In a thrilling encounter at the Gabba in Brisbane, England emerged victorious in the first Ashes Test match of the series. The visitors, led by captain Joe Root, put in a stellar performance with both bat and ball to seal a famous win against their arch-rivals Australia.
It was a closely fought contest from the outset, with both teams looking to gain an bbc cricket early advantage. England won the toss and elected to bat first, a decision that initially looked to have backfired as they were reduced to 27-2 early on. However, Root and opener Rory Burns steadied the ship with an 88-run partnership for the third wicket.
Burns fell for 53, but Root went on to score a magnificent bbc cricket century, his first in Australia. He was ably supported by wicketkeeper Jos Buttler, who made a vital 64, and all-rounder Chris Woakes, who chipped in with a useful 42. England was eventually bowled out for 396, a total that looked competitive but by no means insurmountable.
Australia began their reply brightly, with openers David Warner and Marcus Harris putting on 81 for the first wicket. But England struck back with a flurry of wickets, reducing the hosts to 161-5. However, Australia fought back with captain Pat Cummins leading the way with a fine half-century. With support from the lower order, he took Australia to a respectable total of 338, trailing England by 58 runs.
England started their second innings strongly, with Burns and Haseeb Hameed putting on 81 for the first wicket. But the visitors suffered a mid-innings collapse, losing six wickets for just 71 runs. It looked like Australia was back in the game, but all-rounder Moeen Ali played crucial innings, scoring 74 to take England to a total of 301, setting Australia a target of 360 to win the match.
The Australian innings got off to a poor start, with Warner and Harris both falling cheaply. Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith steadied the ship, putting on a partnership of 94 for the third wicket. But once again, England struck back, with fast bowler Mark Wood picking up three quick wickets to reduce Australia to 209-6.
Cummins and wicketkeeper Alex Carey put up a valiant fight, adding 80 for the seventh wicket. But with the target in sight, both batsmen fell in quick succession, leaving Australia on the brink of defeat. The tailenders could not muster the required runs, and Australia were bowled out for 312, giving England a famous victory by 47 runs.
It was a superb performance by England, who showed grit and determination throughout the match. Root was the standout performer with the bat, scoring a magnificent century and leading from the front as captain. The bowlers also played their part, with Wood taking five wickets in the match and James Anderson and Stuart Broad both chipping in with crucial wickets.
For Australia, it was a disappointing result, but there were some positives to take from the match. Cummins was outstanding with both bat and ball, while Labuschagne and Smith showed their class with the bat.
The result sets up the rest of the series perfectly, with England taking a 1-0 lead and Australia looking to bounce back in the second Test in Adelaide. The Ashes is always a fiercely contested battle between two of cricket’s oldest rivals, and this match was no exception. It was a thrilling encounter from start to finish, and the fans in attendance were treated to some fantastic cricket.
The win will give England a huge boost in confidence, knowing that they can compete with the best in their backyard.
