Brisbane [Australia], December 4 : The first day of the second Ashes Test at Brisbane, a pink-ball affair was an action-packed one, with the day ending in England's favour. Highlights of the day were Joe Root finally shutting down the chatter with his maiden Test ton in Australia and Aussie left-armer Mitchell Starc taking a six-fer, going past Pakistani legend Wasim Akram to become the most successful left-armed pacer ever in Tests.
England ended the day one at 325/9. The quickfire half-century between centurion Root and Jofra Archer pushed England past the 300-run mark after they had been reduced to 264/9. This bodes really well for England as far as this Test is concerned, as no side has ever lost a day-night Test after scoring 300-plus runs in the first innings.
Root ended the day with a score of 135* in 202 balls, with 15 fours and a six, at a strike rate of above 66. After reaching his century, the batter accelerated and even pulled off an effortless reverse ramp.
This was Root's 40th Test century, and he is just two more tons away from overtaking Australian legend Ricky Ponting (41 centuries) to become the third-highest century-getter in Tests, behind legendary South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis (45) and Indian icon Sachin Tendulkar (51).
Root was heading into the Ashes away from home following a blockbuster Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against India at home, in which he scored 537 runs in nine innings at an average of 67.12, with three centuries and a fifty to his name. Having scored century in almost every major Test cricket centre across the world, at home and in harsh subcontinent conditions, a century in Australia was the missing puzzle from Root's Test legacy, which is getting stronger with each passing match as the batter is already the second-highest run-getter in format with over 13,000-plus runs to his name and is chasing Tendulkar's all-time tally of 15,921 runs and 51 centuries in 200 Tests.
In the first low-scoring Ashes Test at Perth's Optus Stadium, Root endured a poor outing with scores of 0 and 8. Finally, in his 16th Test and 30th inning in Australia, and that too a pink-ball, day-night Test, Root finally got his moment of glory in Australia.
Now in Australia, he has scored 1,035 runs at an average of 38.33, with a century and nine fifties in 16 Tests and 30 innings. Across all Tests, he has scored 13,686 runs at an average of 51.45, with 40 centuries and 66 fifties and best score of 262 after 160 Tests and 291 innings.
Also, 135* by Root is the most by an England batter on the first day of a Test in Australia, since Michael Vaughan's 177 at the Adelaide Oval in 2002.
Also, Starc delivered another age-defying performance, his sixth five-wicket haul in pink-ball Tests, the most by any bowler and took his tally of pink-ball Test wickets to 87, the highest by any bowler in history, with teammates Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins (43 each) as his distant rivals, having half the amount of wickets as him. Also, the 35-year-old surpassed the mark of 414 wickets held by Akram and is now the most decorated left-armed pacer in Test history.
In 102 Tests, Starc has now taken 418 wickets at an average of 26.42, with best figures of 7/58, including 18 five-wicket hauls and three ten-wicket hauls. He is the fourth-highest wicket-taker in Test history for Australia.
Coming to the match, England won the toss and opted to bat first. After Mitchell Starc (6/71) reduced England to 5/2, getting both Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope for a duck, Root put on a 117-run stand with Zak Crawley (76 in 93 balls, with 11 fours). Another half-century stand with Harry Brook (31 in 33 balls, with four boundaries) followed.
Australia managed to make inroads in the game courtesy a fine run out from Josh Inglis to remove England skipper Ben Stokes (19) and had England down at 264/9 eventually, with Starc completing his sixth five-wicket haul in pink-ball Tests. But some fine hitting from Root and Jofra Archer (32* in 26 balls, with a four and two sixes) helped England put up 325/9 at the end of day one in 74 overs.
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