Against all expectations, England's cricketers have shown a stubborn streak of resistance on the fourth day of the Second Ashes Test at Brisbane's Gabba. With their backs firmly against the wall, the tourists managed to bat through the entire morning session without losing a wicket, keeping their faint hopes of saving the match alive.
A Session of Unexpected Resilience
Resuming their second innings on 134 for 6, England faced the daunting task of scoring 43 more runs just to make Australia bat again. Captain Ben Stokes and Will Jacks provided the backbone, navigating 18.2 overs to reach that initial target of 177. By the close of the first session, the pair had steered England to 193 for 6, securing a slender lead of 16 runs.
The partnership was built on grit rather than glamour. In a marked departure from the usual 'Bazball' aggression, the scoring rate was glacial. The first hour yielded just 28 runs from 13 overs, representing one of England's slowest sessions in recent memory. Stokes ended the session on 36 from 112 balls, with Jacks on 25 from 66 – a defiant, old-school display of survival.
Stokes Channels Headingley Spirit
Ben Stokes rolled back the years with a performance reminiscent of his legendary 2019 innings at Headingley. Just as he did in that match, he embraced a dogged, defensive mode, prioritising occupation of the crease over run-scoring. His discipline was nearly flawless, with only a solitary half-chance offered when a Scott Boland delivery took the edge but flew safely over the slips.
This uncharacteristic patience from the entire team provided a strange sense of comfort for England supporters after the chaos of the Perth Test and a torturous third day in Brisbane. The session was defined not by what happened, but by what didn't: no reckless drives, no theatrical dismissals, and no sense of cheap surrender.
Off-Field Drama: Archer's Pillow and Broad's Redemption
While the action on the pitch was tense, the off-field narrative provided its own colour. The Australian press, led by the Brisbane Courier Mail, seized on a photograph of England's Jofra Archer arriving at the ground with a pillow. The paper quipped that the "sleepy Poms" needed a lie down, a jibe at the tourists' beleaguered state.
In a contrasting scene, former England bowler Stuart Broad, once public enemy number one at the Gabba for his 2013 'non-walk', was seen smiling and taking pictures with Australian fans while working as a television pundit. Time, it seems, heals even the most bitter Ashes wounds.
Amidst the fightback, one of the day's more light-hearted sights was Australian batsman Travis Head bowling the penultimate over before lunch while wearing his sunglasses – a moment of casual flair from the cult figure.
While Australia remain overwhelmingly favourites to win the Test and take a 2-0 series lead, England's morning defiance ensured the match would extend into a fourth day. The question now is whether Stokes and Jacks can continue their rearguard action after lunch and plant a seed of doubt in Australian minds.
