Test Match Special - Pope talks to TMS & Jacks in for Wood for Gabba Test

Episode Date: December 2, 2025

England have made one change to their side for the second Test, and we hear from batter Ollie Pope. Plus, Michael Vaughan and Phil Tufnell bring their pre-Test predictions.

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. Bring more gear, carry more passengers, face greater challenges. Welcome to the world of Defender, with seating up to eight, ample cargo space, and legendary off-road capability. It's built to make the most of every adventure. Learn more at landrover.ca. You're listening to the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Hello, I'm Eleanor Aldroyd. Welcome to the TMS podcast from Brisbane, where it's been another sweltering day,

and the countdown to the second test of the ashes is very much on. England have named their 11 for the match, with batting all-rounder Will Jax, replacing the injured Mark Wood. And Usman Kowager has been confirmed as not available for Australia because of his back problems. We'll have all the reaction to that news. We'll hear from England number three, Olly Pope.

And we'll get the thoughts of Michael Vaughn and Phil Tufnal ahead of the game. You're listening to the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. I'm sat alongside our chief cricket commentator, Jonathan Agnew. And Agger's The 11 has been announced. Two days out from the second test, we knew that it wasn't going to be Mark Wood to play at the Gabbard. But Will Jacks comes in.

A bit of a surprise? Well, they probably only had the two choices, isn't they? Jacks or Tung. They've looked at the pitch two days out, which I think is quite interesting. I mean, one or two pictures I've seen do show there's a lot of grass on it, I haven't had a look at it yet, but they obviously think that

a spinner is more worthwhile than an extra seamer, which of course Wood was providing at Perth. It didn't look quite right at Perth, I didn't think, is the one of the quick bowlers in that first thing's particularly, he bowled with some pace but he hasn't played for a long time and I suspect that this recurrence is that's what I do is of

his knee issue. Hopefully, I'm touching wood, it's just a case of him having not played for a while, and that he will be still able to play later. in the series but you know it's a great shame from his perspective it's but the jacks one is interesting so they could have they could have had the same balance as perth where actually he can do bowl very well in the first innings and of course the interesting element to this is sherbashia I mean why was he named in that squad he was never going to play at perth clearly because when

it comes to the crunch they haven't played him you know he's he's he's an improving emerging off spinner who can't bat and he's a reasonable fielder whereas jacks brings you much more. So he'll bolster the lower order. I think Jamie Smith would please that he's playing because it gives him another bat, someone at least below him, before he gets down to the bowlers. And as a bowler, I mean, he's mostly played whiteball cricket. He's played a couple of test matches. He took a five-for on debut as well. So it does give them that other option if they do need to keep, you know, keep their faster bowlers fresh. Yeah, that's right. I mean, it suggests that Stokes is happy with his fitness as well, because he hasn't got that extra cover now. Yeah,

Jacks got Sixfer in Pakistan, a little bit flattered by those figures, if I'm honest. I mean, he's more of a bat who bowls. Is he better than Joe Root? Well, they're probably much of a muchness. Although he's taller than Joe Root, of course. And he's there to bowl a few overs as colour for the quix. But he can bat. He's an aggressive batsman, which, as we know, fits the mould.

Although I'm hoping, I'm hoping that England might shelve sort of that aggressive batting that we saw in Perth and actually battle with some common sense in this match. Yeah, well, one man who actually did bat with a bit of common sense had a fairly creditable performance with the bat in the first test was Ollie Pope. He made scores of 46 and 33 in Perth. And he's been speaking to BBC Sports, Stefan Shemult at the Gabbat. Ollie, it's been a long time, actually, quite a long number of days since you guys have played test cricket.

How are you tracking? Yeah, good. Yeah, I mean, obviously, an annoyingly long break. Obviously, that result didn't go away. But, no, I think it's given us a chance to really draw a life. under it. We've taken some learnings that we needed to take from that game on what we could have done better but no, it's just excitement now going into this week.

