Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer were involved in a heated exchange as England allowed Australia’s tail to add crucial lower-order runs on the second day in Adelaide.
After Archer leaked a flurry of runs on the second morning, being hit for three boundaries through the offside within his first seven balls, he clean bowled Mitchell Starc. But captain Stokes then used the celebrations to reprimand Archer for his earlier bowling.
The argument seemed to stem from Stokes telling Archer that he should not complain about field placings, and that he had dismissed Starc because he had finally bowled straight, in accordance with the captain’s plans. Archer wanted more protection on the offside boundary, notably to have a third man, but Stokes wanted him to target the stumps.
Australia great Adam Gilchrist suggested that the exchange between Stokes and Archer indicated tensions in England’s camp as they face going 3-0 down and losing the Ashes in Adelaide.
“That strong discussion between Archer and Stokes, that’s intriguing,” Gilchrist said. “You just feel like Ben Stokes is teetering right on the edge. (He) spoke about his trust and faith with the players, his belief and trying to instil that and drag them with him. But it just feels like he is right on the edge.”
Mark Waugh, who won six Ashes series, added: “That was a breakdown in communication. Whether they got plans and haven’t executed the plans, or Jofra’s saying I need a third man, (Stokes has said), ‘Nah, that is where I wanted you to bowl.’”
Archer later picked up Australia’s last wicket through another straight delivery, which trapped Nathan Lyon lbw. He finished with 5-53 from 20.3 overs to secure his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket since December 2019. Archer’s efforts were a stark contrast to the rest of the attack, who took a combined 5-311 from 71 overs.
On the second morning in Adelaide, Australia added 45 runs in just 8.2 overs to advance their total to 372. The passage of play set up Australia to dominate the day, which ended with England teetering on 213-8 despite a defiant, undefeated ninth-wicket stand of 45 runs between Stokes and Archer, who will resume on day three on 45 and 30 respectively.