The Ashes: England staring into the abyss as Brisbane defeat puts them 2-0 down

England's hopes of regaining the Ashes are in tatters after Australia moved 2-0 up in the five-match series with victory in the second Test in Brisbane on Sunday morning.

The tourists were staring defeat in the face at the stumps on day three, and despite some resistance with the bat from Ben Stokes (50) and Will Jacks (41) in the opening session on day four, they were only able to set Australia a fourth-innings target of 65, which the hosts were able to knock off for the loss of two wickets. 

England now require a miracle – wins in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney – if they are to win the Ashes, and that's reflected in series odds of 25-1, with Australia just 1-33 to win the five-match series. A 2-2 draw, which would see Australia retain the urn, is priced up at 28-1.

After back-to-back eight-wicket victories in Perth and the Gabba, Australia will be hoping to complete a 5-0 series clean sweep for the first time since 2013-14. It a general 6-4 that the hosts win all three remaining Tests, from 25-1 ante-post.

Bet365 make the Aussies 2-5 to go 3-0 up in the the third Test, which starts at the Adelaide Oval on December 17. England are 11-4 to breathe life into their faint series hopes, with the draw priced up at 12-1.

2025-26 Ashes series betting odds

Odds correct at time of publishing

Where do England go from here?

England face a must-win third Test which starts in Adelaide on December 17 (11.30 pm on December 16 in the UK), and captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum have a number of decisions to make following their latest humbling at the Gabba.

While the tourists' first-innings total of 334, underpinned by a masterful unbeaten 138 from Joe Root, appeared competitive on paper, a combination of lacklustre bowling and dismal fielding allowed Australia to post 511 in reply, before England's batting again failed to fire in the second innings.

England's refusal to deviate from their attack-minded approach has been duly criticised, and it's telling that vice-captain Harry Brook, one of the poster boys of the 'Bazball' era, has struggled to stamp his authority on the series, scoring 52 in the first innings in Perth but subsequently getting out for 0, 31, and 15.

Brook remains a huge talent and will be in the team in Adelaide regardless, but Ollie Pope's place at number three has to be at risk, with Jacob Bethell waiting in the wings and likely to be handed a chance at some stage whether the series is alive or not.

Bethell scored 70 for the Lions against England's attack in the second innings of the warm-up game at Lilac Hill, and a second-innings 71 in the Lions' ongoing four-day clash with Australia A in Brisbane.

However Bethell performs if, and when, he comes in, he's not the answer to all of England's problems with the bat. They have played far too many loose shots compared to their Australian counterparts, something that has to change in Adelaide.

The bowling was a bright spot in Perth, but England's attack was laboured at the Gabba, and there are no guarantees that Mark Wood will be fit to add some much-needed impetus to a one-dimensional unit. Josh Tongue and Matthew Potts also wait in the wings.

Will Jacks, one of England's better players in Brisbane, should keep his place, which lessens the need to bring in first-choice spinner Shoaib Bashir, who went wicketless in 25 overs for the Lions in Australia's first innings. Bethell also adds a spin option.

In worse news for England, Australia skipper Pat Cummins is fit to return in Adelaide. He will likely come in for Brendan Doggett, while the Aussies must also weigh up whether to bring spinner Nathan Lyon back into the team as they work out how to finish England off at a ground where they've won 11 of their last 12 Tests.

A 2-0 series deficit looks impossible to overhaul, and while England's management won't say it outwardly, their chief objective is now surely to salvage what they can from the remaining Tests.

Australia vs England: 2025-26 Ashes dates, schedule, results, start times & TV info 

First Test, Perth: Australia won by eight wickets
England 172 (Brook 52, Starc 7-58), Australia 132 (Carey 26, Stokes 5-23), England 164 (Atkinson 37, Boland 4-33), Australia 205-2 (Head 123, Carse 2-44)

Second Test, Brisbane: Australia won by eight wickets
England 334 (Root 138*, Starc 6-75), Australia (Starc 77, Carse 4-152), England 241 (Stokes 50, Neser 5-42), Australia 69-2 (Smith 23*, Atkinson 2-37)

December 17-21: Third Test, Adelaide (Starts midnight)
December 25-29: Fourth Test, Melbourne (Starts 11.30pm)
January 3-7: Fifth Test, Sydney (Starts 11.30pm)

TV: Live coverage on TNT Sports 1

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