Australia's Michael Neser (R) celebrates with team mates after taking five wickets in the innings on day four of the second Ashes against England at The Gabba in Brisbane on Sunday-AFP BRISBANE, Australia, Dec 07 (AFP): Australia cruised to an emphatic eight-wicket win over England in the day-night second Ashes Test in Brisbane on Sunday for an ominous 2-0 lead in the series.
Set a paltry target of 65 for victory, Australia captain Steve Smith pulled Gus Atkinson for a huge six over square leg to get the job done in style.
Although not as humiliating as the two-day loss in the first Test at Perth, England were comprehensively outplayed in every department.
Australia are now overwhelming favourites to retain the Ashes with matches in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney to follow.
"Great day.
First two days were pretty even, game turned when we were able to extend to get the new ball under lights, that was crucial for us," said Smith, who clashed verbally with England bowler Jofra Archer as the hosts raced to victory.
"It can be tricky with the pink ball, it changes really quickly and you have to adapt."
For England it was more misery.
Their batting, apart from Joe Root and Zak Crawley in the first innings and captain Ben Stokes and Will Jacks in the second, was just as rash as in Perth.
They gave their wickets away with poor strokes on the bouncy Gabba surface.
They also bowled poorly, pitching too
short and wasting the new pink ball, in stark contrast to an Australian attack missing spearheads
Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.
To make matters worse England dropped five catches in the first innings, whereas Australia's fielders caught everything that came their way.
Josh Inglis's brilliant run-out of Stokes in the first innings changed the course of the match.
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