match for England, with the tourists’ dreams of reclaiming the urn on life support.
Much has been made of England’s approach, particularly with the bat, but skipper Ben Stokes and Will Jacks — the two overnight batters — finally gave the travelling fans what they had been craving.
England captain Ben Stokes (pictured) fought hard for his half-century in a spirited partnership with Will Jacks. (Getty Images: Bradley Kanaris/CA/Cricket Australia)
Stokes and Jacks safely negotiated the opening session and would up batting together for the best part of 37 overs before Jacks was brilliantly caught at slip by Smith off the bowling of Michael Neser.
Having controversially replaced Nathan Lyon in Australia’s XI, Neser vindicated the selection surprise with a superb spell, claiming the wickets of Stokes and Brydon Carse to finish with figures of 5-42 off 16.2 overs.Â
Jacks’s dismissal led to another familiar collapse, with England losing 4-17 to have Australia batting again before the end of the second session.
Follow our live blog below for a recap of all of day four’s action as it happened.
Key Events
3h ago3 hours agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 10:45am
3h ago3 hours agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 10:03am
3h ago3 hours agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 10:01am
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2h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 10:54am
That’s where we’ll leave you
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Well, how about that? An actual Test match. With days three and four and everything (Five would be too much to ask).
We’ve had a whale of a time bringing you every cut and thrust from the Gabba, but it’s time for us to go.
There will be plenty of coverage on ABC Sport over the next few days.
And, of course, we’ll be back on December 17 to cover the third Test in Adelaide with another set of live blogs.
On behalf of myself, Chris De Silva, Simon Smale, Dean Bilton and Henry Hanson, I hope to see you there.
3h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 10:45amStokes hasn’t ‘lost hope’
The England skipper is adamant, as rough as the start of the series has been, it would be ridiculous for them to pack it in after just a couple of bad weeks.
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“Another disappointing week. Again we were able to pull the game back a little towards us and then let it go again, and that was the same thing last week.
“If we can sustain that quality of cricket for longer periods of time, then hopefully the performances will start coming from that.
“It’s a huge series that’s been built up for a long, long time. The worst thing to do now is to not have hope and realise we still have opportunity to do what we came here to do.
“I haven’t lost hope. Our dressing room hasn’t lost hope.”
He says he is not doubting the team’s tactics and philosophy.
“Our method isn’t based on one thing. I remember my first team chat with Baz, our blueprint is about applying pressure to other teams but also about absorbing it.
“We are a much better team at applying it than we are at absorbing it at the moment.”
3h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 10:39am
Quick getaway badly needed for England
The England team is taking a brief break between this Test and the third game in Adelaide, starting on December 17.
Stokes, who previously took a break from the game for the good of his mental health, says it is incredibly important to get out of the pressure cooker.
“We’ve been here four weeks and it’s been pretty full on. And as physical as this game is, a huge part is the mental side.
“I know that I’ve experienced that. I know what the game can do to you when thing’s aren’t feeling right and things aren’t going well.
“It doesn’t mean everything just disappears and we don’t speak about what’s going on.
“It would be completely understandable if there were some guys who were feeling the pressure.”
3h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 10:36am
Stokes says England players have let the pressure get to them
England captain Ben Stokes has once again reiterated that the issue is not a lack of skill.
“You’ve got a group of players, we know what the strength of those players are and we allow them to go out there and express themselves.
“When the heat is on, when the pressure is really, really cooking, that’s when your character comes out more.
“We’ve all been guilty of moments where we’ve let the pressure and the occasion and circumstance get to us.”
3h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 10:28am
Ben Stokes is fronting the media
This should be interesting.
3h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 10:27am
McCullum admits England bowled ‘terribly’
When asked about his side’s bowling performance on days two and three, McCullum says “we were trying too hard”.
“We identified that we had a reasonable score in the first innings with the bat, and we knew there would be a pivotal moment to strike,” he says.
“Sometimes when you try too hard, you tighten up and you are not able to aapply pressure.
“We’re honest with ourselves. We bowled terribly.
“Australia were able to canter along at a very strong strike rate and from that point on it was trying to bring the game back to us.”
3h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 10:06am
England’s approach won’t change despite two defeats
McCullum says he and England captain Ben Stokes remain united despite a poor series so far.
“Over the last three and a half years we’ve grown to become not just a working pair, but very good mates,” he says.
“We have a very similar approach to the game. Fiercely competitive, but like a relaxed environment, providing there’s that competitiveness. We don’t like losing.
“As long as you are able to get your team to stay tight and keep pressing on with the style of play you want, and be able to handle situations, give yourself the best chance.
“That message has not changed in three and a half years. I’m sure It won’t change in next few weeks, just because we’re under pressure.”
3h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 10:04am
Smith not sure how England will respond
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England needs to pull off a miracle comeback from 2-0 in this five-Test series, and Steve Smith says he’s not sure how this tam will hit back.
“Not sure how their dressing room is going to respond. They’re a really good side and played great cricket for a couple of years now.
“They’re gonna come back hard, whether they play really aggressive or take the foot of the pedal, we’ll wait and see.”
Smith is asked about Ben Stokes’s comments that England isn’t taking big moments. He won’t comment on that, but says he’s proud of how his team does and has done for four or five years.
“We identify moments, we play live, we adapt on the go instead of getting back in the sheds and thinking we should have done this or that.”
3h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 10:03amMcCullum says England ‘over-prepared’ ahead of Brisbane Test
England coach Brendon McCullum is facing the heat after finding his side in an 0-2 hole for the second straight Ashes series.
The tourists’ approach to key moments in the game and as well as their preparation have been questioned, but McCullum doesn’t appear to be ready to change tact just yet.
