Sports · 4 December 2025
Crawley and Root Steady England After Starc's Early Strikes in Gabba Day-Night Test
Brian Minkoff-London Pixels via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
England reached 98-2 at tea on day one of the second Ashes Test at the Gabba after Mitchell Starc's double strike left them reeling at 5-2. Zak Crawley hit an unbeaten 61 and Joe Root 32 not out in a crucial 93-run partnership following the early dismissals of Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope for ducks. Australia surprised by dropping Nathan Lyon for Michael Neser, while England made one change with Will Jacks replacing Mark Wood.
Reported by ESPN Cricinfo · How we write briefs