Australia vs England, 5th Test – The Ashes 2025/26: Day 2 Match Report from Sydney

The final Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground is delivering! We’ve seen some great cricket, shifts in momentum, and some awesome individual performances. At the end of Day 2, Australia is in a decent spot at 166 for 2 in their first innings, trailing England by 218 runs. Travis Head is just killing it out there with an awesome, not-out innings. With three days left, it’s still anyone’s game!

England’s Good Start with the Bat

England won the toss and chose to bat, which turned out well. Their batters showed patience on a pitch that rewarded that. After losing a few early wickets, Joe Root stepped up and showed why he’s one of the best around.
Root held the innings together with a fantastic 160 off 242 balls. It was old-school Test match batting, solid defense mixed with great shots. He handled the fast bowlers and the spinners well, kept the scoreboard ticking, and punished any bad balls. He basically held England’s innings together.

Harry Brook was a great support, scoring a quick 84 off 97 balls. Brook helped England keep the pressure on in the middle session, and his partnership with Root was key. Jamie Smith also added a useful 46.
Even with a bit of a collapse near the end, England managed a good total of 384 in 97.3 overs. It was a team effort, with the top order hanging in there and the middle order speeding things up.

Aussie Bowlers Keep Things Close

Even though England got a good score, the Aussie bowlers did a solid job to keep it from being worse. Michael Neser was great, taking 4 wickets for 60 runs. He got the ball moving and bowled consistently, causing the English batters all sorts of problems.

Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc were solid, grabbing two wickets each. Boland’s accuracy and Starc’s pace meant England couldn’t relax. Cameron Green and Marnus Labuschagne also chipped in with important wickets, stopping England from running away with it.

Australia’s controlled bowling performance meant they were still in the game when it was their turn to bat.

Travis Head Leads Australia’s Reply

Australia’s first innings started positively. Travis Head and Jake Weatherald went after the English bowlers early on. Head looked really good from the start, playing with confidence. He hit the ball cleanly and took advantage of the fast outfield at the SCG.

Weatherald played a good supporting role, scoring 21 before getting out, giving Australia a solid start. Then, Head and Marnus Labuschagne put on a really important partnership, keeping the innings steady while scoring at a good rate.

Labuschagne made a sound 48, showing composure against Ben Stokes and Josh Tongue. Even though he got out before stumps, his innings helped Australia get past 150 with minimal damage.

Head’s Day

Day 2 was all about Travis Head, no question. He’s not out on 91 off just 87 balls, and it’s been one of the most important innings so far. He’s scoring at over a run a ball in a Test match. That shows how aggressive he’s been, putting England’s bowlers under pressure.

Head’s innings included 15 boundaries, showing how well he’s been able to find the gaps in the field. Whether he’s driving through the covers or cutting square of the wicket, he looks in total control. His performance has swung the momentum back to Australia.

Michael Neser, the other not-out batter, is playing a quiet but important role, supporting Head until stumps were called because of rain.

England’s Bowling Struggle

England’s bowlers had a tough time. Ben Stokes led the way, picking up two wickets for 30 runs in a tight spell. Getting Weatherald and Labuschagne out was important for England.

Josh Tongue bowled with control, conceding just 31 runs in 10 overs, but he didn’t get a wicket. Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts got some movement but couldn’t contain Head once he got going.

Even with their efforts, England will feel they missed chances to really put the pressure on, especially in the final session when Head took over.

Where the Match Stands

At the end of Day 2, Australia is at 166 for 2, trailing England by 218 runs with eight wickets remaining. With good batters still to come, like Steven Smith, Usman Khawaja, and Alex Carey, Australia has a great chance to either match or pass England’s total.

England needs to strike early on Day 3 and stop Australia from building a big lead. The pitch is still good for batting, but good bowling could still get results.

What’s Next?

Day 3 is huge. Australia will want to build a big first-innings total. Getting Travis Head out will be England’s main goal. A big innings from Head or Smith could decide the match.

England will need Ben Stokes to lead and make some smart bowling changes to get back into the game. Early wickets could expose Australia’s middle order and open the game up again.

Final Thoughts

The fifth Ashes Test has been great. England’s solid batting, led by Joe Root, set things up nicely. Australia’s response, with Travis Head’s aggressive batting, has kept things close.

With three days left and both teams in with a shot, expect more excitement at the Sydney Cricket Ground.