Talk us through how you prepare for this week. Last night you trained under lights. How was that? Yeah, it's good. It's good, I think. Look, it's trying not look too much into the pink ball. I guess we've all seen a swinging ball and a nipping ball before and it might do that at times. So it's just complete clarity. I guess it's just trying to get your eyes used to batting under lights for the first time in a long while.

so yeah it's just trying to be as clear as you can going into this game and not thinking too much about that and just yeah having that clarity in your own game plan talking about picking it up under lights this might sound like a daft question but how hard is it to see that pink ball under the foot light yeah i mean seeing the balls are right i think it's probably i guess it's a black seam on a pink ball which can be harder to spot than then the red ball obviously with a white white seam so it's just yeah trying to look as close as you can as a bad obviously you want to see which balls are wobble, which balls are swing ball. So there are times at the game which that is slightly harder to see. And everyone knows that. Everyone, all the cricketers who are played in it are aware of that.

So it's just trying to be clear when that happens. If you can't quite see it like you want to, then, yeah, how you want to try and go about it. Are there any other challenges to play in a day-night test match? I don't know. Changes in your body clock, routine, all those different things. Yeah, that's probably it, really. I think the body clocks, well, I'm a pretty early riser. So I'm trying to get myself to stay up a little bit later

and actually not wake up at half six because it makes it a pretty long morning otherwise. So I'm just trying to find a way to sleep in a bit longer. On the makeup of the team, what would someone like Will Jack, so you've played a lot of cricket worth bring to the team? Oh, yeah. I mean, everyone knows what a brilliant cricketer he is.

I think the way he's grown over the last few years. Obviously, we've seen his white ball really go forward. And if he gets the nod, then it's a great opportunity for his Red Bull too. I think he's obviously got that style of spin bowling in which he can get some bounce and turn off the pitch and then everyone's seen the skills that he's got in the white ball format and yeah, he can obviously take on a really good attack.

Talk to us about your own batting because you filled your boots at Lila Kill and then you got a couple of good starts in Perth. How's the game feeling? Yeah, the game feels good. I think that that obviously was a challenging pitch. I think so I was really happy with how I went about it but I was really disappointed with the two ways that I got out

as well. So I think, yeah, I'll take the positives from how I was batting up until I got out and then I can learn from the mistakes I made, which led to my dismissals as well. What can you tell us about the work you did on your game back in the UK? Oh, yeah, I think for me, it's just having the clarity of how I want to play on these pitches. They're the kind of different strengths of their bowlers and how I can try and negate them. So, yeah, for me, I'm not going to go into too much detail and give away too much, but just a few small things to help my kind of alignment. And then for me, while I'm out here now,

I feel like that's in a good place. So it's just trying to keep a real clear head and stay nice and positive throughout. I know you don't want to give any secrets away. But why did you feel like you needed to do a bit of work? I think before every series is what I've learned. You kind of want to make sure your games is prepared for the pitches and the bowl as they possibly can be.

And I think the good thing about my situation, obviously I'm not in the white ball team, so I can really allow myself to have that best preparation for each series now. So, yeah, I remember when my last trip out here, I was trying to kind of tinker with my technique halfway through the series, and that wasn't something that worked. So for me, it's just being really clear on it and how I can deal with the bounce and deal with the different bowler's threats.

So, yeah, fingers crossed, if I can keep batting the way I started last week, then some good runs will come. In Perth, you and Ben were at the crease together when England were really on top. And then your individual dismissals started a period where the game spiraled away from England. What have you learned then from that situation about when you have the advantage really ramming at home? Yeah, I mean, that was obviously a key moment in the game. At the time, we probably thought that we had a decent score. Obviously, it wasn't enough.

