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Root, still chasing an elusive first century on Australian soil, is crucial to English hopes as the game moves towards its night-time phase.
Rory DollardThursday 04 December 2025 09:03 GMT
open image in galleryMitchell Starc, right, starred for Australia on day one (Robbie Stephenson/PA) (PA Wire)
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Record-breaker Mitchell Starc continued his one-man mission to wreck England’s Ashes hopes as they reached 196 for four on the first evening of the day/night second Test in Brisbane.
Starc, who took 10 wickets in Australia’s Perth victory, continued his hold over the tourists by dismissing Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope for ducks with the new pink ball before returning to pick off a wasteful Harry Brook.
That took him to 415 Test scalps, overtaking Pakistan great Wasim Akram as the most prolific left-arm seamer of all time.
England battled back well from five for two in the third over, Zak Crawley showing great strength of character to peel off 76 following a demoralising showing in the first Test and Joe Root holding firm for 68no.
Root, still chasing an elusive first century on Australian soil, is crucial to English hopes as the game moves towards its night-time phase under floodlit skies.
The guessing game over the fitness of Pat Cummins meant there was plenty of interest in the Australia’s team sheet and the selectors duly delivered a major surprise.
While Cummins’ absence was no real shock, the injured skipper having never officially been added to the squad, the decision to axe 562-wicket spinner Nathan Lyon for veteran seamer Michael Neser was a jaw-dropper. The 38-year-old was last left out of a home Test in January 2012 – a streak stretching back 69 consecutive appearances.
Australia’s gamble was immediately put to the test as Ben Stokes won the toss and batted first, a call that thrust Starc into centre stage. That is exactly where he does his best work and, for the third innings in a row, he struck gold in the first over.
Crawley was his victim both times in Perth but this time it was Duckett, pushing at a fullish ball that nipped away and edging to slip. The sinking feeling of deja vu only continued when Starc landed another big blow, Pope chopping down his stumps with a badly-judged shot.
That meant a hasty appearance for Root and when he nicked a beauty from Starc, the scoreboard was agonisingly close to reading seven for three. But this time there was a reprieve, Steve Smith leaping to his left but failing to hold a fiercely difficult chance. Instead the ball scooted to the ropes for four and the England rebuild began.
Crawley had started admirably after his twin failures last time out, belatedly opening his account for the series with a lavish cover drive off his fourth ball.
He scored briskly but was still prepared to leave outside off, with a couple of hard-hit aerial drives the only real moments of risk. Starc was unable to snatch one in his follow-through on 15 and Scott Boland missed another rocket on 39, but Crawley never threatened to go inside his shell as he ticked off his half-century before the break.
Starting the second session on 98 for two, England almost negotiated a steady stream of bouncers from Neser and Brendan Doggett before Crawley succumbed. Swivelling to pull Neser he got a thin under-edge to end a restorative stand of 117.
Brook’s arrival ushered in a period of chaos, with a bewildering cocktail of thunderous ball-striking and self-destructive stroke play. On 15 he was almost stumped attempting a reverse ramp off Neser, but managed to get his boot back over the line.
After a long rest Starc re-entered the equation and snagged Brook with his second ball back. Opting to smash his most dangerous opponent through the off-side he sent a thick edge spiralling to second slip.
With the dangerous twilight period arriving, Root and Stokes showed plenty of resolve to reach the second break without further loss.
