Australia have treated England to a taste of their own Bazball medicine, cashing in on a disastrous day of bowling from the tourists to take a first-innings lead at the Gabba.

England’s bowling attack was so lacklustre, they were described as “third-grade” club cricketers.

The Aussies scored at more than five an over for nearly the entire second day of the second Test with Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith all scoring half centuries.

The home nation were 6-335, leading by one run, after 65 overs as Australian and English greats lined up to take shots at the woeful Pommy bowlers.

Former Australian batsman Mark Waugh lashed Brydon Carse for his opening spell, although the English quick fought back into the match, taking the wicket of Smith in the final session.

“He’s bowled poorly. He hasn’t put two balls in the one spot in any over,” Waugh said in commentary.

“At this level, you’ve got to be better. Look at this pitch map, that’s third-grade standard. That’s all over the place.” Even one of England’s best-ever quicks was critical, Stuart Broad suggesting the team’s preparations for the Brisbane Test had been inadequate.

“There is a big difference between bowling in nets and bowling in matches,” he said on Channel 7’s broadcast.

“We know Perth was only a two day game, the workloads of these bowlers weren’t particularly high, and all they have been able to do leading into this game is bowl in nets or bowl to a mitt. Such a different scenario when each ball matters and there’s a result in each ball.

“They just look like they’re short of match awareness, match fitness, the sharpness in the brain to be able to bowl six balls in the same spot. The first 20 overs are the time you need to make your breakthroughs and 1-127 is an absolute disaster.”

Carse did get a measure of revenge, even if it took an over of madness from Australia.

West Australian Cam Green was double bluffed backing away to short balls, bowled on 45 with a yorker.

Carse should have had Alex Carey next ball, spearing one into his gloves, but Ben Duckett grassed the easiest chance he is likely to get in the match.

Revenge was feeling sweeter the very next ball, though, Smith lazily turning another short ball into the leg side with a pull shot only for Will Jacks to take a stunning one-hander at square leg to stop the skipper’s innings at 61.

The Australian pair had been batting through body blows, Smith wearing a ball on the point of his elbow from a rearing delivery while one ball smashed into the tip of Green’s thumb drawing blood.

A drought-breaking home-ground century went begging for Labuschagne, who hasn’t scored a Test ton since July 2023, in the middle session, the Queenslander feathering a cramped cut shot to Jamie Smith on 65 off Ben Stokes despite appearing as free has he has in the past three summers.

The No.3 flaunted his ability to score all around the ground and found particular success pulling the ball as he navigated a tough period with lights fading.

Labuschagne punished Carse (1-78 from 11 overs) for his inaccuracy and insistence on bowling short, and raised his bat with a four off the paceman that flew over the cordon.

He had earlier become the first man to pass 1000 runs in day-night Tests, and looked primed to go on to a fifth pink-ball century.

After a poor first session for the English bowlers on day two, the tourists made some inroads after tea on Friday with the big wickets of Weatherald (72), who looked impressive in only his third Test innings, and Labuschagne.

However, they couldn’t find a spark even under lights as Smith and Green blasted the home side towards parity, taking advantage of England’s predictable short-ball ploy.

That was until two bewildering moments that cost Australia two wickets in four balls, and it could have been three when Carey was dropped at gully by Duckett.

Alex Carey and Josh Inglis, on Ashes debut in his second Test, maintained the rage, the latter infuriating Ben Stokes with a series of boundaries wide of the slips cordon before a cut shot was dropped, again by Duckett, on 21.

The skipper decided not to worry about the fielders, firing a beauty into Inglis’ stumps when he was on 23.

Earlier, Jofra Archer got his length right with a yorker that blasted into the toe of Weatherald after a session of barely looking a threat. Wincing, the left-hander immediately knew he’d been trapped plumb lbw and that his breakout Test innings had come to an end.

Still, Weatherald and Travis Head (33) showed plenty in a 77-run stand against the new ball that showed Australia may be on to something with their new opening partnership.

The pair both began cutting loose after the first bowling change, when Carse and Stokes came in for punishment.

Just after drinks, Weatherald flexed back to flick Carse over third man for six in a real highlight from the Darwin-born left-hander playing only his second Test.

Weatherald showed off his arsenal of cricket shots, and had a first Test half century from only 45 balls — the second-fastest by an Australian opener at the Gabba. Head’s luck finally ran out when he skied a full Carse delivery to Gus Atkinson at mid-on, leaving in self-admonishment after his first dig since a game-defining century in Perth.