And it's probably, I mean, look, no one means to get out. I played a pretty loose shot in the second innings. And that can happen. So it's just trying to make sure if you do get the opportunity and get yourself in on a tougher pitch It's just trying to really make the most of it And drive it forward for the team The problem is if you give a team as good as Australia a sniff

They'll take advantage Yeah exactly and we saw that We saw exactly that last week So it's just making sure if we do get in the driver's seat We've got to try and drive it home as much as we can Just a couple more You won't need me to remind you of England's history At this ground

You've got an opportunity to make your own bit of history Yeah absolutely We know they've got a good record here But at the same time they're certainly haven't been unbeatable here as well as we've seen so I think yeah for us we'll see we'll just use the use the crowd we know the kind of pitch conditions now and we played a few pink ball games too so it's just trying to yeah not not think too much about the history of it in terms of this venue and this ground and just trying to make sure we we put our skills forward and just as a final thought

you'll know that sometimes england teams have come to australia and series have got away from them you're 1-0 down at the moment you'll know that there's a lot of fans coming here and over Christmas and those things who are really looking forward to that trip. Do you feel the responsibility to those guys to still be battling for the year and come tests four and five? Of course, 100%.

I think for that first day and a half and of course the last bit as well we really feel their presence out here and there is a responsibility on us to make sure we kind of put out more of a fight just towards the back end of that day, of course. But yeah, there's a lot of drive in the team which is pretty obvious.

If there wasn't there would be some mission. issues and and yeah hopefully we can kind of make the fans proud over the next few weeks or so and then put our best foot forward. Thanks Ollie. Cheers. I thought it was interesting Jonathan to hear Ollie Pope talking there about the routine as much as anything else. We've talked quite a bit over the last few days about the pink ball and the way it behaves under lights and he talks about that as well. But actually all of us have to change our routines for these day like test matches. Yeah it is and it's there purely for TV really to give the television and company the chance of broadcasting to an evening audience.

And there will be more people who see the game as a result. It's not perfect for the players, let's be honest. A pink ball is often quite difficult to see to start with, especially when you first go in. Here in the humidity of Brisbane, a pink ball can nip around a lot, especially the risk of grass on the pitch. But if it means that more kids are going to be able to watch for a couple of hours, then okay, I haven't really got a problem with it,

depending on where it is. Don't play a pink ball game again in England, that was ghastly. And most people fled from Edgebaston by half-past six. Here in Australia, it does work nicely. You know, warm evenings and so on. It's nice for the crowd that are there. But yeah, particularly it's for that television audience. And the way that Pope has worked on his game, I mean, clearly they do take criticism on board.

There's been this slight narrative, hasn't there, that they don't listen to what people say. But only Pope knew he had work to do and he's gone away and done something. Well, I think he probably knew himself, didn't he? I mean, yes, it has been a narrative. It's been a narrative. It's been interesting last week, hasn't it? A lot of people have piled in. And I think Stokes, I don't know, I heard his interview with Stefan and the press. And I do think he genuinely regretted what he said.

He can be very bullish. He wasn't easy with me after the game. And I don't mind that because, you know, he's been utterly humiliated in front of 50,000 people. And to come out and to give live interviews after that is just not easy. But it has to be done. He goes for the job. and it's not very pleasant actually conducting an interview in those circumstances either, to be honest. So I'll be interested to see how he is tomorrow when we meet up again, so I haven't seen him since last week.

But all that's talk of arrogance and so on, and it came from a number of different sources, didn't it? And if I were there, I'd be thinking, oh, hang on a minute, because there's a very fine line between confidence, self-belief, having your own blueprint, as Bernard McCollum talks about. But actually, we're not listening to any of you a lot. We know what's best for us, so just, you know, has-beens can get on with. He's apologised for the has-beens as well he has but he shouldn't have said it there's a silly thing to say but yes he has apologized for that that was that was the right thing to do he will be a has-been before he knows it probably unfortunately the way that

life moves on as quickly as it as quickly as it does but I hope they've learnt I don't care about the arrogant stuff and all that that's that's kind of a side issue they did not play well in Perth they lost the match in Perth they lost the match they should have won and they lost it for a number of reasons and I just hope that they've sensibly analyzed that and they have sensibly decided how they're going to play in this test match

because if they're loose here then you really can't see them coming back but Australia weakened again it was Montquadre being ruled out today some people will say that strengthens the team because he's getting on he was 39 shortly he looked totally out of sorts in Perth he's got a bad back

Travis Head of course who absolutely normalised England in that second inning I suppose that gives more strength to the argument that he'll probably open the batting. There was a little bit of debate about that. And then he's English or Webster depending on the balance of the team that they won. But, you know, they are vulnerable.

