Mitchell Starc’s fiery spell at the Gabba shook England after they decided to bat first on Day 1 of the 2nd Ashes Test. England ended the day at 325/9, bouncing back from a rough start.
The visitors faced early trouble at 5/2 within the first three overs as Starc maintained his strong pink-ball form, taking out both openers quickly. However, a vital partnership between Joe Root and Zak Crawley stabilized the innings, helping England recover from the early harm done by Australia’s pace attack.
The 1st Day of the 2nd Ashes Test belongs to Mitchell Starc and Joe Root who both have excelled and made their teams chances effectively.
Day 1 Highlights
England won the toss and chose to bat first, hoping to take advantage of the conditions in the day-night Test. However, their plan fell apart right away as they lost a wicket in the very first over.
Mitchell Starc struck early, removing Ben Duckett for a first-ball duck. This gave Australia a great start. Starc kept up his intense performance and dismissed Ollie Pope soon after, claiming his second wicket in quick succession. England found themselves in serious trouble, experiencing one of their worst possible starts as the Australian pacer controlled the opening session.
England opener Zak Crawley started strong, scoring freely with several boundaries. Joe Root supported him, although he looked uncomfortable early against Michael Neser and Mitchell Starc.
As the pair settled in, they gained confidence and found their rhythm. Their partnership of 117 runs was key in stabilizing England’s innings after the early collapse. Eventually, Australia broke through when Michael Neser struck. Crawley under-edged a delivery that went straight to Alex Carey.
Harry Brook joined Joe Root in the middle and started off strong, scoring 31 runs off just 33 balls. However, his innings ended when Mitchell Starc struck again, getting his third wicket. Shortly after, a mix-up between Root and Ben Stokes led to the England captain being run out, increasing the pressure on the visitors.
Scott Boland then delivered a brilliant ball to bowl Jamie Smith. Root could only watch as wickets kept falling around him against Australia’s fierce pace attack.
Despite the struggles, Joe Root remained steady and reached a well-deserved century. This was his 40th in Test cricket and notably his first on Australian soil. He added valuable runs alongside Will Jacks before Starc returned to dismiss Jacks, completed his five-wicket haul by taking out Gus Atkinson, and later added Brydon Carse to his list of wickets.
England finished Day 1 at 9/325, with Root still out there alongside Jofra Archer, who played an aggressive knock of 32. After 74 overs, the umpires called stumps, wrapping up an eventful day at the Gabba
Brief Scores: 2nd Ashes Test, Australia vs England (04-08 Dec 2025)
England 1st Innings: 325/9 (74 overs)
- Top Scores: Joe Root 135(202)*, Zak Crawley 76(93)
- Best Bowling (AUS): Mitchell Starc 6/71, Michael Neser 1/43
