England’s fielders endured a tough night at the Gabba, putting down a flurry of chances under lights during the second day of the day-night Ashes Test — yet Australian opener Jake Weatherald has surprisingly stepped forward as their defender rather than critic.
Five catches went down in total on a frustrating day for the visitors, four of them in the challenging final session when the pink ball becomes notoriously hard to track. While the errors allowed Australia to strengthen their grip on the match, Weatherald — who top-scored with a composed 72 — insisted that the conditions made fielding far more difficult than it appeared from the outside.
Australia ended the day in a commanding position at 6-378, holding a 44-run lead over England’s first-innings total of 334. Alex Carey went to stumps unbeaten on 46, benefiting from several lapses in the cordon, but the home side’s ascendancy did not stop Weatherald from sympathising with the tourists and the sharp examination they faced in the night session.
Jamie Smith set the tone early when he shelled a chance off Travis Head at gully with the left-hander on just 33. Head went on to play positively at the top before falling later, but the drop was a reminder of how fine the margins can be in Ashes cricket. Another opportunity went begging when Ben Duckett grassed a regulation catch off Carey, who had yet to score at the time. Carey later anchored Australia’s innings with vital composure, but England would have rued the opportunity to remove him cheaply.
Duckett’s night only became more painful as he registered a second drop, this time denying England the chance to remove Josh Inglis for 23. Inglis added only two more runs before Ben Stokes eventually bowled him, softening the damage — but the momentum shift was noticeable.
Then came mistakes in the outfield and around the wicket as tired minds and the fading light took hold. Brydon Carse put down Michael Neser in the deep, allowing the paceman to reach stumps unbeaten on 15. Joe Root also spilled a chance off Carey, making it five missed opportunities and leaving England wondering how different the scoreboard — and perhaps the match — might have looked had they held even half of them.
Despite the costly lapses, Weatherald emphasised that the conditions under the pink ball were as tricky as he has ever faced, particularly as dew settled and the ball skidded toward fielders at unpredictable speeds.
“It was definitely difficult,” said Weatherald, who top-scored for Australia with 72 runs.
“We were probably lucky that we didn't get as many square catches off the wicket as them.
“I feel for them, I understand how hard it is out there, especially when they're hitting it hard when there gets a bit of dew on the wicket as well, it comes flying at you. It’s not great visuals.”
Weatherald’s perspective is one Australia’s players rarely acknowledge openly, particularly during an Ashes series, where competitive tension usually dominates headlines. But his comments offered insight into the reality of day-night Test cricket: even elite fielders, operating at the highest level, struggle when the pink ball zips through artificial light and reflects unpredictably off the lush Gabba surface.
England’s decision to skip a day-night tour match in Canberra before the Test had already drawn scrutiny from former players and media commentators. Instead of adjusting to the pink ball in match conditions, the squad opted to head straight to Brisbane after their first-Test defeat to maximise preparation time together. They trained extensively under lights during their five-day camp — but as Root explained after play, no practice session can fully mimic the chaos of a real Test match.
“We worked as hard as we could in the lead-up,” Root said.
“You can't replicate that surface and the bounce and the way the nicks come. It's never going to be exactly the same, you're never going to be able to get it perfect.
“All you can do is give yourself the best possible chance and I think that we've done that.
“Unfortunately, we're not perfect, we're all human. We're going to make mistakes, it's how we respond. That's all we can do.”
Root’s words reflected both honesty and resolve — England know they cannot afford repeated errors if they hope to square the series. Dropped catches in the Ashes are often amplified not only because of their immediate impact but because of their psychological weight. Each missed chance can deflate bowlers, boost opposition confidence, and shift the tone of a match within minutes.
For Stokes’ side, the challenge over the coming days will be maintaining belief while addressing the lapses that have already cost them. With Australia’s lead only 44, the match remains far from decided, but momentum sits heavily with the hosts. Carey’s assured innings, alongside Weatherald’s earlier contribution, has set a platform from which Australia can aim for a match-defining advantage.
England will walk into day three knowing they cannot afford the same mistakes. Australia are historically dominant in day-night Tests and thrive when the game accelerates under lights, making England’s missed opportunities even more consequential. If the tourists want to avoid falling 2-0 behind in the series, their discipline — especially in the field — will need to sharpen quickly.
Weatherald’s sympathy may soften some of the sting, but the scoreboard will not. England now face the task of proving that their preparation, training, and resilience can withstand the toughest conditions the Ashes can deliver.
