Hot on the heels of the opening Ashes action, the Australia vs England Ashes Second Test live stream is here to show us whether England can claw their way back into this series or if they're facing yet another whitewash down under.
The Australia vs England Ashes Second Test starts on Thursday, Dec. 16 and finishes on Monday, Dec. 20.
► Australia vs England Second Test Day 1
4 a.m. GMT (Thur) / 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT (Wed)
• U.S. — Watch on Willow via Sling or Fubo.TV
• U.K. — Watch on BT Sport
• Australia — Watch on Kayo Sports
• Watch anywhere — try ExpressVPN 100% risk free
It's hard to know exactly how much to read into that First Test, because England were so poor — and so poorly prepared — that they hardly put Australia under any pressure. It felt like a warm-up game in some regards, with England's players clearly feeling their way into form, not helped by the fact that terrible weather in the weeks beforehand had curtailed their opportunities for proper competitive fixtures.
But they didn't help themselves, either: many would argue that the decision to leave out James Anderson and Stuart Broad was a bad one, and Joe Root's decision to bat first looked the wrong one after precisely one ball.
Still, it all starts again now, and with a day-night test that should see them pose a much stronger challenge. Anderson, a demon with pink ball in hand, should return, and Broad could be alongside him.
Jack Leach — smashed all around the park in Brisbane — has retained his place, with the pitch likely to offer some help to spinners, but Mark Wood has been rested to make way for one of Anderson and Broad. It seems unlikely both will play, though, as Ollie Robinson was England's best bowler in the First Test and will surely keep his spot, while Chris Woakes should thrive in these conditions and strengthens the lower-order batting. It's quite possible, therefore, that Broad will once again be left out — which is unlikely to please him very much.
Australia have been forced to make one change to their own bowling line up, with Josh Hazlewood out with a rib problem; Jhye Richardson replaces him. They received a boost (as if they needed one) when David Warner was passed fit to play following an injury sustained in the First Test.
England (from): Joe Root (c), James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler (wkt), Haseeb Hameed, Jack Leach, Dawid Malan, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes.
Australia: David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wkt), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Jhye Richardson.
So, can England bounce back and keep interest in this series alive? Read on for details of how to watch the Australia vs England Ashes Second Test live stream, and also check out our full guide to how to watch Ashes 2021, including the schedule, squads and more.
How to watch the Australia vs England Ashes Second Test live stream from anywhere
It's natural that you might want to watch the Australia vs England Ashes Second Test live stream from your home country — after all, there's nothing like enjoying the action with commentators and pundits you already know. But what if you're not there when the game is on?
Look no further than a VPN, or virtual private network. A VPN makes it look as if you're surfing the web from your home country, rather than the one you're in. That means you can access the streaming services you already pay for, from anywhere on Earth. Or anywhere that has an internet connection, at least.
For instance, an Australian who's currently in the U.K. could watch the Australia vs England Ashes Second Test live stream via a Kayo Sports free trial, even though they're not in Australia.
They're totally legal, inexpensive and easy to use. We've tested lots of the best VPN services and our favorite right now is ExpressVPN, thanks to its combination of superb speed, great customer service and excellent device support.
It also offers a no-questions-asked 30-day money-back guarantee, so you could check it out without having to sign up long term.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, ExpressVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance if you're in the U.K. and want to view an Australian service, you'd select Australia from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to Kayo Sports or another service and watch the match.
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Australia vs England Ashes Second Test live streams in the UK
You'll be able to watch the Australia vs England Ashes Second Test live stream in the U.K. on BT Sport, which has ended Sky Sports' Ashes dominance.
The action will be shown on BT 1HD, with Day 1 action starting at 4 a.m GMT on Thursday, December 16.
As well as being able to watch on live TV, subscribers will also be able to tune in via the BT Sport website or the BT Sport app for iOS or Android.
Prices differ hugely depending on whether you already have BT TV and a BT broadband subscription. If you have both, you can add the Sports package for £15/month plus a £20 upfront fee, or go for the £40/month Big Sports package which also includes all of the Sky Sports channels.
Another option for non-BT subscribers is the BT Sport Monthly Pass (£25), which lets you watch via an app for a fixed time.
All sounds great, right? But if you're not in the U.K., you can still follow the Australia vs England Ashes Second Test live stream by using one of the best VPN services, such as ExpressVPN.
How to watch Australia vs England Ashes Second Test live streams in Australia
Lucky Aussies can watch the Australia vs England Ashes Second Test live stream on multiple services including Channel Seven, Fox Cricket via Foxtel or the Foxtel Go app, and Kayo Sports.
Fox is available as part of many pay TV packages, but if you don't already have it then Kayo might be a better bet. It can be accessed via a dedicated mobile or tablet app, and also on Chromecast and Apple TV — plus, there's a 14-day free trial available if you want to try the service before committing to a subscription.
Once the trial is over, it costs a very reasonable $25 AUD per month for the basic package. A premium subscription is also available for $35 AUD per month, but this merely gives you the ability to access three simultaneous streams, rather than two.
Not in Australia right now? You can simply use a VPN to watch all the action on your Fox or Kayo account, as if you were back home.
How to watch Australia vs England Ashes Second Test live streams in the US
Despite the USA not being involved, cricket fans in the U.S. (and Canada) can watch the Australia vs England Ashes Second Test live stream on the excellently named Willow TV.
Willow is available via various cable packages including Dish, Fios, Spectrum, Xfinity and more, but if you've cut the cord and don't have cable, don't worry — because you can also watch Willow via Sling TV.
You'll need a Sling subscription, which costs $35 for either the Orange or Blue package, and can then add Willow TV for $10/month or $60/year.
However, right now Sling is offering a 30-day trial for the bargain price of $10 and Willow TV is offering its first month for just $5 — so you could watch most of the Ashes for just $15.
But what if you already use those services but aren't in the U.S. right now? As we explained above, your best bet will be to use a VPN such as ExpressVPN so you can access them wherever you are.
How to watch the Australia vs England Ashes Second Test live stream in New Zealand
New Zealanders can tune in to the Australia vs England Ashes Second Test live stream on Sky Sport. This costs $57.98 NZD per month, or $31.99/month extra if you already have Sky but not Sport. Plus there's currently an offer which gives you your first month free when you sign up for a year.
Alternatively, you could go for the Sky Sport Now service, which gives you just the Sport channels but for a reduced cost of $19.99/week / $39.99/month or $399/year.
Not at home in New Zealand right now? You can still follow the Test by using one of the best VPN services, such as ExpressVPN.
How to watch the Australia vs England Ashes Second Test live stream in India
You'll need the Sony Sports Network to watch the Australia vs England Ashes Second Test live stream, with the match shown in English on Sony Six and in Hindi on Sony Ten 3. Other languages are available on Sony Ten 4.
Another option is the Sony Liv service, which costs Rs 999 for a year, Rs 699 for six months, or Rs 299 per month for the Premium version (which you'll need for the Ashes 2021.
If you already subscribe to Sony Live, but are outside of India right now, you can simply choose one of the best VPN services such as ExpressVPN to live stream the Australia vs England Ashes Second Test wherever you are are.
