For England’s Barmy Army, the pain began on the very first ball. After spending two weeks in quarantine to see an Ashes series that for long periods seemed like it would never happen, the faithful were rewarded with a Mitchell Starc banana ball that took Rory Burns’ leg stump in front of a packed Gabba.

After that start - only the second time in Ashes history a wicket has fallen on the first ball of the series - it didn’t get much better for England. Three wickets, including captain Joe Root, were lost within half an hour.