Joe Root’s remarkable century provided England with a much-needed advantage on the first day of the second Test against Australia in Brisbane. It was a special innings for Root, indeed. He scored his maiden Ashes century on Australian soil, overcoming what he referred to as his “final frontier.” The ever-improving Zak Crawley contributed a handy 76 runs to the innings. At the other end, Root’s partnership of 117 runs not only took England past 300 runs but made the match look very competitive.
After winning the toss, England captain Ben Stokes opted to defend a total. But those first few minutes of the match were worth their weight in gold for England. Then Mitchell Starc hit them with a double whammy, leaving them reeling at five for two. The Australian bowler’s impressive performance continued throughout the day, culminating in a six-wicket haul, further cementing his status as one of the game’s top left-arm seamers. Starc, now with 415 Test dismissals to his name, this incredible achievement takes him ahead of the great Wasim Akram, making him the most successful left-arm seamer of all time.
Crawley started the day under huge pressure after scoring a double duck in the first Test. His knock in Brisbane gave him a chance to get some runs under his belt and do it where it counts, on the biggest stage. Reflecting on Root’s composure during their partnership, Crawley noted, “Joe keeps it simple. He just focuses on what runs needed to be scored on the day.”
As the game wore on, England began to settle in to their work, Joe Root key among them as he steadied the ship to realign his side’s fortunes. He stayed patient, continuing to cash in on runs, and he survived the fiery spell that was delivered by Australia’s seam attack.
Starc acknowledged Root’s skillful batting, stating, “I think [the pink ball] is still like a white ball. It was a good-paced wicket, and Root has batted well.” He commented on the day’s challenges: “It was a pretty rough day’s cricket. When the ball goes soft, it is tough to bowl with.”
Australia produced a big shake up for this Test match. They axed Nathan Lyon, their once indispensable spinner, who’d never missed a home Test since 2012. With the addition of Michael Neser to their seam attack, their bowling arsenal has looked real intimidating. For England, the higher-flying Will Jacks replaced an injured Mark Wood in a bid to further strengthen their attack.
With England now beyond 300 runs, they looked to build on their blossoming momentum. Root’s century revitalized his side. It allowed them to maximize their opportunities to create a competitive score. It’s a golden opportunity and I’m completely sure you’ll be making the best use of that opportunity in this all important game.
