Australia took a giant step towards retaining the Ashes after thrashing England in the second Test at The Gabba on Sunday to go 2-0 up in the five-match series.
For the second Test in succession, Australia ran out winners by eight wickets, with fast-bowler Michael Neser doing the damage on his home ground, taking 5-42 as England were bowled out for 242 in the second innings.
It gave the tourists a meagre lead of 65 runs which, despite Gus Atkinson claiming the wickets of first-Test hero Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne, Australia rattled off in 10 overs.
After starting the day on 134-6, still 43 behind the Aussies, captain Ben Stokes and all-rounder Will Jacks showed a patience and focus that have been woefully lacking from their teammates Down Under so far.
The pair put on a watchful 96-run stand for the seventh wicket, which was finally broken by a stunning diving catch by stand-in captain Steve Smith at slip to dismiss Jacks after a gutsy 41.
It says something for the dismal efforts of England's batters that the 36.4 over partnership was their longest of the series so far.
What followed was an all-too familiar collapse with England losing their final four wickets for 17 runs as Stokes quickly followed Jacks back to the pavillion after a defiant 50 off 152 balls was ended when he nicked Neser behind.
Atkinson (3) was then bounced out by Brendan Doggett and Brydon Carse edged to slip to give Neser his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket.
Australia would go on to seal a rapid victory with Smith smashing a six to clinch the win as he and Jake Weatherald powered the home side over the line.
“It was good fun there,” said Smith, who was involved a spicy exchange of views with England bowler Jofra Archer during the run chase. “A great day of cricket. The guys toiled really hard there.
“It was a good partnership from Will Jacks and Ben Stokes but once we broke that we were able to get through and leave ourselves a chase of 60 odd, so pleasing.”
The turning point in the match had come in Australia's second innings when their wagging tail – including man-of-the-match Mitchell Starc's 141-ball 77 – helped Australia reach 511 and take a huge 177-run lead.
That was followed by a fine bowling performance with the pink ball as England stuttered to 134-6. “The game turned when we were able to extend our innings and everyone getting into double digits, even though unfortunately nobody was able to go on and get a big one,” added Smith.
“The tail batting for 50 overs and extending it into the night so we were able to bowl with a newer ball under lights was crucial for us.”
It was another sensational pink-ball performance from Starc, who took eight wickets – including a first-innings 6-75 – with the ball as well as providing that vital late-order knock with the bat.
“Two wins. I can't ask for much more,” said Starc. "A hard-fought win and glad to be on the right side of it.
“We've seen on this ground before the wicket is hard and that pink ball goes soft pretty early, so I think as a bowling unit we bowled well in both innings.
“Obviously batting in the first innings it was key we got a lead there. Michael Neser, on his home ground in front of his family, was phenomenal today.”
As for England, the pressure continues to ramp up on Stokes' men after another miserable Test following on from the two-day defeat in Perth.
It is going to take a monumental turnaround in form and fortunes if they are to recover from here and regain the Ashes, starting with the Third Test in Adelaide on December 17. England have never come from 2-0 behind to win a series against Australia.
“We have to take some responsibility as a batting group, especially in that top seven,” said Stokes, who also insisted he is “incredibly confident” that England can still win the series. “I think there is some of the stuff that is a mentality thing.
“Again we seem, to see those kind of things in that pressure situations when it is neither here nor there.
“We managed to wrestle momentum back towards us then Australia have got the momentum back.
“I see that as a common theme when the game is on the line. When the pressure is on, where are we at? Are we clear to go out there and do what we need to do to get us back in the game?
“I will be addressing this stuff in the dressing room. I'm not going to sit here and splurt it all out.”
Dhadak
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana
Stars: 3
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Brave CF 27 fight card
Welterweight:
Abdoul Abdouraguimov (champion, FRA) v Jarrah Al Selawe (JOR)
Lightweight:
Anas Siraj Mounir (TUN) v Alex Martinez (CAN)
Welterweight:
Mzwandile Hlongwa (RSA) v Khamzat Chimaev (SWE)
Middleweight:
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Rustam Chsiev (RUS)
Mohammad Fakhreddine (LEB) v Christofer Silva (BRA)
Super lightweight:
Alex Nacfur (BRA) v Dwight Brooks (USA)
Bantamweight:
Jalal Al Daaja (JOR) v Tariq Ismail (CAN)
Chris Corton (PHI) v Zia Mashwani (PAK)
Featherweight:
Sulaiman (KUW) v Abdullatip (RUS)
Super lightweight:
Flavio Serafin (BRA) v Mohammad Al Katib (JOR)
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
MATCH INFO
Alaves 1 (Perez 65' pen)
Real Madrid 2 (Ramos 52', Carvajal 69')
Australia men's Test cricket fixtures 2021/22
One-off Test v Afghanistan:
Nov 27-Dec 1: Blundstone Arena, Hobart
The Ashes v England:
Dec 8-12: 1st Test, Gabba, Brisbane
Dec 16-20: 2nd Test, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (day/night)
Dec 26-30: 3rd Test, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Jan 5-9, 2022: 4th Test, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Jan 14-18: 5th Test, Optus Stadium, Perth
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
Not Dark Yet
Shelby Lynne and Allison Moorer
Four stars
Teams in the EHL
White Bears, Al Ain Theebs, Dubai Mighty Camels, Abu Dhabi Storms, Abu Dhabi Scorpions and Vipers
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
