Nov 27th, 2017

Nov 27th, 2017

Australia 0/173 vs England 195 Match Completed CRICKET 2017 Brisbane Cricket Ground - Thursday November 23rd, 12:00 am

First Test result - match report

Australia have defeated England by 10 wickets in the first Ashes Test at the Gabba early on Day 5, after Cameron Bancroft and David Warner tracked the runs down without loss.

The Aussie openers didn’t call on any of the other batsmen to help them track down the target of 170, after England were bowled out in their second innings for 195 on tea on Day 4.

From then on, the pitch was very accommodating for the batsmen, with the England fast bowlers struggling to get anything out of the surface.

Although they beat the bat of Cameron Bancroft on a couple of occasions, David Warner was at his dominant best. He made 87 from just 119 deliveries, while partner Bancroft soaked up plenty of balls for 82 from 189.

MORE ASHES:

» Australian team player ratings for the first Test

» Warner pays tribute to fallen mate

» England skipper says Bairstow incident 'mountain out of a molehill'

There was no joy for the England bowlers late on Day 4 or early on Day 5. That will weigh on the minds of captain Joe Root and the attack leading into the second Test match at Adelaide in just four days time.

Australia can thank captain Steve Smith for the dominant position they found themselves in after the first innings, with the captain the clear stand out. He made an unbeaten 141, with Shaun Marsh in support, making a half century. Pat Cummins provided lower-order resistance on his way to 42.

Earlier, England had scrapped to 302 for their first innings, only to crumble in the middle session of the second day to a short-pitched assault from Cummins and Starc.

It was a similar story for the tourists in the second innings, managing 195 thanks to a half century from Joe Root and a middle order partnership between Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow.

But the bouncer assault from Australia proved too much for the lower order to handle, and Australia were in the box seat to chase 170 runs on a Gabba pitch that seemed to get easier for the batsmen as the game went on.

England captain Joe Root, who had a scare after was struck on the head during his second innings, said the margin of victory didn't reflect the closeness of the contest.

"It is frustrating, but we have to move on quickly and make sure it doesn't happen in the next game.

"We hopefully need to start turning those starts into hundreds.

"One thing about our team is we have great character. I've got great confidence we can do that."

Australia captain and man of the match Steve Smith was pleased with the team performance, and said his hundred in the first innings was close to his best.

"I think it would be up there, particularly with the position we were in.

"I had to work really hard, I had to get off strike really well. I had to show a lot of discipline. Thankfully it worked and we got a lead."

Smith said he was pleased that

"It's pretty early - it's nice to finish quite early.

"I'm pretty pleased with the way we finished this Test match. It's a nice place to bat first.

"The way we pulled it back from the position we were in, I'm proud of the way the boys fought."

(AAP)

Re-live the final morning of the Test in our live updates below.

50.0 overs: Australia 0/173 - GAME OVER! AUSTRALIA win the first Ashes Test match at the Gabba

Bancroft brings up the winning runs from Chris Woakes with a boundary straight down the ground.

He finishes on 82*, while Warner ended up on 87*.

49.0 overs: Australia 0/161 - Not far now - less than 10 to get. Australia doing it very comfortably.

KP's given his verdict:

48.0 overs: Australia 0/159 - FOUR! Warner finally gets a reprieve - they've taken one from the fence at backward square and put him at a catching position, so he takes him on and lifts it over the top for four.

Then a double over the top of slips, and a single down to fine leg. Still trying for that hundred. Pup thinks Bancroft should look at it.

"If I was Bancroft I would look at the scoreboard. Warner deserve 100 here. If I have to block every ball I'd do it."

But then he gets a two as well, basically killing off any chance.

46.0 overs: Australia 0/145 - FOUR! Edgy boundary to Bancroft basically kills any chance of a Warner century.

Edge through the slips from Ball - frustration for Root and the English side.

