"Really flat for him. A couple of setbacks that we didn't see coming," McDonald said.

England cricket coach Brendon McCullum responded to criticism his side were under-prepared for the Ashes by claiming they "trained too much" prior to a dismal eight-wicket defeat on Sunday to fall 2-0 down to Australia.

The story of England’s tour so far has been one of flashes -- brief moments of belief, quickly swallowed by pressure.

Pumped-up Australia captain Steve Smith and England fast bowler Jofra Archer had a fiery verbal clash near the climax of the second Ashes Test on Sunday at the Gabba.

Akram was reacting to Starc surpassing his tally of 414 wickets during the Brisbane Test against England on Thursday, becoming the leading left-arm pace bowler of all time.

Joe Root said England were "well and truly" still in the day-night second Ashes Test despite Australia seizing a 44-run lead on day two Friday in Brisbane.

Joe Root has waited a long time to tick off one particular item on his bucket list -- a Test century in Australia. More than a decade, in fact. But on Thursday at the Gabba, under lights in the second Ashes Test – a pink-ball one, the world’s top-ranked Test batter finally ended a 15-Test drought that had stretched all the way back to 2013.

Australia pace bowler Mitchell Starc said Thursday he could not be compared with Wasim Akram after he surpassed the Pakistani great as the leading left-arm pace bowler in Test history.

England's Joe Root conquered his final frontier with a first Ashes century in Australia as the tourists pushed past 300 on day one of the second Test in Brisbane on Thursday despite a six-wicket haul from pace spearhead Mitchell Starc.

Starc became the most prolific left-arm paceman in Test history on Thursday.

Four years on, Bazball is now in the firing line, with former players and pundits decrying the high-risk game on Australia's spicy pitches.

The team's every move is being scrutinised on the five-Test Ashes tour, with players followed through the airport, on golf courses and on a trip to an aquarium.

“It’s become something that traditionally Australia have been very good at,” said Marnus Labuschagne, the format’s leading run-scorer.

England fell 1-0 down in the five-match series following a humiliating eight-wicket loss to Australia inside two days in last month's first Test in Perth.

Under the governing body's four-tier rating system "very good" is the highest possible, characterising a pitch with "good carry, limited seam movement, and consistent bounce early in the match".

Like former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Brendon 'Baz' McCullum has never been one for a U-turn -- as cricketer, captain or current England coach.

Head proved the difference between the sides during the opening Test in Perth.

"It is simple. Brainless batting and bowling lost England the match."

"Little bit shell-shocked, it was pretty phenomenal from Head," Stokes said.

"Little bit shell-shocked there. Travis Head was phenomenal, jeez that was some knock," England captain Ben Stokes said.