Star Australian all-rounder Michael Neser produced a moment of pure brilliance on Day 2 of the fifth and final Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, pulling off a stunning one-handed catch to dismiss Joe Root and deny the England great a historic double century. Root, batting fluently on 160, was eyeing a rare milestone before Neser’s athletic effort swung momentum back in Australia’s favour.
Root had anchored England’s innings from the very start. Walking in at 51/2 late on Day 1, the former England captain stitched together a commanding 169-run partnership with Harry Brook, setting the tone for what looked like a match-defining total. The visitors resumed Day 2 at 211/3, with Root on 72 and Brook on 78, and the packed SCG crowd witnessed another masterclass in Test batting.
Harry Brook eventually fell for a well-made 84, but Root continued to marshal the innings with authority. After England slipped to 229/5, Root found solid support in Jamie Smith, adding 94 crucial runs for the sixth wicket.
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Even after Smith’s dismissal at the hands of Marnus Labuschagne, Root kept England steady, forging a further 52-run stand with Will Jacks. At that stage, a total well beyond 400 looked inevitable, with Root in complete control and timing the ball effortlessly.
It took an absolute blinder from Michael Neser to dismiss Joe Root, who departs for 160 👏 #Ashes pic.twitter.com/tqgTTDGBkZ
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 5, 2026
However, the game turned dramatically in the 98th over. Neser delivered a ball that climbed awkwardly on Root, striking the sticker of the bat as he attempted a flick. Reacting in an instant, Neser sprinted to his right, dived full stretch, and plucked a sensational one-handed catch. The dismissal sparked an immediate collapse, and England were bowled out for 384, falling short of their expected total.
Root eventually top-scored with a magnificent 160-plus effort, registering his 41st Test hundred before becoming the ninth wicket to fall. Neser was Australia’s standout bowler, finishing with figures of 4/60, including key wickets of Zak Crawley, Will Jacks, and Josh Tongue, who fell for a two-ball duck.
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Australia, already leading the Ashes series 3-1 after dominant wins earlier, once again showed why they retained the urn. Root also narrowly missed joining an elite list of batters to score a Test double hundred at the SCG, a club featuring legends like Tip Foster, Brian Lara, Wally Hammond, Sachin Tendulkar, and Ravi Shastri.
