England Fights Back on Day 1 of Pink-Ball Ashes Test with Joe Root's Century

England's Resilience on Day 1

On the opening day of the Pink-Ball Ashes Test, England bounced back from an early batting collapse to finish with a score of 325/9. Joe Root led the charge with an impressive unbeaten 135 runs, while Australia's Mitchell Starc excelled with bowling figures of 6/71, surpassing Wasim Akram to become the leading left-arm wicket-taker in Test history.

Match Overview

The first day of the Ashes 2025 series at the Gabba in Brisbane, held on December 4, showcased remarkable individual performances from both teams. This match marked the fourth Pink-Ball Test between Australia and England, with both sides demonstrating their ability to adapt to the challenging conditions under lights.

By the end of Day 1, England had managed to score 325 runs in 74 overs, with Joe Root and Jofra Archer at the crease, contributing 135 and 32 runs, respectively. The English team made a strong recovery after an initial batting collapse. For Australia, Mitchell Starc was the standout bowler, achieving 6 wickets for 71 runs in 19 overs, while Michael Neser and Scott Boland each took one wicket.

Key Takeaways from Day 1

One notable decision by Australia was the exclusion of veteran spinner Nathan Lyon, opting instead for an all-seam attack in this Pink-Ball Test. Although Lyon had played in the Perth opener, he bowled only two overs in the first innings, leading selectors to favor a fast-bowling strategy for this day/night match.

Despite being the leading wicket-taker among spinners in Pink-Ball Tests, with 43 wickets in 13 matches, Lyon expressed his disappointment at being left out of the playing XI but chose to focus on supporting his teammates.

Zak Crawley, who faced criticism after scoring two ducks in the series opener, made a strong comeback with a solid half-century. After England's early struggles, Crawley and Root steadied the innings, with Crawley scoring 76 runs off 93 balls and forming a crucial 117-run partnership with Root.

Mitchell Starc's Record-Breaking Performance

Mitchell Starc had a stellar performance in the first innings, claiming early wickets of Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope, which put England on the back foot. He went on to take four more wickets, finishing with a six-wicket haul and bringing his total to 16 wickets in the ongoing Ashes series.

With this achievement, Starc surpassed Wasim Akram's record for the most wickets by a left-arm pacer in Test cricket, now holding 418 wickets.

Joe Root, the former England captain, ended a long wait for an international century on Australian soil. After a disappointing start to the series, Root finally scored his first century in Australia, marking a significant milestone in his career.

Jofra Archer's Late-Order Heroics

As England's innings neared its conclusion at 264/9, tailender Jofra Archer provided a late surge, scoring 32 runs off 26 balls. His efforts, alongside Root, helped England extend their innings into Day 2, forming an unbeaten 61-run partnership for the last wicket and pushing their total past 300 runs.