Where to for England now? Jofra's late pace, Stokes and Jacks abandon Bazball!

Australia secures an emphatic eight-wicket victory at the Gabba to take a 2-0 series lead. Hosts Steven O’Keefe and Moises Henriques review a final day that featured a rare show of English patience, a clinical Australian finish, and a late-game flare-up between Jofra Archer and Steve Smith.

Stokes and Jacks "Baz-bore" Australia

In a surprising tactical shift, Ben Stokes and Will Jacks abandoned their high-risk aggression for a grueling 96-run partnership. Stokes scored his second-slowest Test fifty (50 off 152 balls), a performance O’Keefe jokingly labels "Baz-bore" but admits was effective in wrestling back momentum. Henriques praises the adaptation, noting that it made him "nervous" as England’s lead crossed 50. "I thought it was a great partnership... you're supposed to grind the opposition down," Henriques says, though he laments that this level of application didn't happen higher up the batting order.

The Smith catch and "Authentic" leadership

The momentum shifted back to Australia thanks to a brilliant catch by captain Steve Smith to dismiss Jacks. O’Keefe and Henriques discuss the "new-looking" Smith, who celebrated with uncharacteristic raw emotion. Henriques observes that Smith seems to be showing his "authentic" self as a leader, displaying immense pride in leading the team to a 2-0 lead in Pat Cummins’ absence. "You can just really notice him leading this team around... he's given the team back to Pat in a really strong position," Henriques notes.

The Archer vs. Smith "Bruha"

As Australia closed in on the target, Jofra Archer suddenly found his peak pace, clocking 150 km/h and engaging in a heated exchange with Steve Smith. While some commentators saw it as England showing "fight," Henriques is critical, calling it "embarrassing" that Archer only fired up when Australia needed just 10-20 runs to win. Smith reportedly told Archer, "You only bowl fast when there's nothing going on, champ," highlighting Australian frustrations that Archer’s intensity hasn't been sustained throughout the match.

Neser’s "Tradesman" effort

While Archer's late burst made headlines, the hosts highlight Michael Neser as the true standout of the bowling attack. O’Keefe praises the "workmanlike effort" of Neser, who stuck to a disciplined length and utilized the keeper standing up to the stumps to stifle the English batters. Neser’s five-wicket haul vindicated the selectors' decision to play him over Nathan Lyon, though Henriques remains firm that Lyon should return for the third Test.

Looking ahead to Adelaide

With England 2-0 down, the hosts expect significant changes for the visitors. Henriques suggests England needs to "re-evaluate their plans" and potentially bring in a more traditional seamer like Matthew Potts or Josh Tongue. For Australia, the return of Pat Cummins and potentially Josh Hazlewood or Nathan Lyon creates a "good headache" for selectors. O'Keefe questions whether Usman Khawaja will be able to reclaim his spot after Josh Inglis’ successful debut at the top of the order.

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