Updated World Test Championship Points Table After Australia Thrash England In Pink-Ball Ashes Test
With five wins in as many games, Australia kept their top spot in the WTC points table intact.
Australia maintained their 100 per cent win record in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) after thrashing England by eight wickets in the 2nd Ashes Test in Brisbane on Sunday. Asked to chase a sub-par target of 65 on the penultimate day of the pink-ball contest, the hosts made lightwork of the task despite losing two wickets. After taking a lead of 177 in the first innings, Australia bowled out England for just 241 in the second innings, thanks to Michael Neser's maiden five-wicket haul.
Stand-in captain Steve Smith smashed a six in the chase to win the game, with Australia taking a 2-0 lead in the series. With five wins in as many games, Australia kept their top spot in the WTC points table intact.
England, on the other hand, dropped one place to 7th in the points table after back-to-back defeats Down Under. They currently boast a PCT of 30.95.
Across the first two tests, England has forfeited strong positions with indisciplined bowling or poor shot selection from batters attempting to score needlessly quickly, and also dropped too many catches.
The coaching staff has been criticized for only organizing one tour game in Australia to warm up ahead of the series. Coaches and players have been criticized by an increasing number of ex-international players for pursuing the attack-at-all-costs mentality rather than adapting to the conditions or match situations.
England captain Ben Stokes acknowledged that England had struggled to cope with the pressure from Australia.
"Very disappointing. A lot of it comes down to not being able to stand up to the pressure of this game, this format, when the game is on the line. In small passages, we've been able to bring the game back into some kind of control and then we've let us slip away. We've done that again here this week, and it's very, very disappointing, in particular, because of the ability of the players that we have in that dressing room," Stokes said at the post-match presentation, as quoted by ESPNcrincinfo.
The third Test starts in Adelaide from December 17 and Australia only need a draw to retain the Ashes.
(With ANI Inputs)
Australia Cricket Team
England Cricket Team