Joe Root scores first Ashes century in Australia as England fight back
Joe Root struck his first Ashes century in Australia, scoring an unbeaten 135 to lead England’s recovery on Day 1 of the second test at Gabba. Despite Mitchell Starc’s six wickets, England reached 325-9 with Jofra Archer’s career-best 32
Brisbane: Joe Root posted a long-awaited first Ashes century in Australia to give England the honours on Day 1 of the second cricket test despite Mitchell Starc taking six wickets. Starc removed Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope to have England reeling at 5-2 in the third over Thursday.
That was when Root went to the crease and set about restoring the England innings and confidence following the series-opening eight-wicket loss in Perth. His unbeaten 135 took England to 325-9 at stumps, with No 11 Jofra Archer at a career-best 32 in an unbroken 61-run last-wicket stand.
Starc returned to dismiss Harry Brook in the middle session, giving him his 415th career wicket and surpassing Pakistan great Wasim Akram (414 from 104 tests) as the most successful left-arm fast bowler in test cricket. It was a jolt England could have done without. Brook was caught at slip slashing outside off stump and fell for 31 from 33 balls to end a 54-run fourth-wicket partnership with Root just as the sun was going down.
Root shared a 117-run stand with Zac Crawley (76) to lift England to 122-3 and partnered Brook in another innings-reviving stand that set England on course for a decent total. Root’s highest test score in 15 previous Ashes tests in Australia was 89.
Playing his 160th test, Root was 88 not out at the drinks break midway through the night session. He moved into the 90s for the first time in Australia with a boundary off Brendan Doggett. He hit another boundary next ball to reach 96. The rest is history.
Momentum swings The first two sessions in the afternoon and evening had an element of symmetry with England scoring 98 and Australia taking two wickets in each.
So the night session started with England at 196-4. Root and Ben Stokes appeared to be coasting before a brilliant run out by Josh Inglis mixed things up again, with one wicket forcing another.
Stokes pushed a ball into the covers and took off for a single, only for Root to send him back as Inglis raced in and threw down the stumps from side on. He was out for 19 at 210-5. Three balls later, Scott Boland bowled Jamie Smith between bat and pad to make it 211-6.
Root was on 79 when he was joined by Will Jacks. The pair put on 40 before Jacks played an unnecessarily expansive shot to Starc and was well caught. Starc then picked off Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse in quick time and England, suddenly, was 264-9. Expectations of Australia batting on Day 1 deteriorated, though, as Root and Archer went on the attack.
No Lyon The most contentious selection of the series so far was Australia’s choice to recall Neser in a five-man pace attack at the expense of spinner Nathan Lyon, who missed out for only the second time on home soil since his debut in 2011.
The selection committee later described it as a one-off because of the conditions expected at the Gabba.
