England captain Ben Stokes was at the centre of a fiery on-field exchange with Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne on Day 2 of the Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, as tensions finally spilt over in a hard-fought contest. The incident unfolded during the final session when Labuschagne repeatedly pulled out of his stance while Stokes was in his bowling stride, clearly irritating the England skipper.

The situation escalated moments later when Labuschagne clipped Stokes for a boundary and exchanged a few words, triggering a heated verbal altercation. Cameras caught Stokes confronting the Australian batter, appearing to tell him to “shut the f**k up,” before surprisingly putting an arm around him in a gesture that mixed aggression with sarcasm.

Despite the brief physical contact, it was evident that relations between the two competitors were anything but friendly. Adding fuel to the moment, Stokes was seen holding up two and then three fingers towards Labuschagne, seemingly referencing the number of times the batter had pulled away as the delivery was being released.

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Australia’s Travis Head, who was closing in on his third century of the series, watched the exchange unfold with visible confusion as the atmosphere grew increasingly charged. Australian pacer Michael Neser later downplayed the incident, suggesting it was simply part of Labuschagne’s competitive nature.

Things got pretty heated 👀#Ashes pic.twitter.com/UHum32WUH0

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 5, 2026

“He is such a strong competitor and can get under your skin. That’s just Marnus, I guess,” Michael Neser said after the close of play, highlighting how Labuschagne’s intensity often provokes reactions from opposition players.

Australia women’s captain Alyssa Healy also weighed in, offering a blunt assessment of England’s aggression. She remarked that England would have benefited from showing this level of passion earlier in the series, which they have already conceded. According to Healy, the confrontation reflected the visitors’ frustration rather than dominance.

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Despite the flashpoint, Australia finished Day 2 firmly in control. Joe Root scored his second century of the series for England, but the hosts ensured they had the final say, maintaining their upper hand as the Ashes contest continued to tilt decisively in their favour.