England captain Ben Stokes and Will Jacks produced a resolute batting display on the morning of day four in the second Ashes Test at the Gabba, steadying the innings after a top-order collapse. England resumed on 134-6, trailing by 43 runs, but managed to add 59 runs in the morning session without losing a wicket, taking a slender lead of 16 runs. It was the first time in the series that England avoided losing a wicket in the opening phase of play.
Stokes and Jacks adopted a cautious approach, scoring just 28 runs in the first 13 overs at a rate of 2.15 runs per over. This marked the second most defensive session of the Bazball era, when England have batted for more than 13 overs. The pair successfully negotiated the early threats from Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland, with Stokes reaching 19 from 70 balls, a stark contrast to his famous Headingley innings in 2019 where he managed two runs from his first 70 deliveries.
The fightback comes after former England captain Michael Vaughan criticised the team following day three, calling their performance 'humiliated' and stating that Australia's second-string attack had exposed England's predictability. Vaughan told BBC Test Match Special: 'England continue to play this aggressive, flamboyant style which is entertaining, but against quality it's all becoming a bit too predictable.'
Despite the improved session, England still face a monumental task to overhaul Australia's lead and keep the series alive. The Gabba pitch showed little seam movement or erratic bounce, and Australia had demonstrated how straightforward run-scoring could be. England's top order had handed wickets away in the previous evening sessions, and the criticism they received was justified.
If England are to replicate their Headingley heroics of 2019, they will need a similar knock from Stokes and contributions from the lower order. Jacks, primarily a top-order batsman in T20 cricket, provided the attacking capability to help reverse England's fortunes. The session offered hope that England could adapt their approach when necessary, but the match remains firmly in Australia's favour.
