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Travis Head came out all guns blazing in the final essay to give Australia a fine head-start in this Ashes series. Licking their wounds, England are determined to draw level as the arch-rivals undertake the pink-ball challenge under lights. Only two days of action was possible in the opener as the game moved along at a frenetic speed, let’s see what the day-nighter has in store!
Root and Archer have formed the highest 10th wicket partnership in a day-night Test surpassing 59 between Tom Blundell and Blair Tickner in Mount Maunganui in 2023. The opening day belonged to centurion Joe Root, who was able to cross three figures in his 30th Test innings in Australia. He added 117 at a fair clip with Zac Crawley, whose redemption for the horror outing in Perth came in the form of a sprightly 76-run knock.
Mitchell Starc arrested six wickets, continuing his excellent form, but England have nonetheless put themselves in a solid position thanks to Archer’s pyrotechnics at the fag end. Root was in early and carried his bat through, finishing unbeaten on 135. It was truly an innings of the highest class, one that the senior pro had yearned for over the years.
This valuable partnership has reached fifty off just 30 balls with Root revealing the reverse ramp off Boland. It is a surprise that the ball travelled all the way over the rope, palmed over by the third man fielder.
Jofra and Root have combined to subject Australia to a leather hunt in the dying throes of England’s innings. Both of them went downtown against Starc, who has had trouble landing the yorker. The alliance is worth 43 off 26 balls.
They are enjoying for sure as Jofra Archer unleashes fireworks with the willow. Boland is copping some serious punishment for his lack of venom, as a six flew over backward square leg and a meatily timed jab went one bounce into the rope at mid-wicket. Root bumped up the over aggregate to 19 with a sweet smack to long-on.
England are falling like ninepins after Root got the monkey off his back. While Carey took an amazing catch over his shoulder after running a mile, Mitchell Starc snaffled his sixth wicket by running through the England lower-order. Root is still out there in all his glory, but the big question is how many can he add to the total by shielding the eleventh man Jofra Archer?
Mind you, the ball is hooping around the corners under lights so England would fancy having a crack at Australia’s top-order.
In the nervous nineties himself, Root witnessed the dismissal of Will Jacks and became a bit tentative as he took steps towards a maiden century in Australia. However, a marginal error in line allowed the accomplishment as Root glanced fine. A wave of relief passes through his body and England are up on their feet in the dressing room, acknowledging what has been a technical masterclass. The jinx has been broken as Root brings up his 40th Test ton! Take a bow, champion.
Highest score for Root in 30 innings in Australia as he fetches runs through the pull shot off Doggett. The former was not as convincing but he would take it at this stage as it brings him closer to a cherished dream, of scoring a century in Australia. Just a hit away now from joy and jubilance.
Nine runs from this over by Cameron Green and Root is inching towards nineties. His finest effort in Australia was 89 at this very venue, in 2021/22. He recently improvised to thread the gap between backward point and gully with an arching steer.
Boland breaches the defences of the keeper-bat with an absolute pearler. Homing in on fourth stump, draws Smith forward on the block, nips in to beat the bat and rattles the timber.
Jamie Smith last seven innings in Tests
8,9,8,2,33,15,0
He is actually a wicketkeeper and not accustomed to fielding skillsets but boy, that was something special. Stokes jetted off for a run after dabbing the ball to point only to see Root’s refusal, Inglis hared to his right and picked the ball on the bounce to throw the stumps down at the striker’s end.
Stokes is livid with his partner but they share a glove-punch nonetheless. It would have been a tight run, especially because the shot was played to the stronger arm of the fielder, who had a single stump to aim at from a square-on position.
The partnership between Stokes and Root was 30 off 87 balls before the latter drove Boland with great gusto. That tells you about the impact of the pink ball.
Brilliant atmosphere at the Gabba with the Barmy Army being quite vociferous.
Pitched up by Starc and Stokes plays a beautiful off-drive off the front foot. Superb balance and poses for the shutterbugs. It’s come right off the middle of the bat. England go past 200 with that elegant boundary.
