Brisbane, Dec. 7 -- Steve Smith cheekily dodged a question about his on-field heated verbal exchange with England pacer Jofra Archer on Day 4 of the second Australia vs England Ashes Test at The Gabba in Brisbane.

Australia defeated England by eight wickets at The Gabba, taking a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. Chasing just 65 for victory, Australia reached the target in 10 overs, with stand-in captain Steve Smith (23*) and Jake Weatherald (17*) finishing unbeaten.

Earlier, England posted 334 in their first innings, powered by Joe Root's unbeaten 138--his maiden century in Australia. Australia responded strongly with 511, gaining a 177-run lead thanks to several half-centuries, including a top score of 77 from Mitchell Starc.

Englan...