We saw it at Perth, Australia is vulnerable. England should have beaten them. And it's really down to them and their fault and their batting. And there's a headless selection of shots that cost them that game. We heard Michael Vaughn on Five Life Sport last night saying they need to go old school.

And there's been this expression, okay just try and get that pink ball to the stage where it loses some of its threats so after about 20 ball 20 overs or so that they say you know actually the cook of our balls pretty much behave the same but then the timing of course is there are so many variables aren't there in a match like this yeah but if you if you bat for as long as possible if you can somehow manage to start batting bat into the second day

you've given yourself a good chance then when the lights the lights come on I mean that's not old school that's playing test cricket properly. You know, you bat as long as you can. You battle first, you bat for as long as you can. Of course you do. I mean, that's, there's nothing old school about it at all. It's just how how test cricket should be played. You can play positively at times. But yeah, it does change, you know, when the conditions are such, when you get the twilight here, which is quite early here in Brisbane. It gets dark here, quite quickly and quite early. And you can get some storms as well. Actually, the weather forecast doesn't look too bad, but I experienced a storm the day. I mean,

If that comes down about five o'clock, then that's it. That'll be it for the day, I would imagine. So they've got to keep their fingers crossed a bit about the weather. And it could affect things like declarations and all sorts of stuff. I mean, it's quite a movable feast of daylight gain in a way that a more orthodox day gain is not. But the bottom line is you've got to score as many runs as you can. When do you get the chance?

You're not going to win games otherwise. And you mentioned that we haven't had much in the way of pink ball tests in England. I think we've had one. England have played a handful. Quite a lot of these players have not played any. They've not their last one. In Mount Munganoo, when they declared. Exactly.

So, you know, no. We're getting back to that argument again about Canberra and the big ball and getting practice, aren't we? Which is that ship has now sailed. So, you know, they are where they are. It's their choice, their decision. They've got to kind of clear their heads. That's what Basball actually actually.

was at the start. It was clearing of heads and freeing of minds and playing with some confidence and actually putting a smile in your faces. That was actually how all this began and that almost is where they are now. They've got to come out, they've got to forget what happened to a extent but learn from it and then go out and believe they can beat Australia because they can. They're perfectly capable of doing it. You can hear every ball of the second Ashes test at the Gabba 4 a.m. Thursday morning. The first ball is bold and to find us all you need to do is search Ashes on BBC Sounds. The TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live.

My name's Steve Bradnell, a sister manager of Royal Oak FC. You may have seen me online with viral. Vinyl sensation. And now the BBC have given me the chance to set the footballing world banter eyes. This could be a great opportunity for us, lads, a podcast for the BBC. just say, what's a podcast? Brilliant. Great start. Well done, Bob. Brilliant.

We can completely show utter transparency to Royal Oak fans. I'll use my charm. Gift it, Gab. Games gone. The Steve Bracknell podcast. Watch on YouTube. Listen on BBC Sounds. Well, we can now go across to the pitch at the Gabber, where we find Alex Hartley, alongside two of TMS's finest. Well, thanks, Ellie. Myself, Michael Vaughn, Phil Tuff. We're all stood out here on the outfield at the Gabber.

Forney, Tuffers, we're talking pink ball cricket. Do we need it? I actually think Joe Root was spot on, I don't think Ash's cricket or a big series against Indy where the crowd's coming. I don't think it needs it for, would I dare say, less a series that don't quite get the appeal for the supporters. I think it adds at night and more make them after work.

But no, I don't think the ashes actually needs it. And also it affects the bars in the place that we're flying. Restaurants. They're all sitting, they're empty. Well, they're doing a bit of breakfast in the morning before the game, and then they shoot early here. So it's affecting the local establishments, which is not right.

And I've never heard someone come up to me as we were saying, Oh, Tuffus, didn't we have a great breakfast? No, you have a great evening. Not a great breakfast, yeah. Now, I mean... There are some good breakfast, though. Very nice. But also, it becomes a slight lottery, doesn't it, a little bit.

