Ashes: Keep backing yourselves, Joe Root tells England teammates

Captain Joe Root has urged his players to keep backing themselves as Ashes holders England head into a crucial second Test after their demoralising loss to Australia at the Gabba

Captain Joe Root has urged his players to keep backing themselves as Ashes holders England head into a crucial second Test after their demoralising loss to Australia at the Gabba. The Australians romped to an emphatic 10-wicket victory on Day Five here. England's inability to capitalise on a strong start in the first innings - where they crashed from 246-4 to 302 all out - and a below-par 195 in the second innings cost them any winning chance in Brisbane.

Joe Root

"We've got to keep believing and trusting the work we've been doing, and backing ourselves and backing each other as a group," Root said. "For three days we played some excellent cricket. Unfortunately, when we got into good positions, we didn't quite capitalise on it." Root defended his elaborate fielding placements for Australia captain Steven Smith, who scored an unbeaten 141 to give his side crucial innings lead. "We made him (Smith) work extremely hard for his runs. Credit to him, he played extremely well. Sometimes you've got to say well played to the opposition."

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