Dubai Telegraph - England spinner Jacks replaces injured Wood for second Ashes Test

Jacks will play his first Test for three years in the only change as England dispensed with the all-pace attack used in the first Test defeat in Perth.

The 27-year-old got the nod ahead of Shoaib Bashir for the pink-ball match to add more depth to the England batting.

All-rounder Jacks has played in two previous Tests and claimed a five-wicket haul on debut against Pakistan in 2022.

He has mainly been used by England in white-ball cricket.

"Everyone knows what a brilliant cricketer he is," England batsman and Jacks' Surrey team-mate Ollie Pope told reporters.

"The way he's grown over the last few years, we've seen his white-ball game really go forward. It's a great opportunity for his red-ball, too.

"He's obviously got that style of spin bowling where he can get some bounce and turn off the pitch, then everyone has seen the skills he's got in the white-ball format.

"He can take on a really good attack."

Travis Head's whirlwind century carried Australia to an eight-wicket victory inside two days in Perth as they went 1-0 up in the series.

Pope, batting at three, scored 46 and 33 and said he was "pretty annoyed" with both of his dismissals.

"At the same time, I was happy with how I was playing up until the moment I got out," he added.

"If I can start my innings like that as much as I can while I'm out here, hopefully some big runs will flow."

He added of England's poor batting in Perth, where they were out for 172 and 164: "There's a few lessons there, I guess, individuals would take from last week and then put them into practice this week."

Pope was quizzed about news photos of teammates Ben Stokes, Jamie Smith and Wood riding electric scooters in Brisbane without helmets, which are a legal requirement.

"Just put a helmet on next time, I guess," he said.

Queensland's police service said it was aware of images being circulated of "persons" riding e-scooters without helmets.

"Officers have since engaged with those persons to inform and educate them on compliance requirements associated with E-mobility devices in Queensland," a spokesperson said.

England team: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith, Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer.

A.Krishnakumar--DT