Australia need just 25 to win. Warner needs 23 for a ton. My early call not paying dividends here!

Joe Root into the bowling attack.

44.0 overs: Australia 0/140 - FOUR! Doing it in singles, all from the bat of Warner.

But then Bancroft finds something and wallops Ball through cover for a boundary. He moves to 60. Warner on 76.

Phillip Hughes honoured in Ashes Day 5

43.0 overs: Australia 0/134 - England employing a short-pitched assault to David Warner based on his dismissal from the first innings when he poked it to mid-wicket.

Bancroft stuck on 56, while Warner is milking singles from the short stuff backward of squad on the on side.

Not a lot in the way of real danger to the Aussie bats so far today. A couple of missed swipes by Warner and Bancroft's missed a couple of good deliveries.

41.0 overs: Australia 0/131 - I'm calling it early - with Bancroft struggling to score Warner is on 100 watch. I don't see Bancroft boshing England's attack around too much, and with Warner looking to attack the bowling of ... well... everyone, he's a chance. 39 to get and he needs 28 of them.

Big chance.

Jake Ball replaces Anderson at the other end. Root giving everyone a go.

40.0 overs: Australia 0/130 - Bancroft looking uncomfortable out there. Plenty of balls flying past his edge. He's managed a couple of prods into the outfield, and an inside edge down to fine leg.

Chris Woakes into the attack, replacing Broad after a couple of overs.

38.0 overs: Australia 0/124 - FOUR! Warner with a boundary from the first ball of Anderson's over. Then a single. Good batting.

Bancroft softened up by a bouncer, then beaten on the inside edge. Good bowling from the man with 500 Test wickets.

37.0 overs: Australia 0/119 - Warner very busy early, looking for runs at every opportunity. A couple of singles early.

Bancroft content to leave plenty of balls, make sure he's seeing them well enough. Waiting for his delivery to attack. He's beaten by Broad from the last ball of the over.

Anderson at the other end for England, showing no signs of a supposed shoulder injury.

35.0 overs: Australia 0/117 - Three for Warner, taking him to 63*. A number of significance.

Pitch still playing excellently. Australia off to a good start.

10:59am: The players are out in the middle, wearing black armbands in honour of Phillip Hughes.

We await the first ball, to be bowled by Stuart Broad.

10:55am: Not far now. We're thinking with a little bit of rain lurking around, there will be no mucking around from Australia.

I think Warner and Bancroft will show plenty of intent early on and try to get celebrating after about an hour.

Hopefully they're belting their throw downs.

10:42am: Plenty of tributes flowing for Phillip Hughes today, still 63 not out. He sadly passed away three years ago.

10:30am: Welcome to our live coverage of the final day of the first Ashes Test between Australia and England.

It's more of a formality than anything else, with Australia needing to knock off 56 runs for victory.

For England, they'll be scratching their heads after a Day 4 onslaught from Australia, with both batsmen and bowlers putting them to the sword.

And then overnight there's been the breaking story of an incident between England 'keeper Jonny Bairstow and Cam Bancroft. Read about the situation here. It's an interesting one.

Day 5 preview

England have conceded Australia will take a 1-0 lead in the Ashes, after they cruised to 0-114 at stumps on day four of the series opener after being set a target of 170 in Brisbane.

David Warner and Cameron Bancroft's productive and positive start to the modest run-chase, coming a day after Steve Smith turned the match on its head with a game-changing knock of 141no, means all the hard work is done for the hosts.

Warner is 60 not out, while Bancroft is on 51. It has been almost four years since Australia enjoyed an opening stand of over 100 runs in the fourth innings of a Test.

"It was a great day," Mitchell Starc said.

"There's still a long way to go in the series but ... the first Test is huge.

"If we can knock off these 56 runs tomorrow it puts us in a very strong position heading to Adelaide. England have to chase us from now on."

Starc declared he, Josh Hazlewood, and Pat Cummins would have "no issue" backing up for the second Test that starts in the South Australian capital on Saturday.

