Starc stars again with 77 and double strike as Australia close to win

With a stellar 77 and a double strike, Starc leads Australia toward a decisive Ashes triumph. Read more about the match’s key moments and player highlights.

Introduction:

Mitchell Starc’s unforgettable Ashes continued to grow in stature on a suffocating third day in Brisbane as the left-arm spearhead dominated both with bat and ball, keeping Australia firmly in control against an increasingly jaded England.

Just five days into this much-hyped series, England’s dream of regaining the Ashes already appears precarious. Forced to toil in oppressive humidity for over half a day, England then collapsed under the Gabba lights to 134 for 6, still trailing Australia’s formidable total by 43 runs.

It was Starc — relentless in effort and remarkable in adaptability — who shaped the contest. First, he defied logic with the bat, scoring a counter-attacking 77 that frustrated England’s bowlers and lifted Australia to 511. Then, under the glow of the pink ball, he returned to remove the relentless Joe Root with a ball that seamed, swung, and symbolized Australia’s superiority in every facet.

Starc’s resilience drives Australia to a commanding lead

The morning session belonged entirely to the hosts. Resuming at 378 for 6, Australia’s lower order — often unpredictable — produced one of its most disciplined partnerships in recent memory. Cameron Green’s measured tempo and Mitchell Starc’s composure guided their side past 400, forcing England to chase faint movement on a wearing surface.

Starc’s innings redefined stubbornness. For a bowler known for restricting himself to cameos, this was a statement knock built on patience and timing. After initially playing within himself, he unleashed a flurry of authoritative cover drives once the bowlers erred in line. His ability to adapt — stonewalling Wood and flicking Woakes through midwicket when England aimed for reverse swing — showed maturity that mirrored the class of an allrounder rather than a tailender.

When he brought up his fifty off 98 balls, the Gabba crowd rose to its feet, acknowledging a rare and special effort. By the time Starc perished for 77, miscuing Brydon Carse straight to Ben Stokes at mid-on, Australia’s lead had ballooned to a massive 177.

At the other end, Scott Boland (33 not out) and Michael Neser’s 24 made useful contributions, ensuring England’s weary attack finished demoralized and drained under the heat. Carse, despite his 4 for 152, looked exhausted, his shoulders slumped as umpire Kumar Dharmasena finally raised the finger to end the innings.

Australia’s 511 was a declaration, symbolic rather than formal — a total built on ensemble contributions and anchored by the bowlers they used to mock as “tailenders.”
See also: Australia seize momentum in pink-ball Test

England wilt under harsh Brisbane conditions

England’s endurance was severely tested throughout the course of the Australian innings. The Gabba, blanketed with humidity that pushed temperatures beyond 36 degrees, proved a brutal adversary. Sweat-drenched shirts became emblems of attrition as England’s fast bowlers repeatedly missed lengths.

Mark Wood’s express deliveries lost sting by the second session, while Woakes’ swing vanished once the ball softened. Carse, laboring through long spells, was England’s most dangerous bowler, but even he struggled to generate rhythm after lunch. Each misfield and overstep drew pained expressions from Root, who rotated his bowlers desperately, searching for inspiration that never arrived.

As fatigue set in, so too did indiscipline: 18 wides and four no-balls reflected England’s mental lapse. Opportunities went begging — Crawley spilling a sharp edge off Smith early, Bairstow missing a half‑chance down leg-side off Starc near 40 — all little errors that multiplied into cumulative despair.

By the time Starc engraved his 77 atop Australia’s already enormous total, England’s minds had turned toward survival.

England’s nightmarish second innings begins under lights

When England returned to bat late in the second session, the psychological toll of the day hung over them. The sun dipped, the lights shimmered across the Gabba stands, and Australia’s pink‑ball specialists smelled blood.

Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett survived the opening over for the first time in this series; that alone felt like a small achievement. But it was only calm before another storm.

