Jofra Archer’s little verbal battle with Steve Smith provided some entertainment in what was largely a formality of a fourth innings of the second Ashes Test in Brisbane, with Australia needing to chase down just 65 runs to win the match. Smith had turned to T20 mode, taking Australia over the line by blasting 23 runs in nine balls and while he replied to Archer’s jibes with some words of his own, former captain Ricky Ponting also had a few sledges up his sleeve for the England fast bowler from the commentary box.
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Ponting noted that it was interesting how Archer had come alive only at that stage of the match, when the game was well put England’s grasps. The Australian great has since said that the period was one of few in his career as a commentator in which he was out there with bat in hand. “Smithy said ‘champion’, and then that’s just what came out of my mouth … it got me going, and got the hairs on the back of my neck standing up,” said Ponting on SEN.
“There haven’t been many games that I’ve commentated that I wish I was back playing again, but I wish I was out there the other night as part of that, because that’s what you miss and what it’s all about.”
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Ponting continued that Archer picking that moment to fight with Smith and bowl his fastest spell of the match was just an embarassment for himself. “For Jofra, he just embarrassed himself, and he embarrassed his team the other night, that’s what I make of that,” Ponting continued.
“To bowl his fastest spell ever in Test cricket, when Australia’s chasing 60… it (the ability to bowl that fast) has been there the whole time. It’s been up his sleeve, England have needed him to do it, and he hasn’t been willing to do it.”
An unbeaten century from Joe Root helped England pose a commendable 334 in their first innings of the pink-ball Test. However, some sloppy bowling and fielding on Day 2, coupled with an astonishing team performance from the Australians with the bat, ended up putting England 177 runs behind going into their second innings. England were then bowled out for 241 and Australia won the Test by eight wickets. They now lead the five-match series 2-0.