Starc's undefeated 46 increases Australia's lead to 116 on Day 3 of 2nd Ashes test.

BRISBANE, Australia On Saturday morning, Mitchell Starc turned the tables on England with his batting, extending Australia's first-innings lead to 116 runs during Day 3 of the second Ashes test.

Starc remained unbeaten on 46, partnering with Scott Boland, who was seven not out, in an unbroken 34-run stand. Australia reached 450-8 at the mid-session break at the Gabba in the ongoing day-night match.

Starc, the series leading bowler with 16 wickets, came to bat in the fourth over of the day after Alex Carey (63) and Michael Neser added 54 runs for the seventh wicket overnight. Australia resumed at 378-6, holding a 44-run advantage. Carey quickly brought up his fifty with a single off England captain Ben Stokes, but Neser (16) was dismissed shortly after, leaving Starc to join the crease at 383-7.

The eighth-wicket pair contributed 33 runs, with Starc pushing Australia past the 400-run mark by hitting a boundary off Brydon Carse in the 79th over. Carey fell in the third over with the new ball after facing 69 deliveries and hitting six boundaries, caught behind off Gus Atkinson.

At 416-8, England appeared poised to dismiss the remaining batsmen before the interval. However, like on Day 2, their bowlers struggled with consistency, allowing Starc to maintain the strike while shielding number ten Boland from the new ball. Starc then drove consecutive boundaries off Carse to surpass a 100-run lead and ended the session with a deep three-run shot, taking Australia to 450 with him on strike for the next session.

Author: Chloe Ramirez