In his second over, Starc angled one across Duckett that straightened late and clipped the edge to second slip. Gone for 8. Shortly afterward, Marnus Labuschagne ran out Ollie Pope with a pinpoint direct hit from midwicket, capitalizing on chaos between the wickets. England were 24 for 2 — scarred, scrambling, and second‑guessing every ball.

Root walked out to applause, a man who had carried his team in the first innings with an elegant 138 not out. Facing a tougher scenario under lights, he began with characteristic composure, pushing singles and guiding Starc past the backward point. For a brief spell, he and Crawley steadied England’s nerves, adding 48 brisk runs that momentarily quietened the crowd.

Crawley’s strokeplay sparkled — two serene drives down the ground, a crisp cut off Neser — showing that even under siege, he could command the pink ball.

Starc’s magic returns with the pink ball

As the ball aged slightly and air thickened with evening dew, Starc’s rhythm grew lethal again. Replacing Boland after an early burst, he shifted angles around the wicket, coaxing the seam to talk under the artificial glow.

His reward came in classical style. Root, on 27, pushed uncertainly outside off and heard the faintest nick before seeing Alex Carey complete an easy catch behind the stumps. For England, the dismissal symbolized the crumbling of hope; for Starc, it cemented his growing aura across this series.

England’s dressing room fell silent. Stokes knew the contest was sliding beyond salvage. Jonny Bairstow’s attempted counterpunching only accelerated the decline — an overambitious slice off Boland spooned straight to gully. When Neser trapped Crawley lbw for 44, England sank to 103 for 5.

As night enveloped the stadium, the visitors were six down, with Ben Foakes and Stokes defending purely for survival.

Boland and Neser justify the selection

Much had been made of Nathan Lyon’s exclusion before this Test — a bold call given the surface’s reputation for bounce. Yet Michael Neser, playing in front of his home-state crowd, vindicated selection immediately. His first spell was steeped in accuracy and movement, troubling the right-handers consistently. The delivery that trapped Crawley summed up the evening: full, fast, and darting in just enough to defeat judgment.

Scott Boland, ever the metronome, once again showed why he remains invaluable in Australian conditions. His subtle seam movement at high pace pried open England’s middle order, while his partnership with Starc ensured constant pressure. Together, they combined for 4 wickets and restricted England to a scoring rate barely above two per over in the session.

Their partnership encapsulated the depth that separates the two sides: England shell-shocked, Australia disciplined, cohesive, unrelenting.

England’s last flicker of resistance

Under the lights, Stokes embodied defiance. Punching anything loose through cover and watching judiciously outside off, he stood with the clarity of a captain aware that pride, if nothing else, needed preservation. Alongside Foakes, he compiled a patient stand that dragged England past 130 before stumps.

It was hardly salvation, but it prevented complete capitulation — at least temporarily. Stokes finished unbeaten on 26 from 63 balls, Foakes on 9, the pair knowing survival on Day 4 will only delay the inevitable unless a miracle unfolds.

Starc’s masterpiece: An Ashes for the ages

Each Ashes series throws up heroes; this one is fast being defined by Mitchell Starc. With 12 wickets across two Tests, 77 crucial runs on Day 3, and match‑defining spells under lights, the left‑arm quick has transcended mere form — he’s dictating narratives.

Once maligned for inconsistency, Starc has achieved rare balance — aggression tempered with discipline. His proficiency with the bat mirrors his command with the pink ball, a combination few fast bowlers in modern cricket possess.

Australia’s domination at home has always revolved around complete team symmetry, and right now, Starc represents the beating heart of it.

Prospects for Day 4

England face a long Saturday under the Queensland sun. With only 44 runs separating them from making Australia bat again, survival figures as the minimum requirement. Yet the deeper truth remains: barring rain or miracles, victory seems destined for Australia long before sunset.

For the hosts, it’s an opportunity to secure a 2‑0 lead and virtually lock away the urn within a week of the series starting. For England, the shadow of another painful Ashes tour looms, their bowlers spent, and batters bereft of answers.

If Day 3 was Starc’s statement, Day 4 now asks England whether they have even a fragment of defiance left.