BRISBANE: On a riveting day of test match cricket, England and Australia shared honours on an even first day of the first Ashes Test. England ended the day with 196 for the loss of four wickets on rain hit day.
England won the toss and elected to bat on a bright morning in Brisbane, but Australia struck in the third over of the game claiming the wicket of the Alastair Cook. However, James Vince and Mark Stoneman came together for a solid partnership worth 125 run to bail England out of early trouble. Tim Paine, who was controversially selected ahead of the premium wicket keeper Peter Nevill, dropped a simple chance of Vince off Nathan Lyon. Lyon bowled beautifully throughout the day, holding up one end and allowing Smith to rotate the fast bowlers from the other end.
Generally, throughout the day Australia bowled tight lines to restrain England from scoring quickly and taking the game away – an approach that favored them in the later stages of the day. Australia struck back with the pace of Pat Cummins at the stroke of Tea, just when England looked all but set for a big first innings total.
Cummins swung one in to Stoneman to clean him up, before taking the prized scalp of Joe Root pinning him right in front of the wickets with a fast delivery that skidded after pitching. Vince, however, would rue himself for his dismissal as he ran himself out by risking a tight single that was never on to start with. However, the day’s highlight will be Lyon off-balance throw to find Vince short by a yard.
At stumps, Moeen Ali and David Malan were at the crease with an gritty partnership to secure their team from a late collapse.