Steve Smith couldn’t resist having a pop at Jofra Archer as he steered Australia to a dominant eight-wicket win over England to go 2-0 up in the Ashes.
England’s hopes of a first series win Down Under since 2010/11 were dealt another devastating blow as they slumped to a heavy and humbling defeat on the fourth day of an utterly one-sided pink-ball Test in Brisbane.
The tourists were already up against it having lost inside just two days in Perth, but Joe Root’s stunning century gave Ben Stokes’ men a fighting chance before Australia’s first innings.
However, the hosts roared back emphatically with a score of 511, the fifth-highest Test total without an individual century, to pile the pressure back on England.
England managed 241 in response to give themselves a lead of just 64, which Australia duly dispatched in the space of ten overs, with Smith finishing 23 not out and smashing Archer for six to steer his team over the line.
Standing in for the injured Pat Cummins as captain, Smith appeared back to his frightening best at the Gabba after a quiet opening Test, even succeeding in getting under the skin of the usually calm and collected Archer in the closing stages.
The pair – whose 2019 contest has gone down in Ashes folklore – were seen exchanging a few choice words in the middle after Archer tested a fired-up Smith with a rapid bouncer
‘Bowl fast when there’s nothing going on, champion,’ Australia’s stand-in skipper was heard saying to Archer on the stump mic.
While the tension between lingered for the remainder of Archer’s over, the duo were seen shaking hands not long after as Australia cruised to victory.
More to follow.
