The Ashes 2025 second Test day two as it happened: Five dropped catches and wild dismissals as Australia take crucial lead

That’s it for us here in the Miranda bureau. Almost 400 runs in a day - that’s Test cricket in 2025 baby. Jake Weatherald the pick of today’s exponents, always enjoy watching someone make their mark on the world stage.

England worked their way back into the contest thanks to a reckless Cameron Green dismissal and Ben Stokes’ immense bowling efforts, only to fumble their way out of it with four dropped catches in the last hour.

Even by traditional English touring standards, this was poor. But at least Will Jacks bagged a screamer to send Steve Smith on his way.

Australia will fancy shoving that lead up beyond 100 when day three resumes, but England will be able to take the new ball after seven overs. We do it all again tomorrow.

And that’s stumps. Alex Carey started looking quite assured by the end of this session, guiding Australia to a 44-run lead at the close of play.

He and Michael Neser have put on 49 together, not in the same fashion as Joe Root and Jofra Archer last night, but they’re worth the same and they’re crucial runs.

England lucky to be in this game as much as they are to be honest. They bowled poorly for much of the second day, not to mention their very average fielding, but clawed their way back into the contest with late wickets under lights.

Australia 6-378: Carey 46* Neser 15* lead England by 44 runs.

England really struggling to pick up the pink ball, Michael Neser dropped after flat-batting it straight to Brydon Carse at cover. Carse had to take half a step to his right and looks to have done some damage in dropping what was a straight-forward chance, he’s off the field for some repairs to his hand.

That’s England’s fourth dropped catch of the innings, Ben Duckett the culprit for the other too. Jofra Archer - he wears his heart on his sleeve - was shattered by that.

… Make that five dropped catches today. Joe Root gets half a hand to an edge that sails between he and keeper Jamie Smith. Root at first slip though Smith was going for the edge from Neser, then had to go late himself. Tough chance.

Australia 6-349: Carey 25* Neser 8* lead England by 15 runs.

Jofra Archer back into the attack with 25 minutes to play. Giddy up. Neser greets him with a nicely timed three down the ground. A very ginger (sorry, not sorry) Ben Stokes hobbles after it, having just downed a bit of pickle juice to counter his cramps.

Ricky Ponting not impressed with Archer’s first offering - it was 129km/hr. “He’s run all that way to send down an absolute throwdown”.

Punter still going after England’s fastest bowler too, this is the moment he needs to deliver, not ease himself in.

Archer has bowled well today, but he has taken at least an over to warm-up with each spell today. Gus Atkinson replaces Stokes at the other end.

Australia 6-342: Carey 21* Neser 5* lead England by 8 runs.

First ball Michael Neser endures a very tight LBW appeal. It’s turned down by the on-field umpire. England send it upstairs. And it’s the wrong move.

Big inside edge. Otherwise, Neser was headed straight back to the sheds. But Stokes is up and about once more. So are England. Can’t help but admire the talismanic captain, even if he’s burning a review.

A boundary to Carey and a couple of singles from Brydon Carse’s next over puts Australia into the lead.

Australia 6-335: Carey 18* Neser 1* lead England by 1 run.

Ben Duckett spills a tough chance at floating slip, once again, Ben Stokes is the aggrieved bowler. It’s not in the same ballpark as the dolly he dropped off Carey when he was on zero. But could he have got two hands to it?

Never mind. Ben Stokes rips through Josh Inglis. Bowled. The skipper is just indomitable. He looks out on his feet and is into his 16th over. And yet, and I’ve lost count of how often he’s down this, he keeps delivering.

Michael Neser to the crease, Australia still five runs behind on the first innings.

Australia 6-329: Carey 13* Inglis 23 trails England by 5 runs.

If we’re going to get stuck into England over their Bazball batting when it goes haywire, then Cameron Green’s dismissal is fair game too.

“It’s ridiculous batting,” David Warner sums up on Fox Cricket. England effectively suckered him into a T20 contest with the short stuff, and eventually got his wicket.

With Alex Carey and Josh Inglis at the crease, England have a sniff, and they still hold a slender lead too. Australia can’t put the lapses from Green, and to a lesser extent Smith, down to the perils of batting under lights.

Tonight’s session hasn’t had their name on a ball sooner or later. It was just poor batting.

Australia 5-305: Carey 9* Inglis 5* trails England by 29 runs.