Speaking on Channel 7, McCullum says it is important for his charges to “keep strong with [their] beliefs”.
“Leading to this match, I think we over-prepared,” he says.
“[We had] five intense
training days. In the heat of the battle, sometimes the most important thing is to feel fresh and make sure your top two inches are sound. I think the boys need a few days off and to change up the training.”
3h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 10:01am’We’ll leave it out there’: Smith on the clash with Jofra Archer
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Steve Smith is playing real coy on his clash with Jofra Archer when asked about today’s confrontation after he was concussed by him at Lord’s in 2019.
“What history do I have with him?
“He was just bowling good pace. Not sure what he said, not sure what I said, and it’s not really any of your business either.
“So we’ll leave it out there.”
3h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 9:55am
Steve Smith is fronting the media
Between the catch, the slogging and the win, Steve Smith was very animated today.
“The adrenaline was pumping.
“We didn’t need too many and Jofra was bowling quick. Fortunately hit the middle of the bat on a few occasions.
“It’s been a wonderful couple of weeks for the team. It’ been good fun.”
3h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 9:55am
Steve Smith hails Michael Neser and Alex Carey
Seemingly a perpetual 12th man, Michael Neser was a controversial selection in this one, but he proved his worth with five huge wickets in this second innings.
“What he did today and in the first inning was exceptional. He offers something different. Really pleased for him to get his first five-fa. He’s been on a lot of tours. He’s worked really hard.”
And Alex Carey too.
“He’s a freak. Up to the stumps the ball just seems to end up in his hands. He moves so well.”
4h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 9:46am’You’ve got to dig a bit deeper’: Ben Stokes says these losses are not a skill issue
The England captain says the loss is “very disappointing”.
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“A lot of it comes down to not being able to stand up to the pressure of this game, this format when the game is on the line in small passages we’ve been able to bring the game back to some kind of control and then we’ve let it slip away. We’ve done that again. It’s very disappointing because of the ability of the players we have in that dressing room.
“We need to think a bit harder and deeper about those moments and what we’re taking mentally into those and show little bit more fight when it’s needed.
“It’s definitely not a skill thing and when you know it’s not down to skill you’ve got to dig a bit deeper and find out what the thing is we seem to keep doing in those big moments of the game.”
Stokes says he and Brydon Carse let Australia back into the game in the first innings after Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson “set the tone very nicely” with the ball.
“It just seems to be a constant theme at the moment; when the game is in a pressure moment Australia keep outdoing us.
“They say Australia isn’t a place for weak men. We’re definitely not weak but we need to find something because we’re 2-0 down we’ve got three games to go. We need to sort it.
“We ain’t gonna shy away from the battle we’ve got ahead of us.”
4h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 9:43am
Mitchell Starc is player of the match
Of course. He just keeps getting better and better with age.
Eight wickets in the match and 77 runs. And a back-to-back POTM.
“It takes a little longer in the mornings at this age.
“I’m still trying to do the same things, still trying to bowl as quick as I can and hit the stumps every time.”
4h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 9:29amAustralia leads the Ashes 2-0!
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In frankly unnecessarily dramatic fashion, Australia has chased down 65 runs to win the second Ashes Test at the Gabba and take a 2-0 lead in the series.
In the end it was pretty dominant, but it came after four days of really good Test cricket.
Mitchell Starc is no doubt player of the match with his six wickets and 77 runs, but Alex Carey (63 runs and seven dismissals) and Michael Neser (six wickets) also had a hell of a time.
And that’s before we even get into Steve Smith, whose first-innings 61 was all well and good, but that 23 off 9 cameo was the real show-stopper.
4h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 9:26am
10th over – Suddenly, Australia needs only 8 runs
Smith clips to mid-on, to Jofra in fact, and takes the single.
7 to win.
FOUR! In the meantime, Jake Weatherald is hunting red ink with a glorious straight drive down the ground.
3 to win.
Another big edge from Weatherald and they take the single to fine third man.
2 to win.
SIX! STEVE SMITH BELTS A MAXIMUM TO WIN IT!4h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 9:20am9th over – Archer and Smith exchange fiery verbal volleys
There was no love lost between Jofra Archer (left) and Steve Smith (right) late on day four. (Getty)
BOOM! Short, 146kph and dispatched to the rope with a vicious pull shot by Steve Smith.
Another short one and Smith tries to uppercut. He misses the 149.5 kph steamer and has a word.
FOUR! Smith swings wildly at another bouncer and top edges for four more. Archer gets up in his grill and has a word. Smith gives it right back.
SIX!! Smith smashes this one more convincingly over fine leg and waves goodbye to Archer as he notches 1,000 Test runs at the Gabba.
One more as Smith cuts hard and takes the single on offer to deep third man.
4h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 9:16am
8th over (cont) – Steve Smith strides out as the Aussies need 24 more to win
Runs! Run, in fact. Smith gets off the mark straight away with a back-foot push through point.
Weatherald pushes forward and defends, and is beaten on the outside edge. It’s good bowling on short and full lengths.
4h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 9:16amANOTHER WICKET! Marnus caught behind!
Marnus Labuschagne falls to another steepling bouncer.
That absolutely spat up at him and caught the glove on the way through.
Are the knees starting to shake a little for Australia?
Marnus Labuschagne c Smith b Atkinson 3 (6), FOW: 2-41
4h agoSun 7 Dec 2025 at 9:15am
8th over – Atkinson continues
His three overs have cost 24 runs so far, but he did get his second wicket.
A brutal short delivery rears up at Labuschagne, who’s lucky not to feather through to the keeper.
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