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Ashes hopeful Jacob Bethell hits 71 and Asa Tribe a century but England Lions thumped by Australia A in Brisbane

England Lions suffer innings defeat to Australia A in Brisbane - less than a day after senior team beaten in second Ashes Test at Gabba; Jacob Bethell presses claims to replace Ollie Pope with 71 on penultimate day, while Asa Tribe hits a century in defeat; Shoaib Bashir toils with ball

Monday 8 December 2025 10:43, UK

Jacob Bethell, England Lions (Getty Images)
Image: Jacob Bethell scored 71 for the England Lions in their hammering by Australia A in Brisbane, so could he now replace Ollie Pope for the third Ashes Test?

Jacob Bethell's 71 was one of the few highlights for the Lions as England's second-string suffered a thumping innings defeat to Australia A in the unofficial Test at Allan Border Field in Brisbane.

Less than 24 hours after the senior England side lost to Australia by eight wickets in the second Ashes Test down the road at The Gabba to slip 2-0 down in the Ashes series, the Lions were dismissed for 295 in their second dig and beaten by an innings and 127 runs.

Bethell's half-century on the penultimate day of the four-day fixture came off 154 balls and featured seven fours as he passed fifty for the second time in six knocks on this tour.

Jacob Bethell, England, Ashes (Getty Images)
Image: Bethell's half-century against Australia A featured seven fours
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The 22-year-old could now come into contention for the third Ashes Test in Adelaide from December 17 with England's incumbent No 3 Ollie Pope under pressure after a series of soft dismissals for far.

In the second Test, Pope chopped Australia's Mitchell Starc onto his stumps playing with an angled bat in the first innings before being caught and bowled by Michael Neser in the second as he attempted an unwise drive on the up.

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Sky Sports' Nasser Hussain was left bemused by Pope's dismissal, caught and bowled driving on the up, during day two of the second Ashes Test

Who else scored runs for England Lions?

Glamorgan's Asa Tribe top-scored for the Lions in their second innings against Australia A, making an unbeaten 129, with home seamer Fergus O'Neill ending with figures of 4-53.

Only Tribe, Bethell, Thomas Rew (47) and Ben McKinney (18) reached double figures or beyond second time around for the Lions, who had been shot out for 166 in their first innings in Queensland.

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In Australia A's sole knock of 588-8 declared, the Test-capped Nathan McSweeney was 226 not out, while there were also half-centuries for Campbell Kellaway, Cooper Connolly and Xavier Bartlett.

Shoaib Bashir, England cricket, Ashes warm-up (Getty Images)
Image: Shoaib Bashir struggled for the Lions against Australia A, going wicketless from his 25 overs

That innings was a chastening one for spinner Shoaib Bashir, who recorded figures of 0-115 from 25 overs having been overlooked for the second Ashes Test at The Gabba as England picked Will Jacks instead.

The Lions were also beaten by a Cricket Australia XI last month, although did defeat a Prime Minister's XI in a pink-ball contest.

Ashes series in Australia 2025-26

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