Root reigns at the Gabba with drought-breaking ton

After almost a fortnight of giddy anticipation, day one of this second NRMA Insurance Ashes Test lived up to the hype, as England's batting giant Joe Root and Australia's most diminutive fielder Josh Inglis produced a pair of unforgettable moments under the Gabba lights.

It was another wild, see-sawing day, the third in as many through this Ashes series so far, during which both sides held the upper hand before England seized a late, dramatic advantage via an unbroken 61-run 10th wicket stand that took the score to 9-325.

In compiling Test hundred number 40, and his first in Australia on his fourth Ashes tour, Root (135no) was magnificent. The 34-year-old held England's innings together after they slipped to 2-5 in the opening exchanges following another devastating new-ball spell from Mitchell Starc (6-71).

It was one of those days where interest and intrigue preceded even the coin toss. Amid the chaotic pre-play build-up on the Gabba outer, eagled-eyed onlookers noted Queenslander Michael Neser marking out his run-up. And sure enough, for the first time in 69 matches and almost 14 years, Nathan Lyon was dropped for a home Test.

For 35-year-old Neser, it was a return to the XI after a three-year hiatus. The entirety of his three-Test career has been played with the pink ball. His inclusion gave Australia five seamers and shortened the tail, while above him in the order, Inglis was also recalled at number seven, with Travis Head elevated to open as forecast, in place of the injured Usman Khawaja.

Pat Cummins, whose return had been mooted, was kept on ice, while England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to bat.

Then came the first-over fire from Starc. The left-armer beat Zac Crawley a couple of times and then the Englishman finally collected his first runs of the series via a delicious cover drive for four.

From the sixth delivery of the match, what is fast becoming normal service resumed, as Starc caught Ben Duckett's outside edge. It was an unconvincing first-ball prod from Duckett, and the ball flew through to Marnus Labuschagne for a comfortable catch at first slip.

For the 26th time, Starc had a wicket in his first over. Soon enough, he had two in two, when Ollie Pope (0) echoed Duckett's indecision and pushed at one outside off stump, only to inside-edge onto his stumps.

England were 2-5 at that point; Starc had equalled Wasim Akram's all-time left-armer's mark of 414 Test wickets, and a packed-out Gabba was heaving.

Before his innings got going, Root edged the third ball he faced from Starc, and Steve Smith at second slip couldn't hang on to what would have been a stunning catch diving to his left in front of Labuschagne.

The ball flew away for four and Root was away. He and Crawley motored along initially before tempering their aggression – an awareness that appeared beyond them across those two dramatic days in Perth.

England were 2-98 at lunch and Australia resumed after the tea break with a short-ball approach from Brendan Doggett as the softening pink ball and a flat day-one pitch seemed to offer the hosts' all-pace attack little.

Neser though found Crawley's bottom edge on 76 and the breakthrough was much needed for Australia, although Harry Brook's arrival and subsequent eventful stay at one stage looked to be carrying the contest away from Australia.

The talismanic Englishman played some dazzling – and baffling – strokes en route to 31 before that man Starc returned just after the clock struck 6pm. From his second ball – and his first to Brook – he induced a rash shot. The delivery was full, slightly wide, but the ever-aggressive England number five opted against having a sighter and drove wildly instead, succeeding only in edging the ball to Smith at second slip.

It took Starc past Wasim as the most prolific left-arm quick in Test history, with 415 wickets, and as the sun set and the lights took hold, he looked increasingly dangerous.

Root continued to strike a balance between caution and aggression, and he collected the majority of his boundaries from straight drives when the ball was over-pitched. He continued playing his characteristic glides, largely from under his nose, but invariably to a fine gully for no run.

At the same time, Stokes (19) rode his luck early, with a couple of early flashes flying through the gap between third slip and gully, and a leading edge off Neser popping up but landing safely on the turf.

England made 2-98 in the second session as well to be 4-196 at the dinner break, and afterward, just as the 34-run partnership was threatening to move towards something more meaningful, Inglis intervened.

The Western Australian had been a ball of energy in the field and he promptly capitalised on a mix-up between the two batters, running from short cover toward point to pick up and make a stunning direct hit with just a single stump to aim at.

It felt like a game-changing moment but Root, perhaps steeled by the error, had much more to give.

Though Jamie Smith was knocked over second ball by a lovely off-cutter from Scott Boland, and England conspired to lose 5-54 amid another Starc-inspired collapse as the evening headed towards its scheduled close, nothing was going to stop Root from having his moment.

Consecutive fours took him to 96, and soon after he flicked the ball fine to the boundary to bring up his long-awaited century.

There was time for Alex Carey to reprise his Australian Rules football heritage and take an excellent contested mark of a catch as he and Marnus Labuschagne both sprinted back with the flight of the cricket ball from a Gus Atkinson top edge.

At 9-264, the contest looked very much on an even keel, but England had the last say courtesy of a spectacular 10th wicket stand between Root and Jofra Archer (32no).

In just 7.2 overs, the pair added 61 to help England to what seemed an imposing total at the end of another dramatic day.

2025-26 NRMA Insurance Men's Ashes

First Test: Australia won by eight wickets

Second Test: December 4-8, The Gabba, Brisbane (D/N), 3pm AEDT

Third Test: December 17-21: Adelaide Oval, 10:30am AEDT

Fourth Test: December 26-30: MCG, Melbourne, 10:30am AEDT

Fifth Test: January 4-8: SCG, Sydney, 10:30am AEDT

Australia squad (second Test only): Steve Smith (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster

England squad: Ben Stokes (c), Harry Brook (vc), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue, Mark Wood