England have booked extra training sessions in Brisbane ahead of the second Ashes Test as they look to rebound from their two-day drubbing in the series opener at Perth.
The tourists announced on Monday that no first-choice players would travel to Canberra this weekend for the pink-ball tour game against a Prime Minister’s XI, with only batter Jacob Bethell and seamers Josh Tongue and Matthew Potts joining the Lions group.
England will spend five days together in Brisbane ahead of the day-night Test at The Gabba from December 4, with an optional training slot on Saturday and a session on Sunday added to the build-up.
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Stuart Broad reflects on England’s collapse in their first Ashes Test against Australia and what exactly went wrong for them to throw away a potential victory
Saturday’s morning session will take place at Allan Border Field, with the remaining four practice outings – two in the afternoon, two under lights – staged at The Gabba from Sunday to Wednesday.
England were rolled for 172 and 164 in Perth as they suffered a 14th defeat in their last 16 Test matches in Australia – the other two results in that time have been draws.
England were greeted by camera crews as they left Western Australia and landed in Queensland, with captain Ben Stokes briefly telling a Channel 7 reporter: “We’re thinking about what we need to do in Brisbane, mate.”
Joe Root added: “We’re preparing as best we can and we’re look forward to the next game.”
Joe Root made scores of nought and eight in the Perth Test
Hussain: England ‘not arrogant’ to skip tour game
Sky Sports’ Nasser Hussain on England sitting first-teamers out of pink-ball game in Canberra:
“It is not arrogant.
“They could play that game against the pink ball but The Gabba is so different from Canberra, which can be slow and low, if you listen to the Aussies out here.
“At The Gabba, England will be practising under lights, in the nets, with a pink ball to get used to conditions.
England captain Ben Stokes batting in the nets
“I have heard some stuff about ‘you must go and play that two-day game because it will look so bad if you then go to Brisbane and lose’.
“But you don’t do things because you think it will look bad if you lose. You do things because you think it is the best way to prepare a side to win.
“They have decided the best way to prepare is under the lights in the nets at the Gabba.”
England right to ‘hold nerve’ with decisions
Sky Sports’ Michael Atherton, speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast:
“If an England batter had said, ‘I really want to feel bat on ball in a competitive game’ then go to Canberra – I’m sure that would have been the case. But I have no problem with England’s decision not to go.
“Not only are the pitch conditions different but also climate-wise as well. Cool in Canberra, hot and humid at The Gabba.
“As a batter, I would have wanted to come to The Gabba in good time to get used to the pace, bounce and heat, rather than have a rushed arrival from Canberra.
“The easy thing to do is panic and make a decision based on how it looks but I think you have to hold your nerve at this point. Why change tack now from decisions made a while ago?”
Head wary of angering England fast bowlers
Travis Head smashed 123 from 83 balls as Australia won the first Ashes Test on day two
Australia were set 205 to win at Optus Stadium, the highest total of a low-scoring game, and raced to that in 28.2 overs for an eight-wicket win as makeshift opener Travis Head clubbed a 69-ball ton, the second-fastest in The Ashes, en route to 123 from 83 deliveries.
Speaking to Australian radio station Triple M on Thursday, Head said he was wary of making England’s fast bowlers angry so early in the five-Test series.
The left-hander said: “I accidentally hit Jofra [Archer] back over his head for six at one point and calmly walked back and was like, ‘oh my god, why did I just do that?’
“Marnus [Labuschagne] came down [the pitch] and was like, ‘I know you’re trying to act cool, but that’s unbelievable’. He’s yelling and screaming, and he’s hoo-hah-ing.
“I’m like, ‘mate, get back to the other end, at any moment they can put a hole through me, they bowl 150 clicks’.”
Harry Brook bagged a duck in England’s second innings at Optus Stadium
On England electing to leave senior players out of this weekend’s pink-ball fixture, Head added: “You’ve got to respect the fact they’ve been a bloody good team. I reckon they’ve got their plans and they’re doubling down.
“Credit to them, they’re going to live by the sword or die by the sword, and we’ll see where we’re at in Brisbane.”
Ashes series in Australia 2025-26
All times UK and Ireland
First Test (Perth – November 21-25): Australia beat England by eight wicketsSecond Test (day/night): Thursday December 4 – Monday December 8 (4am) – The Gabba, BrisbaneThird Test: Wednesday December 17 – Sunday December 21 (11.30pm) – Adelaide OvalFourth Test: Thursday December 25 – Monday December 29 (11.30pm) – Melbourne Cricket GroundFifth Test: Sunday January 4 – Thursday January 8 (11.30pm) – Sydney Cricket Ground
