England finished day three of the second Ashes Test at the Gabba on 134-6, still 43 runs behind Australia, after a devastating spell from Scott Boland under the lights. Boland's extraordinary control of line and length saw him repeatedly hit the same spot, earning him the praise of observers who compared his bowling to that of Glenn McGrath.
Mitchell Starc, described by teammate Michael Neser as "the greatest lefty of all time", also took two wickets, while Michael Neser chipped in with two of his own. Australia's dominant performance has left England on the brink of going 2-0 down in the series, a deficit from which only one team in Ashes history has recovered to win.
England's batting collapse has raised questions about the team's approach, with some commentators suggesting that the foundations of 'Bazball' were critically damaged during the summer series against India. The team's failure to convert promising positions into victories in that series has been cited as a precursor to their current struggles against Australia.
Speaking after the day's play, a member of England's coaching staff acknowledged that the team had not operated as needed, saying: "We're fairly philosophical about what we're trying to do – obviously we're not quite operating as we need to do and they've been better than us today." He added that the team must stick to their principles while looking for ways to improve.
Australia's Scott Boland was the standout performer, with one observer noting that "Glenn McGrath could not have bowled better." Boland himself said: "We thought the ball would come alive in the night session and I think we bowled pretty well there." He also noted that England's aggressive style of play could work in Australia's favour on a wicket with uneven bounce.
