THE GABBA — England’s Ashes hopes are hanging by a thread after they fell to what always looked like an inevitable defeat by Australia on day four in Brisbane.

The result leaves Ben Stokes’ team trailing 2-0 with three Tests to play, the next starting in Adelaide on Wednesday week.

At least England showed some fight after resuming their second innings on 134 for six, still 43 runs shy of making Australia bat again.

Stokes and Will Jacks batted throughout the first session, putting on 59 from 24 overs – the fewest runs England have scored in a single session during the Bazball era.

Yet that partnership of 96 spanning 36.4 overs was broken when Jacks, on 41, edged Michael Neser and was victim to a fine catch from Steve Smith at slip. England led by 47.

After that the end was nigh, the f

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