Sometimes when you're back and when you're bobbed. I think the ashes is so big. Just keep it traditional. I'm a traditionalist. Playing the day. Yeah. So there's room for pink ball cricket, but the ashes stick to be in during the day? Yeah, I think so. I mean, that's pink more cricket.

Will it bring in more people? I mean, it was sold out at Perth? Yeah, the ashes get sold out. In India, when they're in town, it gets sold out. I think in certain parts of the world, when the weather's guaranteed, getting a few more people after work. The TV execs are the ones that decide. If it works for them and they get more of an audience at night, I would suggest that the peak ball game will stay forever. Let's talk about the England team because we're hearing rumours. We've got the rumours that Will Jax is in the start in 11. What do we make of that?

Because we're only one testing. It lasted two days. It feels like we've got a right flipperoo and we're changing the team. A flipperoo? I love that. Well, they're gone with more batting. You know, Will Jax is a decent off-spinner. In these conditions, let's be brutally honest, he's a part-timer.

They're pretty much back showing Bashir for the last three years for the moment here in Australia. clearly Shoeb's not either impressed them or they don't feel his style of bowling is going to be useful here and he obviously doesn't bat so Ingram fell with a bat in Perth they need more runs so it looks to me like they've gone number eight wool jacks that pink ball gets softer easier to hit and they need someone at eight that can strike is it a bit of panic Phil well I think it's not no no I don't think it's hot I don't think so are you panicking well they've they've gone against themselves a little bit haven't they by thinking to themselves right We need a little bit extra down the back end with the bat. Listen, Will Jack's decent off-spinner, and it's hot, and that was a day-night test match, but it will be played in these kind of conditions, and I think you will need some form of spin. My concern, and it's been the same concern if Shoy Bashir played,

is that England don't have a world-class spinner, and this pink ball does get soft, and you sometimes need that world-class spinner can just hold an end. And if you're rotating those four quicks and your spinner's not doing your job, that you'd like as it seemed then you've got the likes of Stokes Joffro who let's be honest both are injury prone

because what's happened in the last few years those four quicks they might have to do a little bit more work now if they get after Wiljacks I think Jacks can do it though yeah it's decent I was going to say Nathan Lion's got such a good record here

at the Gabba when we're looking at our spinners and you're thinking who's going to do that job Wiljax isn't that person that comes to mine though is he no he picks you something like yeah he's yeah listen if you've been out here for a few overs

you know, I mean, and you see someone like Jack's coming in at number eight, you know, cracker, we've got to go again here if the ball's old and whatever. It's whether he can do that job, because they'll target him. The Aussies will target him, the likes ahead, Smith. You know, they'll be saying, right, now listen, if we can get Will Jacks away for three, four, five and over, you know, the other guys are going to be tied, so we'll be targeted, so he's got to be well managed.

Will Bashar feel a little bit hard done by? He's played in all the games leading up to the ashes. He didn't necessarily have the game he wanted to when he bowled for the Lions and for England. will he be thinking, hang on a minute, I've done all the hard work, I should be playing today. Yeah, I mean, I look at last week, and if I'd have been showed by sheer, I'd have been banging down, Bazzie's door said, I want to go to camera and bowl. Let's go and bowl with a pink ball, just a, he's never played with a pink ball. Yeah.

You know, there's quite a few of this England side, and that's a little bit of a concern that, you know, by Thursday there'll be three or four players that have never ever played a game with the pink ball. Australia played 14, 113. I guess the one kind of glimmer for England is the game that the loss was here. Two years ago against the West Indies, where Shamar Joseph had produced an incredible spell of bowling but I don't think it's quite panic for England but it's clear

that they've gone away from what they've been doing in recent times which has always been we just pick our best bowlers to get the 20 wickets and this time they've gone four quick then we've gone part-time spinner shorter to see if we can get a few more runs there was Kevin Sinclair for the West Indies two years ago here part-time Offey got a wicket, did a

somersault oh yeah I remember that he got a 50 with the bat so the West Indies used at a part-time Offey that worked for them and maybe England have looked at that. When you're only back with 70 overs in a test match, you're then not going to start picking your spinner necessarily is going to be back in 10 or 11, you know what I mean? And as you well know, right?

