Twitter Reactions: Australia on top after Joe Root elected to bowl first

While only 81 overs of play was possible on the first day of the second Ashes test because of rain, it was still Test match Cricket of the highest standard as the fans got to see some high class bowling and some gritty batting throughout the day.

The day started with the English skipper Joe Root winning the toss and making a bizarre decision of bowling first on a track which was flat as a road. Yes the conditions were overcast and the pink ball was going to move around a little bit, but batting first would still have been a much positive move considering that England were coming from a heavy loss and needed to make a statement.

Not only did Joe Root make a questionable decision at the toss, his captaincy in the first session of play was pretty questionable too as he didn’t set attacking fields and was pretty happy to sit back and wait for the Aussie batsmen to make a mistake.

The Aussies did make a mistake to gift England the first wicket as the miscommunication between the openers resulted in Cameron Bancroft getting run out. After getting the first breakthrough, Root turned the screws on with some attacking fields and the bowlers complemented him by bowling right channel too as England managed to remove two of Australia’s best batsmen David warner and Steve Smith cheaply.

Once the lights came on, the ball moved vociferously in the last session and England would have ideally wanted a few more wickets before the stumps, but Peter Handscomb and Shaun Marsh showed good resilience to see off the day. The kangaroos were 209 for 4 at stumps.

Here are some of the interesting Twitter reactions during the first day’s play

55,000 in attendance of the #Ashes today at #Adelaide. The ‘roof’ view the best in world… https://t.co/lWj6pttMl7

— Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) December 2, 2017

Win toss – choose to bowl.
Claim 4 Aus wickets with one being a run out.
Australia’s day! #Ashes

— KP (@KP24) December 2, 2017

Like the 1st 3 days of the last Test match from @Swannyg66 & Ponting….the 1st hour tomorrow is massive ? #AUSvsENG ?

— Alex Tudor (@alextudorcoach) December 2, 2017

Australia’s Day by a good margin IMO … 300 + will be very very good 1st Innings total …. Anyway I am off a Beer … #OnON #Ashes

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) December 2, 2017

Many congrats to my partner in crime @craigoverton12 making his Test debut today! Not a bad 1st pole to get either!

— Alfonso Thomas (@alfonsothomas) December 2, 2017

Great day Australia! #cmonaussie

— Ryan Harris (@r_harris413) December 2, 2017

HUGE wicket. Well bowled @craigoverton12 – what a 1st Test scalp. Come on England, turn the screw. #smith #ashes

— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) December 2, 2017

I’d love to see these England bowling plans they always talk about. Seems half your deliveries need to be short ? #pitchitup? #ashes

— Darren Proud (@proudy40) December 2, 2017

The last four occasions when an Australian batsman scored a century and took 4 catches in a match –

Steven Smith v England, 2017
Steven Smith v Pakistan, 2016
Steven Smith v Sri Lanka, 2016
Steven Smith v New Zealand, 2016#Ashes

— Nikhil Mane ??? (@nikhiltait) November 26, 2017

Steven Smith's 261-ball century:

– 2nd slowest by an Australian in last 10 years. (262 – S Katich v NZ, 2010)
– Slowest by an Australian captain since Allan Border's 273-ball ton v NZ, 1987.#Ashes

— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) November 25, 2017

23 Year Old Craig Overton Marks His Debut By Bowling Out Steven Smith As His Maiden Wicket. Couldn't Make A Better Debut. Impressive Young Talent. #ENGvAUS #AUSvENG #Ashes #SteveSmith #CraigOverton pic.twitter.com/ZsBA5yshAV

— Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) December 2, 2017

Virat Kohli is batting in Delhi.
Steve Smith is batting in Adelaide.
The distance of 9,567 Kms is the rest of the world's batsmen.

— Sorabh Pant (@hankypanty) December 2, 2017

Steve Smith in 2017/18 Ashes – ave 181

Don Bradman in 2017/18 Ashes – ave 0

— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) December 2, 2017

Aleem the Saviour ??#Ashes pic.twitter.com/Qy2fS5OMwS

— Tabrez Shaikh (@its_tabrez_4u) December 2, 2017

Red Card in Play.#ashes

— The Silly Point (@the_sillypoint) December 2, 2017

Do you remember when people used to think Smith had heaps of flaws in his batting. I miss those days #Ashes

— Frederick St.Gregory (@fredgregory1) December 2, 2017

That’s why we call him The Wizard @chriswoakes ?

— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) December 2, 2017

Right, in Adelaide & I’m hoping England turn up here this weekend. They have the conditions. Cold & cloudy! NO EXCUSES! #Ashes

— KP (@KP24) December 1, 2017

Lights can do dramatic things in test match Cricket. Australia can be knocked over in this session if they don't bat tightly. #Ashes

— Abhishek (@Sajjanlaunda) December 2, 2017

Warner has sold Bancroft an absolute dummy there. #Ashes

— Rahul Puri (@rahulpuri) December 2, 2017

Yes, No, Yes, No. Warner sells Bancroft down the river. #Ashes

— Nikhil ? (@CricCrazyNIKS) December 2, 2017