Reason behind explosive confrontation between England captain Ben Stokes and Marnus Labuschagne

Simmering tensions between Australia and England exploded late on Day 2 of the fifth Ashes Test with Ben Stokes and Marnus Labuschagne exchanging words during a fiery confrontation.

It wasn’t immediately clear what prompted both players to come together, but Stokes put three fingers up and had words with Labuschagne as he passed him.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Reason behind Stokes and Labuschagne exchange.

The Aussie chirped back and Stokes appeared to tell him to “shut the f*** up” before coming close to Labuschagne and putting his arm around him.

They exchanged more words and then went their separate ways, just as the umpire Ahsan Raza came in to intervene.

The initial incident appeared to be sparked by Labuschagne wondering down the pitch at the non-striker’s end while Stokes was coming into bowl.

Whether it was a stalling tactic or otherwise, that looked to be the move that prompted Stokes’ reaction.

Aussie great and Channel 7 commentator Ricky Ponting explained the situation, as you can see in the video player above.

“This is the lead up to what we believe happened. We see here, Stokes is at the top of his marker. Marnus, the non-striker, is not ready,” he said.

“Stokes distracted, bowls a bad ball that goes for four down the leg side.

“And then it kicked off. ‘Three times’ (Stokes) said. Three times he’d done it to me. And then they came together.

“I’m not sure about that either. I’m not sure about the opposition player putting his arms around me on the field.”

England great Stuart Broad later revealed what Stokes actually said.

“This point of three. I chatted to Stokesy this morning, I’m not breaking any trust by saying this,” he said on Tuesday morning.

“Marnus was saying, ‘oh, that’s going down leg’, or ‘that’s four runs.’

“(Stokes) was saying, ‘we’ve got two umpires out here, we don’t need three.’ It was all quite polite, but what happens is it got Marnus Labuschagne out of his bubble.”

Stokes had the last laugh shortly after the incident, enticing an edge from Labuschagne that went to Jacob Bethell at gully.

It was a crucial late breakthrough just as it looked like the Aussies would reach stumps only one wicket down.

Stokes gave Labuschagne a steely glare after picking up the wicket.

“There’s no better feeling than that,” England great Stuart Broad said on Seven.

“Getting in a bit of a dust up with the batter and nicking him off.

“You don’t need to say anything. I’ve seen that look from Ben Stokes a lot.”

The confrontation came at the end of an action-packed day that has the fifth Test delicately poised.

After Joe Root’s superb 160 helped England to 384 on Day 2 at the SCG, Travis Head led Australia’s response with an unbeaten 91 from 87 balls with the hosts 2-166 at stumps.

The star of the summer with the bat, Head hit 15 boundaries and looked set for a century inside a session before nightwatchman Michael Neser shut up shop.

Still, it was another brutal reminder of Head’s impact, after his 69-ball century in Perth and 170 in Adelaide helped set up Australia’s series winning 3-1 lead.