The need runs, Phil. Big runs, right? And as you well know, it's the spinner always gets the boot first. It is. We're hard done by, aren't we? Talk about Perth and how it only lasted two days. England going into this test match.

Brony, I know you've spoken with the BBC on the website about this do they need to play differently in this past match yeah they do you know you're looking at any sporting team that plays one way you know if you just play one way i think you're quite easy to prepare to play against and that's what australia will look at this england side are giving them a little bit of a clue they'll go straight to start with because the pink ball might just do a bit as soon as it doesn't do anything they'll go into channel on length pack the off side and try and force that big drive once again here at the gabert light, Perth, not quite as steep the bounce here at the Gabba than it was at Perth.

Length balls, playing with a straight bat, snicking. You're snicking. You've got to wait for the cut shot, the pool shots and those 45 degree angle drives through the offside are fine. But if you start playing the traditional way here at the Gabba with that extra little bit of tennis ball bounce, the Australian slips are we waiting like this and they don't drop many. I hope they're not looking at me when they're doing that and looking down the wicked. They'll be there ready. So first, what do you think England need to do differently? Obviously they're taken on that short but do they need to be a bit more patient? Well, yeah, just a little bit more patience.

You know, just occupy the crease a little bit. I'm not saying it's negative. I don't want to be negative. If the full ball's up there, put it away. If there's one short and white, you know, give it a smash. But just try to get themselves in. It's so difficult. Game awareness.

Yeah, it's game awareness. Yeah, pick your moments. And pick moments. I mean, after lunch on the second day, if they would have just hung in for an hour, hour and a half, it could have turned a flip-a-roof. They have to change. Because we're brutally honest, the last three in

three innings in test match cricket, the last things against India at the Oval, they lost what, seven for not a lot. Harry Brook, Joe, Root, control them the game, played some shots, ride them the last morning, five wickets inia required, 30 runs for England, they lose the game. The first innings in Perth, they lost five for 12.

Yeah. They were 160 for five, five. So in the second innings in Perth, they lost nine wickets in a session. So this method, when the balls just does a little bit, it hasn't been working. And it's down to the team to just accept that they just have to think

Just tinker slightly. It's not negative. And it's not negative. It's not being negative. It's just kick yourself to 20 or 30 and then let the basballers come out. But even when they get to 20 and 30, Phil. Don't just keep throwing your hands. No.

Twenties and 30s aren't going to win them games. Well, 40s ruin careers, don't they? Yeah, correct. We need two or three of the England players this week, a couple in the first in England, maybe one in the second. So you get a big hundred. It was only a few years ago that we used to talk about daddy hundreds. I love a daddy hundred.

We need a granddaddy this week. and he still wanted to step up. Take responsibility. That's what it is. Take responsibility. Get in. Oh, dear, yeah, Grandin. As we stand here at the gabbat,

it looks like a lovely ground. You know, it's empty. The seats look great. But on day one, it's quite an intimidating place to play. Borny, you've played here. I didn't like it. Why is it intimidated? Do you get any of them?

I've had two notes on this, man. It strikes me as a place. I've had a 30-odd. Out gnaught in the second. He's played a one day against Norton. New Zealand here, Shane Bourne got me out first ball of the game. No, I hate it. I've got the first one here. Hit it. Yeah, back foot, punch off of the late, right shake water. We're on the boundary edge here and look how close you are. You're so close

to the sport. And they're going to have a lot of support here, but I've always felt the bridgey crowd, the Aussies that come here, they're a little bit more vocal. They're a little bit more rough and ready. Yeah. A bit more like a football atmosphere. Yeah, they're not like pure to have this shot you know you know they'll they'll get stuck into the England side this week so yeah you'd want to field in in that circle somewhere close to the pitch everywhere this England side will go it will be hostile and and this is a special as you say haven't won here for 30 harts as well hot hostile and haven't one here for 39 years so they'll be playing on that as you said we're fielding down at fine leg or deep mid on or something

we're basically touching the count we have a slight concern for the England fans out watching this. The last time England came back from 1-0 down in an Ashish series, England came to Australia on a boat. 19-fifty four, 55. They rode south here. That was Len Hutton's team. Wow, that was a long time ago. But 86, 87 when they won here, they won here. Well, there you go, they won here. So there's time. And when we won in 10 and 11, we drew here. Perfect. There's hope. There's hope for all you England fans out there. 10,000 fans were in Perth. There's thousands of thousands of fans travelling.

