Ashes 2nd Test: Joe Root's maiden Test hundred on Australian soil guide England to cross 300-run mark in Brisbane

Brisbane [Australia], December 4 (ANI): England's ace batter Joe Root slammed his maiden Test hundred on Australian soil as visitors crossed the 300-run mark at the end of Day 1 of the second Test against Australia at the Gabba, Brisbane on Thursday.

At stumps on Day 1, England were at 325/9 in 74 overs. Joe Root (135 off 202 balls, including 15 fours and one six) and Jofra Archer (32 off 26 balls, with the help of one four and two sixes) were unbeaten on the crease.

England started the final session of Day 1 at 196/4 with Root 68 and captain Ben Stokes 14 on strike.

The Three Lions went past the 200-run mark after Stokes played a crisp off-drive to Mitchell Starc on the first delivery of the 50th over.

During the last ball of the 52nd over, Australia took a DRS for an LBW decision against Root. Speedster Scott Boland bowled a sharp delivery, and the right-handed batter walked forward to play the ball. Root was hit on the pads. However, replays confirmed that the impact was outside off and Root survived.

In a brilliant display of fielding, Josh Inglis produced a direct hit which caught Stokes off-guard at the striker's end during the 55th over. The England captain departed after scoring 19 off 49 balls, with four boundaries.

In the next over, Mitchell Starc clean bowled wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith for a two-ball duck.

In the 62nd over of Brendan Doggett, Root hammered three boundaries and the England ace moved into the nervous 90s.

The left-arm seamer Starc took his fourth wicket after he removed Will Jacks for 19 runs during the second last delivery of the 65th over.

In the 66th over of Scott Boland, Joe Root slammed his maiden hundred on Australian soil, reaching the milestone in 181 deliveries. Overall, it was Root's 40th hundred in the longest format.

The former England captain Root took 30 innings to reach his maiden hundred in Australia.

The great batter became the second English player, after Maurice Leyland, to score a century on the opening day of a Gabba Test. Overall, Root became the eighth batter to hit a Test hundred for England at the Gabba.

Starc completed his five-wicket haul after he dismissed Gus Atkinson for four runs. Alex Carey took a fantastic catch. It was Starc's 18th fifer in Test cricket and second in the ongoing Ashes Test series.

Root, along with Jofra Archer, then attacked the Australian bowlers. Both batters slammed 19 runs against Scott Boland before they hammered 15 runs against Starc, which helped England cross the 300-run mark.

Root played a reverse scoop to Boland, which went for a six, and Australia started to leak runs. Archer and Root stitched an unbeaten 61-run stand for the final wicket as they took England to take advantage at stumps on Day 1.

Root-Archer partnership is now the highest 10th wicket partnership in a day-night Test, surpassing 59 between Tom Blundell & Blair Tickner in Mount Maunganui in 2023.

Earlier in the day, England clawed their way back impressively after Crawley and Root steadied the ship with a well-composed, unbeaten 93-run partnership after the visitors suffered an early setback after Australia seamer Mitchell Starc removed Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope cheaply in the second Ashes of the five-match series in Brisbane.

At the end of the first session, England were at 98/2 in 24 overs, with Crawley (61*) and Root (32*) unbeaten.

Brief Scores: England 196/4 (Zak Crawley 76, Joe Root 135*, Mitchell Starc 6/71) vs Australia. (ANI)

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