Ashes 2017-18, 1st Test, Day 1 - 5 Talking Points

The much awaited Ashes series got underway at the Gabba in Brisbane as the hosts made a stunning comeback in the final session of the day. The rain also made its presence felt as the start of the play post lunch was delayed by 90 minutes. Though the jam-packed crowd at the Stadium witnessed some riveting action in the middle between bat and ball. However, England finished the day promisingly with the partnership developing between Moeen Ali and Dawid Malan.

Nathan Lyon was the best bowler of the day for the Australia who extracted turn and bounce from the wicket on day 1 itself. He was unlucky as James Vince was dropped off him by Tim Paine. Pat Cummins though ended the day with two wickets after bowling with venom which was expected given the pace he possesses. The series is already spiced up now as England batsmen kept the Aussie bowlers at bay before imploding albeit momentarily.

Here we bring you the 5 talking points of the action-packed first day:

1. Cook nicks one behind early

After opting to bat first, England were hoping to get a start from their openers. Mark Stoneman and Alastair Cook strode out to the middle with the similar intent but the latter nicked one behind in the third over of the day off Mitchell Starc. The ball was pitched up by the bowler around the off-stump which shaped a little bit and Cook had to play at it. The end result was a nick behind to the wicketkeeper Tim Paine who accepted it gleefully. Cook could only score 2 runs and the visitors couldn’t get off to a flier after winning the toss.

2. Stoneman and Vince frustrate the Aussies

Stoneman and James Vince weathered the early burst after the loss of the experienced Cook. Both, making their Ashes debut, looked assured and left all the deliveries outside the off-stump. They were unfazed by the occasion and didn’t react to the verbal volleys thrown at them by the bowlers. They saw through the first session patiently and then pounced out on the freebies in the second session.

They added 125 for the second wicket and scored their respective half-centuries before Stoneman was castled by Pat Cummins just before tea on 53. Vince too was run-out soon on 83 but the duo surely troubled the hosts with their patient knocks.

3. Lyon’s athleticism earns Australia a wicket

The final session of the day began with both sides in control of the situation as the partnership was just broken prior to the tea. Vince was looking good for his century as Joe Root was ever so assured. But Nathan Lyon’s athleticism at the backward point caught Vince short off his crease on 83. The batsman pushed the ball in the gap and started running but Lyon was so quick on the ball and the direct hit from him caught the right-hander off-guard. Vince, unfortunately, was devoid of his well-deserved century by a stupendous fielding effort.

4. Gabba surface assisting spin on day 1

The surface at the Gabba is usually bouncy and carries to wicketkeeper quite comfortably. But this time around it is a little bit spongy and there is a bit of a dampness to the wicket which has brought the spinners in the game. Lyon was brought in to bowl in the 16th over surprisingly and he extracted the turn from the surface. He looked threatening throughout the day and bowled superbly with accurate line and length. He didn’t scalp a wicket but kept a lid on the score due to which the pressure piled up on the batsmen. Lyon finished the day with the figures which read: 24-9-40-0.

5. Australia comeback stunningly in the final session

The hosts were pushed to the corner by the partnership between Vince and Stoneman and were visibly frustrated. But the wicket of the former just before the tea pumped them up as they bowled and fielded excellently after that. First, Vince was caught short of the crease by Lyon with an amazing direct hit from backward-point and then Cummins sent Root packing with an inswinging delivery. He was adjudged leg before on review to the delivery which shaped back in prodigiously after pitching. They also created a lot of chances in the final stages of play before the umpires called stumps due to bad light.