Dropped catches & stupid shots! Day 2 Test 2 Review

Day 2 at the Gabba provides a whirlwind of runs, wickets, and "extraordinary" missed opportunities. Hosts Steven O’Keefe and Moises Henriques reflect on a day where both teams seem "caught up in Bazball," leading to erratic execution and a series of "strange" dismissals that leave the game hanging in the balance.

The "Over-rate" loophole

O’Keefe and Henriques open with a discussion on Australia’s tactics, noting that the team appeared to "meander" through their overs on Day 1. Henriques explains a relatively new rule: if a team is bowled out in under 80 overs, any over-rate penalties become redundant. "Steve Smith... doesn't miss these things," O'Keefe notes, suggesting Australia knowingly slowed the game down to frustrate England before cleaning up the tail in 76.2 overs.

England’s "viby" but flawed fielding

While Henriques praises Ben Stokes’ positive leadership and his ability to reassure teammates like Joe Root after a mix-up, he is critical of England’s execution in the field. The visitors drop four or five "sitters," with Henriques noting that while the pink ball under lights is tricky, some misses—like Duckett dropping a "lolly" from Alex Carey—are inexcusable. "The execution was well off," Henriques says, lamenting that England created enough chances to be in a much stronger position.

"Caught up in Bazball"

The hosts are perplexed by the aggressive approach of the Australian batters, many of whom throw away strong starts. Cameron Green and Alex Carey both draw criticism for "giving away their stumps" and playing high-risk shots early in their innings. "Are we caught up in Bazball?" O’Keefe asks, pointing out that players like Smith and Labuschagne are striking at nearly 75, a departure from their traditional "absorb and counter-punch" style. Henriques agrees, calling the dismissals "strange" and suggesting the Australian team has been sucked into the high-octane tempo set by England.

The Jofra Archer "Showdown"

The much-anticipated battle between Jofra Archer and Steve Smith continues, but Henriques is unimpressed, noting that Archer has yet to dismiss Smith in Test cricket despite bowling nearly 50 overs to him. While Archer shows flashes of brilliance—hitting 146.7 km/h in his first spell—his intensity seems to "tail off" in later spells. O'Keefe observes Smith "exploiting" Archer’s drop in pace, even ramping and uppercutting him for boundaries. Henriques suggests Archer’s lack of recent first-class cricket makes it difficult for him to sustain his peak speed throughout a full Test day.

Looking ahead to Day 3

Australia ends the day with a 44-run lead and two wickets in hand, with Alex Carey (46*) and Michael Neser (15*) at the crease. Henriques believes Australia needs to push that lead past 100 to feel comfortable. "If they can get 100 ahead... they'd be reasonably happy," he says, though he warns that England’s bowlers will be "sore" and hungry for a breakthrough tomorrow morning. Both hosts expect the "roller coaster" to continue, with the match moving at a frantic pace of five runs per over.

Find the full episode on Fanatics TV.