Australian vice-captain Brad Haddin has revealed that a sharp 'dressing down' by their bowling coach Craig McDermott inspired their bowlers to terrorise England's batting line-up in the second day of the first Ashes Test at the Gabba and lead to their collapse.
Australia returned to the crease to be 65 without loss at stumps, a lead of 224 with 10 wickets in hand and a high chance of extending their 25-year unbeaten run at the Gabba.
According to Sport24, Haddin said that with England on 55 for two at lunch on day two, McDermott had stern words for what was shaping up as an unthreatening Australian attack, adding that the talk had the desired effect as the fired-up Mitchell Johnson, finishing with four wickets, led a rout of the England batsmen who slumped to be all out for just 136.
Haddin further said that Johnson, back in the Test team for the first time since March, was back to his best after his raw pace and accuracy unnerved the England batsmen.
The left-arm paceman regularly clocked speeds in the upper 140 km per hour and finished with four for 61 off 17 overs to restrict the tourists, the report added.