England face Ashes battle despite Gabba fightback

Second Ashes Test, the Gabba, Brisbane (day-night, day two of five)

England 334: Root 138, Crawley 76; Starc 6-75

Australia 378-6: Weatherald 72, Labuschagne 65, Smith 61; Carse 3-113

Australia are 44 runs ahead

Scorecard

England produced a floodlit fightback late on the second day of the second Test against Australia but still face a huge battle to stay alive in the Ashes after missing five chances at the Gabba.

Australia were on course for a substantial first-innings lead until Brydon Carse summoned the energy for a hostile spell in the Brisbane night.

In the same over, Carse bowled Cameron Green for 45 and then ended Steve Smith's march to yet another Ashes century on 61 thanks to a wonder catch from Will Jacks.

When captain Ben Stokes bowled Josh Inglis, Australia had lost three wickets for 38 runs and eventually closed on 378-6, 44 ahead at the Gabba.

England are still in the match despite being woeful for much of Friday. It was a performance that had all the characteristics of their 16-Test winless run in this country and 39-year winless run on this ground.

The tourists added only nine to their overnight 325-9 to be all out for 334, then allowed Australia to get away with some scattergun bowling before the first interval.

Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith's drop of Travis Head was the first of the quintet of chances England missed.

Jake Weatherald slashed 72 and Marnus Labuschagne made 65 before Smith and Green added 95 for the fourth wicket.

The came the Carse-inspired revival. Whether it was too late to keep Australia to a lead England can manage will be revealed on Saturday.

Alex Carey – twice - and Michael Neser were both given reprieves under the lights and remain on 46 and 15 respectively.

If the first three days of this series – the two of the first Test and the opening day of this one – were packed with action, this had a more familiar and foreboding feel of Australia slowly turning the screw.

No team has made as many as England's 334 in the first innings of a day-night Test and lost, yet Australia put the tourists' effort into context. This might have been the best day for batting and, when the pink ball went soft, England lacked inspiration.

On day one, England's batting seemed fraught with danger, never far from the threat of implosion. A second-string Australia attack always found a way of conjuring – or being gifted – a wicket.

On this second day, the Australians simply played orthodox Test cricket. It just so happened England's best pace bowlers offered plenty of chances to score. Off-spinner Jacks bowled only one over, and his selection would have looked an error had it not been for his incredible catch.

Still, day-night Tests can change rapidly under the lights and England deserve praise for hanging in and eventually using the conditions to their advantage. Their short-ball plan had Australia hopping around, though also allowed more rapid scoring.

At some point on Saturday, England will have to bat to stay in this match against pink-ball genius Mitchell Starc. At such an early stage in the series, the Ashes will already be on the line.