England get an edge on the first day of second Test at the Gabba in Brisbane as Joe Root hits his first century in Australia.
England’s Joe Root conquered his final frontier with a first Ashes century in Australia as the tourists pushed past 300 on the first day of the second Test in Brisbane despite a six-wicket haul from pace spearhead Mitchell Starc.
Root marched off unbeaten on 135 off 202 balls after a late flogging of the pink ball under the Gabba floodlights on Thursday, with England 325 for nine after captain Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to bat.
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Number 11 batter Jofra Archer chipped in a handy 32 not out in an unbroken 61-run partnership for the final wicket, while Zak Crawley shrugged off a pair of ducks from Perth to score a valuable 76.
Crawley combined with Root in a 117-run partnership to rally England after Starc reduced them to five for two in a disastrous start, with opener Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope falling for ducks in the space of four balls.
“Joe keeps it simple, he just focuses on what runs needed to be scored on the day,” Crawley told TNT Sports.
“He is the best player I have ever played with or against.”
With Root and Crawley in command, England went to tea at 98 for two during a hot and sunny afternoon, and made the same again in the twilight session to be 196 for four at dinner.
But their hopes of piling up a huge total were thwarted by the brilliant Starc, who surpassed Wasim Akram as the most prolific left-arm seamer in Tests with 415 dismissals when he captured his third wicket, having Harry Brook caught in the slips for 31.
“It was a big gap after the first game, I felt calm today though, and managed to settle the nerves,” added Crawley, who got a pair in the first Test.
“I tried to keep it simple. I was gutted to get out when I did because the pitch was getting a little flatter.
“I had a clear plan and stuck to it. I tried to hit the ball hard if they came into my area onto my pads.
“There was still a few loose shots in there, and I need to leave a little more outside the off stump, but when I was in, and the ball was soft, I felt I could play a few more on that side.”
Starc later rattled through the lower order to finish with 6-71 for the day.
“Wasim is still up there as one of the best ever with the ball, I think he is still better,” Starc said of his achievement of moving above the former Pakistan seamer.
“I think [the pink ball] is still like a white ball; it was a good-paced wicket, and Root has batted well.
“It was a pretty rough day’s cricket; when the ball goes soft, it is tough to bowl with.”
Australia sprang a surprise by dropping Nathan Lyon for the first home Test since 2012 and picking Michael Neser in a four-pronged seam attack.
With Usman Khawaja out injured, Australia captain Steve Smith confirmed Travis Head will open for the hosts after his match-winning 123 in Perth.
Wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis takes Head’s usual middle order spot.
England shelved their four-pronged seam attack, with spin-bowling all-rounder Will Jacks picked in place of Mark Wood.
Australia lead the five-Test series 1-0 and have not lost to England at the Gabba since 1986.