Joe Root finally achieved his first Test century in Australia on his fourth Ashes tour, steering England from a vulnerable 5-2 to 325-9 by the end of a thrilling first day of the second Ashes Test in Brisbane on Thursday.
Mitchell Starc made history as the most successful left-arm fast bowler, taking 6-71, but the day-night match’s initial sessions were dominated by Root, who crafted a brilliant 135 not out.
Number 11 Jofra Archer delighted the traveling fans by hitting a career-best unbeaten 32 off 26 balls, including two sixes, adding some late excitement.
Their unbroken 10th-wicket partnership of 61 with Root set a new record for England at the Gabba.
Root, the world’s top-ranked batsman, had missed triple figures on three previous Ashes tours. However, he silenced critics who claimed he couldn’t be a true batting great without a century in Australia.
“Incredible day for Joe. He’s been due for this for a long time. I’m thrilled for him,” said Zak Crawley, who scored 76 and partnered for 117 runs with Root for the third wicket.
“He’s the best player I’ve ever played with or against. A true champion.”
Root came to the crease in the third over at 5-2 with Starc swinging the new pink ball and embarked on a significant innings, reaching his century with a leg glance to the fine leg boundary off Scott Boland.
Starc’s six wickets brought his Test tally to 418, surpassing Pakistan legend Wasim Akram’s 414 as the most prolific left-arm pacer in Test history.
“Wasim’s still the pinnacle; I think he’s better than me,” admitted Starc.
Starc was again destructive at the order’s top, dismissing Ben Duckett in his first over and Ollie Pope in his second, reducing England to 5-2.
Unlike their first Test loss in Perth, England showed determination, with Root and Crawley’s partnership moving the score to 122.
Lyon left out
Both teams wore black armbands in memory of former England batsman Robin Smith, who passed away unexpectedly this week.
Australia, who won the first Test in two days, entered this match without regular captain Pat Cummins.
Cummins was rumored to return early from a back injury, but instead, the hosts surprised by excluding off-spinner Nathan Lyon for seamer Michael Neser.
It was the first time in nearly 14 years that Australia played a home Test without a frontline spinner.
Duckett went first on Starc’s last ball of the first over, nicking a full ball to Marnus Labuschagne at first slip for a golden duck.
Pope then chopped a wide delivery he could have left alone, leaving England in trouble.
Crawley and Root survived a challenge from the Australian attack and capitalized as the wicket improved.
Root shared key partnerships with Harry Brook (31), Ben Stokes (19), and Will Jacks (19) as England played more cautiously than in the first Test.
Root reached his half-century off 83 balls, shortly after England surpassed 150.
Starc was the only Australian bowler looking threatening, although Boland bowled the ball of the day, dismissing Jamie Smith for a duck with a superb delivery that cut back from outside off stump.
England fell from 210-4 to 211-6 before off-spinner Jacks justified his inclusion with positive strokes, though a risky drive to Starc led to his dismissal.
England was at 251-7, quickly becoming 264-9, as Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse succumbed to a rampant Starc under the lights.
Just when England seemed likely to collapse, Archer and Root counterattacked.
Pace bowler Archer struck two impressive sixes, and Root joined in with a reverse scoop off Boland that cleared the third-man boundary.
