Image: Australia thrives to seal the Ashes 2025-26 / © X (Twitter)
The collapse of England in this innings was not due to their Bazballing approach to batting, but rather the quality and persistence of Australia’s bowling attack. England’s only batsmen to play aggressively were Ollie Pope, whose Test future now relies on his ability to perform well, and Jamie Smith, who was the centre of the Snicko controversy. Smith was given out by the Snicko system after an apparent error by the Snicko system allowed him to survive and then be called out.
So far, it appears that the technology used for the DRS has made both teams doubt the system’s reliability. The day after Alex Carey of Australia benefited from a Snicko error, Jamie Smith was given out based on the same technology. However, it appears that both teams have lost their faith in the system.
There can be no denying that the England team has not stood up to the pressure of the Ashes series and may be bowled out of this series after just 10 days of play.
Following Australia finishing with a total of 371 (Jofra Archer was the standout performer for the England team with a five-wicket haul, England quickly found themselves in trouble after 15 balls of batting when they lost three wickets for just five runs to finish at 42 for 3.
Harry Brook took some time to find his rhythm with 45 runs off 63 balls, while Captain Ben Stokes battled through to finish with a score of 45 not out after facing 151 deliveries. Stokes faced many balls without assistance from other batsmen until he eventually found an ally in the last 45-run partnership with Jofra Archer (30 not out at the end of play).
Just like that, yet again, over the weekend, Pat Cummins looks very likely to reclaim his Ashes-winning title. The demise of the current England regime will be evident if things continue the way they are currently.
After being 2-0 down after two games, it was a testing day for England. They started badly, conceding 45 runs off 8.2 overs and chasing Australia’s target was not impossible.
England had the chance to put themselves back in with a stout at the series, but the only player taking a stand was Ben Stokes, otherwise they would have been bowled out twice on day 2. With regard to the Snicko controversy, considering the importance of the series, it is unsatisfactory; however, it pales into insignificance compared to England’s pretty average performance.
Jamie Smith survived his first dismissal after Snicko determined that a catch by first slip from at Cummins’ bouncer was from the helmet rather than the glove, and the Australian team was on the field of play and heard saying “Snicko should be sacked”.
Later in the next over by Cummins, Smith was again upset with an overturned caught-behind dismissal while trying to play a wild pull shot. BBG Sport, the company behind Snicko, confirmed to the BBC that they deemed both decisions to be correct.
For all intents and purposes, though, unless an absolute miracle happens, Australia will simply bat England out of the match, thus placing them on the path to yet another Ashes series victory on the soil.