Australia's gamble to leave out a bowling all-rounder in Brisbane has been vindicated, with the pace trio and in-form spinner Nathan Lyon proving to be more than a handful for England in the first Ashes Test at the Gabba.

And Mitchell Starc insists there will be no issue with fatigue ahead of the Adelaide Test starting on Saturday, insisting the same squad can do the job under lights despite home track specialist Chadd Sayers waiting in the wings.

Crucial wicket: Josh Hazlewood traps Joe Root in front for 51. Credit:AAP

The selection of Shaun Marsh at six in Brisbane, instead of someone like Glenn Maxwell or Hilton Cartwright, raised questions about how captain Steve Smith would manage the bowling workload among Lyon, Pat Cummins, Starc and Josh Hazlewood.

England were also deeply aware of the potential for things to go wrong, with Jake Ball and Stuart Broad among their players saying it was a calculated plan to ensure the Australians bowled as many overs as possible, especially once conditions revealed themselves to be hard work for the seamers.