SYDNEY: Joe Root and Harry Brook’s unbeaten 154-run partnership helped England survive an early collapse as the visitors recovered from 57/3 and reached 211/3 before bad weather halted play at the stroke of tea, and early stumps were called due to rain and lightning.
Only 45 overs of play were possible on Day 1 of the fifth and final Ashes Test here at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday as dark clouds gathered as the afternoon wore on, and persistent rain arrived shortly before the scheduled tea break, forcing officials to call an early stumps with England well placed heading into Day 2.
After captain Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to bat, England took advantage on the first day of the New Year’s Ashes Test at the SCG by establishing an unbroken partnership of over a hundred runs between Root and Brook.
The partnership helped neutralise Australia’s all-pace bowling attack, as this was the first time since 1888 that Australia did not include a strike spinner in a Test match at the SCG.
England’s innings began cautiously, with openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett adopting a measured approach against the new ball. Their 35-run stand ended in the seventh over when Mitchell Starc claimed his 27th wicket of the series, removing Duckett, who chased a wide outswinger and edged to wicketkeeper Alex Carey.
Crawley followed soon after, trapped lbw by an in-ducker from Michael Neser and dismissed for 16 despite a desperate review. In the next over, Jacob Bethell was undone by Scott Boland, feathering a delivery that jagged away to depart for 10, leaving England reeling at 57 for 3.
Then, Root and Brook dug in to steady the innings. The duo absorbed early pressure before gradually shifting the momentum as the pitch eased and Australia’s quicks struggled to find consistency.
Root capitalised on the width with trademark cuts and drives, while Brook countered Australia’s short-ball tactics with authority. The pair brought up their respective half-centuries in the same over, Root off 65 balls and Brook off 63, registering England’s highest partnership of the series and firmly swinging the contest in the visitors’ favour.
Brief scores: England 211/3 (Harry Brook 78*, Joe Root 72*; Michael Neser 1-36, Scott Boland 1-48) against Australia.