In an exciting opening day of the second Ashes Test in Brisbane on Thursday, Joe Root finally made his first Test century in Australia on his fourth Ashes tour, leading England from a dangerous 5-2 to 325-9 at stumps.
Root controlled the first periods of the day-night match with a brilliant 135 not out, as Mitchell Starc became the most successful left-arm fast bowler in history with a 6-71.
With a career-best undefeated 32 off 26 balls and two sixes to provide some late pyrotechnics, number 11 Jofra Archer delighted the traveling throng of supporters. His uninterrupted 10th-wicket partnership of 61 with Root set a record for England at the Gabba.
Root, the top-ranked batsman in the world, had failed to score in triple figures on three prior Ashes tours. However, the man who ranks second on the list of all-time run scorers, only surpassed by Sachin Tendulkar, hushed those who claimed he wasn’t a true batting great until he scored a century in Australia.
“Unbelievable day for Joe. He has had that coming for a long time. I’m chuffed for him,” said Zak Crawley, who made 76 and shared a 117-run stand for the third wicket with Root.
“He’s the best player I’ve ever played with or against. A champion bloke.”
Root started an incredible knock when he reached the crease in the third over at 5-2 with Starc swinging the new pink ball. He reached his century with a leg glance to the fine leg boundary off Scott Boland.
Starc’s six-wicket haul carried him to 418 Test scalps, pushing him past Pakistan legend Wasim Akram (414) to become the most successful left-arm fast bowler in Test history.
“Wasim’s still the pinnacle, I think he’s still better than me,” said Starc.
Once more, Starc was the destroyer at the top of the order, dismissing Ollie Pope in his second over and Ben Duckett in his first, reducing a shell-shocked England to 5-2.
However, England demonstrated some tenacity with the partnership between Root and Crawley, increasing the score to 122, unlike in the first Test loss in Perth.
In remembrance of former England batsman Robin Smith, who passed away unexpectedly this week, both sides donned black armbands. Pat Cummins, Australia’s regular captain, missed this match as well after the team won the first Test in two days.
He was expected to return early from a back injury, but the hosts surprised everyone by substituting seamer Michael Neser for off-spinner Nathan Lyon. Australia played a Test at home without a front-line spinner for the first time in over 14 years.
On the final ball of Starc’s opening over, Duckett was the first to go, nicking a full ball to Marnus Labuschagne for a golden duck at first slip. Then, to leave England in disarray, Pope chopped on a wide delivery that he could have left alone.
After surviving an inspection by the Australian attack, Crawley and Root started to exploit the flattened pitch. As England played more cautiously than they had in the first Test, Root formed significant partnerships with Harry Brook (31), Ben Stokes (19), and Will Jacks (19).
Shortly after England reached 150, Root reached his half-century off 83 balls. Boland produced the ball of the day, dismissing Jamie Smith for a duck with a stunning delivery that sliced back from outside off stump. Starc was the only Australian bowler who appeared menacing.
After England had fallen from 210-4 to 211-6, off-spinner Jacks was brought in to support the batting with some good stroke play, but an expansive drive to Starc proved to be his doom. Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse came and went to a rampaging Starc under the lights, immediately turning England’s 251-7 to 264-9.
When it appeared like England would give up, Archer and Root launched an assault. Root joined in the fun with a reverse scoop off Boland that cleared the ropes at third man after pace bowler Archer smashed two enormous sixes.
