Joe Root scores first century in Australia as England take day one honours despite Starc brilliance

On his fourth tour down under, Joe Root finally has a Test ton in Australia. And the English superstar may have put his side in a match-winning position after a rollercoaster day at the Gabba.

Mitchell Starc stormed past Wasim Akram as the most prolific left-arm quick in Test history, but Australia’s decision to omit Nathan Lyon proved controversial and potentially costly as Joe Root finally broke through for his maiden Test century Down Under to lay a strong platform for England.

With Aussie selectors having made the controversial call to omit Lyon from a home Test for the first time in almost 14 years, Starc furthered his already lofty reputation as the ultimate pink ball destroyer, blasting through England’s top order before making regular interventions thereafter to take 6-71.

But despite the strong urgings of David Warner on Kayo Sports, England decided against declaring late in the final session as Root and No. 11 Jofra Archer bashed potentially critical runs with the pink ball softening and the field spread.

England finished day one at 9-325, with Archer on 32 and Root unbeaten on 135.

Root had been involved in a mix-up with captain Ben Stokes, who was run out for 19 via a brilliant direct hit from Josh Inglis.

But the former skipper played a highly sensible innings, showing discretion against the steep Australian bounce that had so often proved his undoing.

In an irony-tinged moment given he had just days ago argued that the Ashes series didn’t need a day-night Test, Root wriggled free from the monkey on his back under the Brisbane lights, at last bringing up triple figures after nine previous unconverted half-centuries.

Joe Root was brilliant in ending his Australian hoodoo. Picture: Getty

Stokes won the toss and elected to bat, a move that Steve Smith said he too would have made if afforded the chance.

But far from capitalise early, England was on the brink of calamity when Starc left them reeling at 2-5.

Ben Duckett fell for a golden duck, edging tentatively to Marnus Labuschagne at first slip to become Starc’s 26th first over victim in his 102-Test career.

Things went from bad to worse when Ollie Pope departed too without scoring, needless chopping onto his own stumps. England was centimetres from disaster when Root’s nick was spilled by Smith who had lunged from second slip.

As the sheen of the new pink Kookaburra wore off, Root and Zak Crawley combined for a 117-run partnership.

Coming off a first Test pair, Crawley played beautifully for his 76 before falling to Michael Neser, miscuing an attempted pull to be caught behind.

Zak Crawley bounced back from his pair in Perth to put Australia on the back foot. Picture: Getty

Harry Brook picked up where Crawley had left off, adding 54 with Root, only to edge to Smith on 31. That was Starc’s 415th Test scalp, one clear of the legendary Pakistani Wasim.

The Stokes run out precipitated a collapse of 5-54 but perhaps spooked by their day one declaration at Edgbaston in the Ashes opener of 2023, England kept going and reaped rewards through Root and Archer.

Starc’s fifth wicket came via an outstanding catch from wicketkeeper Alex Carey, narrowly avoiding a collision with Labuschagne as he tracked a top edge.

After days of to-ing and fro-ing, Australia ultimately opted to take the conservative route by leaving out Pat Cummins, but instead recalled Neser for his first Test in three years, dropping Lyon for a second consecutive pink-ball match.

Mitchell Starc had another enormous day for Australia - finishing with six wickets. Picture: Getty

Lyon played 100 Tests straight between 2013 and 2023 but has now been dumped twice in a matter of months after also being squeezed out of the Aussie XI in Jamaica.

It marked the first time Australia had fielded a Test side at home without Lyon since a clash with India at the WACA Ground in early 2012.

Former Australian leg-spinner Kerry O’Keeffe said he was not a fan of the call not to include Lyon.

“I can’t agree with the non-selection of a spinner on a dry Australian pitch,” O’Keeffe said on Kayo Sports.

“I know it’s a day-nighter with the pink ball, but I just can’t come to terms with it, I’m sorry.”

Ex-Australian selector Mark Waugh also disagreed with the decision.

“It looks a good batting surface, so I would expect when the ball gets to 30 to 40 overs old it will be hard work for the seamers, and we know England like to play an aggressive style of game, so you need to change the tempo of the innings and the tempo of your bowling,” Waugh said on Kayo.

Aaron Finch, the former Australian white-ball skipper, said on Channel 7 that he had been “a bit surprised” by the call.

A dirty day for Lyon continued when he was struck on the lower leg from a Beau Webster shot while bowling in the nets, but Cricket Australia later confirmed there were no injury concerns for the experienced spinner, who is stranded on 562 Test wickets, one shy of Glenn McGrath.

With no spinner employed, Australia’s over rate was dreadful, however there will be no World Test Championship points ramifications so long as England is bowled out inside 80 overs.

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Originally published as Joe Root scores first century in Australia as England take day one honours despite Starc brilliance