Australia Secure Victory on Fourth Day, Defeating England in Second Ashes Test
Published Dec 8, 2025 | By Pak24tv
Australia wrapped up the second Test of the Ashes series in emphatic fashion on the fourth day, overcoming England by a comfortable margin at the Gabba.
England resumed the day at 134 for six, requiring 43 more runs to avoid an innings defeat. Skipper Ben Stokes and Will Jacks mounted brief resistance, pushing the total beyond Australia’s first innings lead and giving England a slender advantage of 16 runs by the tea interval.
However, their efforts proved short-lived. After the break, Stokes departed after a fighting 50, while Jacks fell for 41, triggering a collapse that saw the remaining English batting crumble. The side was eventually bowled out for 241, failing to build a defendable total.
Australia’s bowling attack remained clinical throughout. Michael Neser delivered a standout spell, claiming five wickets, while Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland picked up two each. Brendan Doggett added a single scalp to complete the job.
Chasing a modest target of 65 runs, Australia approached the task confidently. Travis Head scored 22 and Jake Weatherald added 17 before both were dismissed. Captain Steve Smith remained composed with 23 not out, alongside Marnus Labuschagne who finished unbeaten on 3, guiding their team to victory with eight wickets in hand.
A day earlier, England’s first innings featured an impressive unbeaten 138 from Joe Root, yet the remainder of the batting lacked stability. Australia’s dominant first innings total of 511, highlighted by Neser’s resilient 16, Alex Carey’s 63, and Starc’s career-best 77, gave them a commanding grip on the match from the outset.
Strong contributions across the Australian lineup — including runs from Weatherald, Labuschagne, Smith, Green, and Head — provided depth that England struggled to counter. In response, Brydon Carse claimed four wickets for England, while Stokes took three.
The defeat adds pressure on England, who now face a critical turnaround if they hope to keep the series competitive moving forward.
