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England’s Ashes campaign plunged into deeper turmoil on Sunday as Australia stormed to an emphatic eight-wicket win in the day-night second Test in Brisbane, sealing a dominant 2–0 lead in the series.England’s situation triggered a scathing assessment from legend Ian Botham, who said supporters would be justified in demanding their money back given the side’s lack of preparation.
Australia, set just 65 runs to win, cruised home as captain Steve Smith launched Gus Atkinson for a towering six over square leg to finish the match in style. While not as brutal as England’s two-day capitulation in Perth, the Gabba outing once again exposed glaring gaps in Ben Stokes’s team.Botham’s criticism was uncompromising. “Well, they missed the trick as well. They could have sent the team that was going to play in this test. They could have gone to Canberra, or wherever it is they were playing. And they could have gone there, and at least they would have had some experience with the pink ball,” he said on the sidelines of the Ashes. “What do we do? No, we don’t need to. Well, I suggest you do need to. And I think you need to. You dropped five catches the other day, which cost England. They could have been in front of the game.”Highlighting Australia’s resilience, he added: “Every single player in that Australian side fought to actually be out there and bowl.”Botham reserved his sharpest words for England’s overall readiness. “I mean it just doesn’t make a lot of sense. Do you know what, if I was an England supporter and had paid the money to come here, I’d be asking the ECB… for a refund because this team… is not prepared. I don’t think the bowlers are fit enough, strong enough,” he added.England were thoroughly outplayed. Their batting faltered again — despite some resistance from Joe Root, Zak Crawley, Stokes and Will Jacks — while their bowlers squandered the new pink ball with erratic lengths. Fielding proved disastrous as they dropped five catches, a stark contrast to Australia’s sharpness, highlighted by Josh Inglis’s brilliant run-out of Stokes in the first innings.Smith said the match turned dramatically once Australia secured the second new ball under lights, noting, “It can be tricky with the pink ball, it changes really quickly and you have to adapt.” Stokes admitted the performance was “very disappointing,” saying England failed to stand up to pressure.With three Tests to play in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney, Australia are now overwhelming favourites to retain the Ashes.