here, do the travelling fans add pressure toughers to when you're out there in the middle? I used to love it. I used to love them. I used to love turning up to a ground. You're away from home. You're feeling a bit lonely and then there's your fans. They give it, you know, I don't know, there's a good partnership or they're 100 for one and the singing and the, you know, come on, Phil. It spurred. It spurred. Come on, Phil. It spurred. Give them a high vibe here. When you took, you catch it, am I? Oh, come on. Oh, come on. So, of course, there's pressure. There's pressure there everywhere.

There's pressure in high-level sport in anything you do. But to see fans, no, it's brilliant. The flags will be out. Everyone will be cheering on. No, so there's no, there's a little bit of pressure because you want to do well for them, obviously, but no. They'll want this week to put right what was wrong. There was a lot of disgruntled England fans,

understand that when you get blown away in two sessions and lose a game inside two days. The England fans didn't want to be on Rocknest Island on World Three. They didn't want to be down. No, of course not. What's that beat for her out? What was that one course? Cossus Lowe.

They didn't want to be a nice. We had a good night though, don't we. Yeah, we had a great night. Thanks, Steve, for giving us that opportunity. But the England fans, I just felt they were like, right, okay, we've enjoyed this basketball ride, but you've got to play with more sense. Play with more sense. They have a great opportunity.

They've got the team and the tools. Just deliver it. Just get them out the toolbox at the right time. They were using the spanner when they needed the hammer. I mean, you know, you use the right tools. One thing that the fans will be, come Thursday morning, they will be right to Jerusalem Phil that's what they'll be right behind the lead. Tuffus Vaughn thank you very much Ellie I'm heading back to the team hotel so I will join you there I'm going to get a scooter

but don't worry I'll put my helmet on thanks Alex do get back safely and remember that helmet at Jonathan three of the England players Ben Stokes Mark Wood who we've just been talking about and Jamie Smith have been photographed out and about on these e-scooters in Brisbane but without well wearing helmets and state laws in Queensland say you need to wear a scooter. State laws in Queensland say you need to wear a helmet when you're riding a scooter. And there is talk that they could be fined for this. I mean, it's not exactly Tiger Moth territory, is it really?

But on the other hand... But I'll tell you what, they are seriously their law enforcement up here. I mean, anyone going to the Gabba to watch the game, I don't know how many zips they can have on their bags. If you've got one zip too many, it gets slung into a room and you don't get it to get into a dose of play. So, I'm sure it'll just blow it. Well, one hopes it just blows over.

However, you're an England cricketer, you're bombing round town without a helmet on, and you fall off. Not going to look great, is it? Well, that's it for this episode of the TMS podcast. Make sure you're subscribed. So you never miss an episode. Just search Ashes on BBC Sounds, where you'll find a treasure trove of cricketing content. The second test gets underway on Thursday morning at 4am, with our coverage on 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds from 325. We'll have highlights on the BBC Sports Sports.

website throughout the match and on the eyeplayer, Alex will be bringing reaction every day of the game. Thanks for listening. We'll speak to you soon. Welcome to Terlenders. I'm Greg James. He's Felix White. Hello. And that is England's greatest ever bowler, Jimmy Anderson. Hello. We've finally got our break on BBC iPlay. It's lovely to be here. England haven't won a test match in Australia since the 2010, 2011 series, which is a long time ago. Give us a few reasons as to why it's so difficult. The wickets are different, the ball's different, and the heat as well. The media coverage over there is so much bigger than a test series in England, for example. And cricket over there is huge. Plus, Australia are amazing in their own country.

Tail Enders. Watch on IPlayer. Listen on BBC Sounds.