Jacks in frame for Gabba as England ponder turn to spin

All-rounder bowls long spell in nets session as the visitors consider a strategy tweak

- Ali Martin Brisbane

England were weighing up the merits of a late selection pivot to Will Jacks for the day-night second Test against Australia, as they look to level an Ashes series already in danger of slipping away.

Jacks was viewed as something of a left-field pick when England named their 16-man squad in September, with the Surrey all-rounder having won the last of his two Test caps during the 3-0 win in Pakistan three years ago and focused chiefly on white-ball cricket since.

But the knee injury to Mark Wood opened up a spot in the XI, with the final call before a possible squad announcement overnight in Australia being whether to stick with a five-man pace attack - Josh Tongue next in line, having returned from the Lions match in Canberra - or turn to either Jacks or Shoaib Bashir to provide a spin-bowling option.