An absorbing session of Test cricket. Crawley was dismissed out of the blue by Neser, and Starc turned up the heat by sending Brook back, courtesy of a sharp catch from Smith in the slip cordon. Since then, Root and Stokes have steadied the ship, the experienced pair assuming the task of rebuilding for the fifth wicket.
The England skipper survived a couple of anxious moments before the dinner break, and he’ll be hoping that luck stays on his side. With the pink ball starting to play tricks under the lights, batting is only going to get tougher from hereon. The Brisbane crowd is alive and kicking, looking forward to the riveting final session on the opening day.
He has drawn the most false shots today apart from spearhead Starc, and he almost pocketed the England captain there. Neser goes short around off, Stokes tries to ride the bounce but ends up splicing the ball, which lobs towards cover and falls in no man’s land. He needs some fortune because the conditions are testing with the lights coming to life.
The cordon’s full with three slips in place. There’s a gully too, but Ben Stokes’ edge flew between that gap towards the third man fence. Then there was visible frustration on Boland’s face as he deviates from his metronomic line and length to concede a glanced four. Stokes was the beneficiary on both occasions.
Starc returns to pick up his third wicket, substantiating his moniker of ‘the king of pink ball’. Full and wide from the left-armer across the angle, Brook gives the chase sans any feet movement and the edge is taken by Smith, even though he suggests that he didn’t see it coming. Even by his standards, this was pretty much a reckless stroke as he was in no position to make healthy contact.
England have added 68 runs in 13 overs after Tea for the loss of one wicket. The 50 partnership has been achieved off 61 deliveries.
Boland has just bowled what was only the second maiden of the day, and this just goes to show how proactive England have been in the middle. Australia, for sure, have rued the services of Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, who have more than 600 Test wickets between them.
One thing England have done commendably is keeping the scoreboard moving all through. Root and Crawley kept their feet on the gas pedal despite the initial damage in the form of Duckett and Pope, and now Brook is continuing to fill the innings with impetus alongside the well-set Root, whose driving today has been gorgeous as ever.
A sneaky single from short backward square leg. The Barmy Army is up and about as they sense history in the making. Root soaks up the applause. He must be hungry for that elusive hundred on Australian shores. Meanwhile, Brook is budging into all sorts of weird positions to circumnavigate the crazy field settings Steve Smith is coming up with.
Neser is chiming in from wide of the crease and that is why this lbw shout has been turned down. The ball would’ve gone on to miss leg. Smith consults his bowler and wicketkeeper intently because Root’s wicket is in question but eventually they decide against it, and rightly so. Neser is making things happen, for sure, at his home ground.
Five fielders on the on-side, third man in place as well for Harry Brook who gets going with a couple of boundaries off Doggett. Meanwhile, Carey enters a nice little club after being bounced out by local lad Neser. The short ball ploy has worked post interval.
Highest scores for England openers following a ‘pair’ in the previous Test
108 Michael Atherton vs SA Port Elizbeth 1999
83 Geoff Pullar 83 vs Ind Mumbai 1961
76 Zak Crawley 76 vs Aus Brisbane 2025
The bumper is executed perfectly and the glove is found to boot but the ball evades Alex Carey’s reach. Just couldn’t launch off that left leg as the cherry was flying too high and wide. Three men patrolling the leg side fence for the bungled-up hook or pull. Doggett nailed the height with that attempt at bouncing out Root, but Australia will have to wait for the keenly-awaited breakthrough.
England have come out all guns blazing on the other side of the break. Crawley spots the length early and swivels to pull it flamboyantly through backward square leg. On the ultimate ball by Doggett, he plays a sumptuous drive through extra cover. The century stand is up in tandem with the experienced Root.
Some crunchy drives to end the session as England have bounced back well through the 93-run partnership between Root and Crawley, who is batting on a personal score of 61 off 80 balls. There’s been a healthy mix of caution and ferocity, evidenced by the fact that Crawley had left alone 26% deliveries at the time of reaching his 50 – the highest share for him in the 18 such scores at the time of reaching that milestone in the Bazball era, since June 2022.
The job is only half done but Crawley will heave a sigh of relief after bagging a pair in Perth. Gets a round of applause from the spectators in Brisbane. Root walks towards him and congratulates his teammate. Has been a solid effort after the visitors were pegged back twice earlier in the session.