Moeen Ali, whose wounded spinning finger is among England's many concerns ahead of the day-night Test in Adelaide, admitted defeat.

"The first three days we were right in the game then today didn't quite go to plan. That's cost us this Test match," Moeen said.

"Today we let ourselves down, with the bat especially.

"We obviously won't win the game but getting wickets can sort of put a dent in Australia for the next game."

England fought hard at various junctures of a topsy-turvy Test but they were ground into submission at the Gabba on Sunday.

It started with Nathan Lyon claiming three key wickets, including Tim Paine's contentious stumping of Moeen, then gathered momentum when Starc clinically cleaned up the tail.

A shocking collapse of 4-10, the low point of which was Jonny Bairstow steering a short ball from Starc to third man in what should have been the final over of the post-lunch session, ended England's second innings of 195.

Australia were asked to achieve the highest successful run-chase in a Gabba Test since 1982.

Quick wickets would have made things interesting and Australia's openers knew it, starting cautiously before they sensed English heads dropping and started to score with ease.

Bancroft enhanced his stoic reputation, staring down Jimmy Anderson after the frustrated paceman struck the batsman's thigh with a shy at the stumps.

Starc rips through England tail

Lyon niggled the visitors publicly last week in the forthright fashion you would expect more from a leader of a pace attack.

Throughout the first Test he bowled like Australia's spearhead; nobody from either side troubled batsmen quite so consistently.

Lyon dismissed left-handers Mark Stoneman and Dawid Malan in near-identical fashion on Sunday morning, with Smith gleefully accepting two of his four catches of the innings.

Moeen, Bairstow and Joe Root scored a combined 133 runs but couldn't go on with it. Josh Hazlewood trapped Root lbw for 51 in the shadows of lunch.

Day 4 report

Australia have made huge headway in pursuit of the target of 170 to win the Ashes opener in Brisbane, after England collapsed to be all out for 195 at tea on day four.

Cameron Bancroft and David Warner both made half centuries before the close of play, but they still require 56 runs to win the first Test of the five-game series.

That should be knocked off early in the fifth morning, with fans welcome to attend the game for just a gold coin donation that will go to Movember.

(AAP)

Earlier, England crumbled to a short-pitched assault from Australia's pace attack and an excellent spell from spinner Nathan Lyon.

Lyon's crafty offspin, a contentious stumping and late collapse of 4-10 have now put Steve Smith's side in the box seat.

Moeen Ali provided spirited resistance to Australia's push for victory, stroking six boundaries in a knock of 40.

The allrounder became Nathan Lyon's third victim on Sunday when Tim Paine completed a sharp stumping that third umpire Chris Gaffaney agonised over.

It was a matter of millimetres but Gaffaney eventually deemed Ali's boot to be on the line; commentators and former players Ian Healy and Michael Clarke were among those who disagreed.

Smith held a sharp catch to dismiss Chris Woakes late in the session - the first of three quick wickets that Mitchell Starc claimed as he clinically cleaned up the tail.

Jonny Bairstow's uncharacteristically cautious knock of 42 ended when he steered a short ball from Starc to third man in what should have been the final over of the session.

Stuart Broad was out four balls later when Smith reviewed a caught-behind shout that the left-armer had little interest in.

170 will be the highest successful run-chase in a Gabba Test since 1982.

Lyon niggled the visitors publicly last week in the forthright fashion you would expect more from a leader of a pace attack.

Throughout the first Test he has very much bowled like Australia's spearhead; nobody from either side has troubled batsmen quite so consistently.

Lyon dismissed left-handers Mark Stoneman and Dawid Malan in near-identical fashion on Sunday morning, with Smith gleefully accepting the edges.

Josh Hazlewood claimed the all-important scalp of Joe Root for 51 in the shadows of lunch on Sunday, trapping him lbw.