Australia’s temporary captain, Steve Smith, has broken his silence following a tense confrontation with England fast bowler Jofra Archer during the final session at the Gabba. Despite England’s efforts to dismiss the Aussies for under 64 runs, Smith secured the win for the second Test in a row.
Smith joined the crease at 41-2 and led Australia to victory by scoring a remarkable 23 runs off just nine balls, including two sixes and two fours against Archer, totaling 15 runs in five deliveries.
The intense exchange between Smith and Archer occurred during a heated over at the Gabba, with Archer visibly frustrated after being hit for a boundary by Smith. The Australian skipper responded by hitting a six and a four off Archer, dominating the England bowling attack.
In the subsequent over, Smith hit another six to seal the victory, giving Australia a commanding 2-0 lead as they head into the next Test in Adelaide.
When questioned about the on-field altercation, Smith stated, “That stays on the field. It was good banter. He’s a good competitor and comes hard at you so it was good fun.”
Archer’s struggles with the pink ball throughout the Test were evident as England’s bowling unit failed to perform at their best, contrasting their strong start on day one in Perth.
England set a target of 334 runs for Australia to chase, with notable performances from Joe Root, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey, and Mitchell Starc contributing to Australia’s successful chase, finishing with 511 runs on the board.
Despite a late fight from Ben Stokes and Will Jacks, Australia bowled out England for 241, with Travis Head and Weatherald quickly advancing Australia’s chase before Smith’s aggressive batting display.
Reflecting on the match, Smith emphasized the team’s exceptional performance and highlighted the critical contributions from the lower-order batsmen. He commended Jacks and Stokes for their partnership and acknowledged the uncertainty that Stokes’s presence at the crease could have brought.
With Australia now holding a significant lead in the series, England faces the pressure to secure a win in Adelaide to keep their Ashes hopes alive. The third Test is set to commence on December 17.
To stay updated on the latest Ashes news, readers can sign up for the newsletter, The Cricket Drop. The Ashes action between England and Australia will be broadcast live on TNT Sports via discovery+ or Prime Video’s TNT Sports channel.