Australia’s interim captain, Steve Smith, has spoken out following a tense confrontation with England’s fast bowler, Jofra Archer, during the closing session at the Gabba. The visitors needed to restrict Australia to under 64 runs, but Smith led his team to victory by scoring the winning runs for the second consecutive Test.
Smith joined the match at 41-2 and swiftly propelled Australia to success by scoring an impressive 23 runs off just nine balls. His aggressive batting included two sixes and two fours, dominating Archer who conceded 15 runs in five deliveries.
The heated exchange between Smith and Archer occurred during an intense over at the Gabba, with Archer visibly frustrated after being hit for a boundary. Undeterred, Smith continued his onslaught, hitting Archer for a six and a four in quick succession.
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 exchange with Archer, Smith remarked, “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 visible frustration reflected England’s struggles with the pink ball throughout the second Test. The English bowlers failed to deliver their best performance, contrasting with their strong start on day one in Perth.
England set a target of 334 for Australia to chase, with standout performances from Joe Root, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey, and Mitchell Starc contributing to their comfortable lead of 511 runs.
Despite a late fight from Ben Stokes and Will Jacks, England fell short as Australia bowled them out for 241. Travis Head and Weatherald made quick work of the chase before Smith’s explosive batting secured the win.
Reflecting on his performance, Smith explained, “It just felt right to play a few shots. He was obviously bowling quick and I thought I’d hit a few up and try to get hold of a couple. I tried to finish it quick.”
Looking ahead, England faces the challenge of securing a win in Adelaide to keep their Ashes hopes alive, with the third Test scheduled to begin on December 17.
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