A stubborn, yet critical innings from Mitchell Starc with the bat has left England’s Ashes hopes on a knife’s edge, as Australia’s first innings lead exceeds 100 at tea on Day 3.
The opening session of the middle day began promisingly for the visitors, removing Michael Neser for 16 after he added just one run to his overnight score.
But again, the loose bowling from Brydon Carse let Australia off the hook once more, with short and wide deliveries allowing Mitchell Starc to race into double figures with back-to-back boundaries through the off side.
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Amid Starc’s cameo, Alex Carey raised the bat for his 12th Test fifty before departing on 63, courtesy of a loose shot that found the edge through to counterpart Jamie Smith.
The pair of wickets gave England a sniff of batting for the best part of the session, But Starc had other ideas though, combining with No.10 batter Scott Boland to leave Ben Stokes’ Poms seething after two more hours in the field.
At tea, Australia’s lead sits at 116 runs, with Starc (46 not out) approaching his 12th Test fifty — which if successful — would be just his second half-century in over six years. They are 8/450.
While the strike was farmed away from him to begin with, Boland has since proven himself up for the task, seven not out from 27 balls at the break.
England will be up against history if they are somehow able to wrestle victory at the Gabba, given Australia has never lost a Test at the venue in a match where they have made 400 or more in an innings.
Incredibly, Will Jacks’ sole over for the session on the cusp of tea was just the fourth over of spin for the entire series across over four days of play.
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