Michael Neser registered his career-best Test figures.
Australia made a bold decision to drop Nathan Lyon to accommodate Michael Neser for the 2nd Ashes 2025 Test at the Gabba. The move was massive, as Lyon averages 28.82 at this venue, and he has been part of every Australian home game since 2012.
The off-spinner also expressed his disappointment at his omission, but Australia’s tactic proved right. Michael Neser went on to bowl a magnificent spell in the second innings, scalping five wickets for 42 runs in 16.2 overs to help his team take a 2-0 lead in the rubber.
Even in the first innings, Neser bowled accurate lines and lengths and ended as Australia’s most economical bowler, even if only a solitary wicket came his way. There was also a small contribution with the bat, where he scored 16 runs while batting at No.9 and formed a vital 54-run stand with Alex Carey.
His runs might look insignificant, but this knock ensured Australia didn’t lose many wickets under the lights on Day 2, which eventually proved beneficial the following day when Australia piled a massive 511. So, Neser justified his selection and did everything in his capacity to help Australia win, even if he didn’t earn the Player of the Match award.
The move disappointed Nathan Lyon, but Australia knew what they were doing while selecting Michael Neser for the game. He is a local player who understands the venue better than most in the team, having played ample matches here.
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Before this game, Neser had 99 wickets at 20.85 runs apiece in 25 Sheffield Shield matches at the Gabba. He specialises in hitting the cracks and finding uneven bounce with relentless accuracy, and the pitch had similar characteristics for the 2nd Ashes 2025 Test, as Brydon Carse’s dismissal showed.
He has lost a few yards, but his accuracy is still up there, as visible during his spell in the second innings. When England batters – Ben Stokes and Will Jacks – were going well on Day 4, Neser didn’t try anything funky and stuck to his plans, which eventually led to a dismissal and later a mini-collapse, bundling the opponent cheaply.
To fill Lyon’s absence, Australia used Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne in patches, but the two weren’t required in the first innings and bowled only four overs, suggesting the team wouldn’t have required enough overs from their premium off-spinner had he played the game. Michael Neser, meanwhile, ensured England couldn’t do the unthinkable on Day 4 despite a resilient partnership from Stokes and Jacks by registering his career-best figures at a venue he knows inside out.
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