England ended the second day frustrated after a series of dropped catches allowed Australia to move ahead in the opening Test in Brisbane.
England dropped five catches across Australia’s first innings, handing the hosts repeated lifelines. The sequence began early when Travis Head, on 3, survived after Jamie Smith failed to hold a chance off Jofra Archer. Head later fell for 33 to Brydon Carse, but Australia still built a 77-run opening stand.
The two crucial drops came against Alex Carey. After Cameron Green was removed for 45, Carey offered a simple chance to gully off his first ball, but Ben Duckett could not complete the catch. Later, on 25, Carey edged Archer to slip, where Joe Root put down a tougher opportunity. Carey remained unbeaten on 46 at stumps and is well placed to extend the lead further.
Josh Inglis and Michael Neser also benefited from England’s generosity. Inglis survived a drop by Duckett before being bowled for 23. Neser, dropped by Carse, closed the day unbeaten on 15.
Australia’s dominance was underpinned by three half-centuries. Jake Weatherald made his maiden Test fifty before falling for 72, Marnus Labuschagne scored 65—and became the first player to reach 1,000 day-night Test runs—while Steve Smith added 61.
England did produce one moment of brilliance when Will Jacks pulled off a spectacular one-handed catch at deep square leg to dismiss Smith off Carse. Former captain Michael Vaughan said on BBC Radio that Jacks had “justified his place in the side with that catch alone”.
Carse finished with 3 wickets, Stokes claimed 2, and Archer 1.
England resumed on 325 for 9 and added only 9 runs before being dismissed for 334.
England, first innings: 334 in 76.2 overs (Root 138*, Crawley 76, Archer 38; Starc 6/75, Neser 1/43, Doggett 1/81).
Australia, first innings: 378 for 6 in 73 overs (Weatherald 72, Labuschagne 65, Smith 61; Carse 3/113, Stokes 2/93).
